The SCSEP was originally authorized in 1965 by the Economic Opportunity Act, Public Law 8973. In 1973 the SCSEP was authorized under the Older Americans Act (OAA). As authorized by title V of the OAA of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 3056 et seq.), the SCSEP fosters and promotes useful parttime workbased training opportunities in community organizations for persons with low incomes who are 55 years of age or older. Program participants receive onthejob training at local public or nonprofit agencies and are paid the higher of the Federal, state, or local minimum wage or the comparable wage for approximately 20 hours per week while in job training (OAA Amendments Sec. 502(b)(1)(J); 20 CFR 641.565(a)). The ultimate goal is to assist the transition of older individuals into unsubsidized employment that leads to self sufficiency.

The Fiscal Year 2005 total appropriation was $438,678,400 and applied to the Program Year that began on July 1, 2005. This funding supported over 61,300 positions and will result in approximately 93,000 people being served during the program year that ends on June 30, 2006.

The following information describes key aspects of the program. For a more indepth understanding, applicants should read the resources listed in Section VIII of this SGA.

Eligible Participant. An individual is eligible for the program if he or she is unemployed at the time of enrollment, is age 55 or older, and has an income of no more than 125 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines.

Services for Individuals with Multiple Barriers to Employment. SCSEP is a focused program that seeks to serve those most in need as provided at 20 CFR 641.525. These individuals are age 60 or over and who have the greatest economic need, or greatest social need, or poor employment history or prospects.

Individual Employment Plans (IEP). As required at 20 CFR 641.535, each SCSEP participant must be assessed to determine his or her skills and employmentrelated needs and a plan must be developed to improve the participant's employability. The IEP generally includes a goal of [[Page 10799]]
unsubsidized employment and an appropriate sequence of services and training for that participant based on the assessment. (Other employment and training programs sometimes refer to this type of plan as an Individual Development Plan or Individual Training Plan). Grantees should monitor IEP progress regularly and are required to update an IEP (if necessary) for each participant at least twice during a 12month period.

Unsubsidized Employment. An important goal of the program is to help participants achieve selfsufficiency. Grantees provide training opportunities that enable participants to obtain employment. In addition, grantees provide regular followup communication with the participant and employer to ensure that the participant is retained in the job. Grantees may also provide supportive services to successfully placed participants for up to 6 months to enable them to remain employed. Successful employment and retention in a job should result from quality training efforts and good employer relationships.

Community Service WorkBased Training. Providing subsidized work based training through community service is an important aspect of SCSEP. Participants obtain the confidence needed to become employable and the organizations that ``host'' the participants receive volunteer work. As provided at 20 CFR 641.140, community service may include, but is not limited to, such activities as social, health, welfare and educational services, counseling services, including tax counseling, environmental efforts, weatherization efforts and economic development. The training provided at these host agencies must be consistent with the participant's IEP. Participants receive wages paid by the grantee while they are in workbased training.

Host Agencies. Host agencies provide the worksites for program participants and may be public or private 501(c)(3) organizations, including communitybased and faithbased organizations, authorized Federal agencies, state agencies, or local public agencies. Host agencies are an important component of the program because they provide training and work experience for participants. Grantees must work with host agencies to identify appropriate training that does not lead to maintenance of effort violations. Therefore, the grantee's communication with and training for the host agency directly affects the value of the workbased training experience for the participants, and the participants' ability to obtain unsubsidized employment.

Other Permissible Training. Training other than workbased training is an important tool to improve the skills and talents of participants, to help them succeed in their community service assignments, and to facilitate placement of participants in unsubsidized employment. How much training, and what types of training are necessary are based on each individual participant's IEP, but may include classroom training, general skills training, or specialized training.

Coordination With OneStop Career Centers, State and Local Workforce Investment Boards, State Agencies on Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, Other Grantees and SCSEP 502(e) Program Grantees. As a required partner, all SCSEP grantees are required to coordinate activities with local OneStop Career Centers administered by Local Workforce Investment Boards under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), Pub. L. 105220, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). For instance, as provided at 20 CFR 641.230, participant determinations of eligibility and needs assessments completed by the SCSEP satisfy any condition for an assessment under WIA and viceversa.

Coordination with state agencies on aging and area agencies on aging is required to ensure seamless support of aging individuals, which also helps participants achieve selfsufficiency. These organizations often operate local SCSEP programs but also offer supportive benefits to seniors. Grantees are also encouraged to coordinate efforts with other SCSEP grantees.

Participant Wages and Fringe Benefits. Grantees are required to spend a minimum of 75 percent of the Federal grant funds on participant wages and fringe benefits. Participant wages are based on the higher of the Federal, state, or local minimum wage, or at a comparable wage for time spent in approved program activities only (e.g., community service training, other permissible training). See Section II of this SGA for funding calculation information. Generally, payments are made every 2 weeks.

Although the Department discourages grantees from providing permissive fringe benefits, such as annual leave and sick leave, because they dissuade participants from obtaining unsubsidized employment, applicants will not be penalized if they elect to provide such benefits. If a grantee provides such benefits, they must be consistently applied to all participants and expire at the end of every program year. Workers' compensation is a statutorily required fringe benefit that must be provided to each participant, and falls into a different cost classification from the workers' compensation provided to the grantee's employees. Please see 20 CFR 641.565(b)(iii). Physical examinations must also be offered to every participant as required under 20 CFR 641.565(b)(ii)(A).

Equitable Distribution (ED). Section 507 of the OAA Amendments requires the Department to ensure that services are provided equitably within each state. The calculation is based on census data by county and state and annual program appropriations, and results in the number of authorized positions or ``slots'' that are allocated to each county. The number of authorized positions is proportional to the number of eligible people in the county compared to the state total. For every slot, one or more individuals can receive services through the program year. For instance, when a participant exits the program for employment, a new individual may be enrolled based on remaining program funds.

Right of First Refusal. Under this solicitation, all successful applicants must allow the current participants to remain in the program under the same conditions in which they are found in order to minimize disruptions to the program. Therefore, while participants may not elect to remain under a former grantee, they must be able to continue community service workbased training with the same host agency for a minimum of 90 days after July 1, 2006.

Administrative Costs. The administrative allowance for the program is 13.5 percent of the Federal share. Administrative costs are defined in the OAA Amendments at section 502(c)(4) and 20 CFR 641.856. This administrative limit may be extended to 15 percent as permitted under section 502(c)(3) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.867.

NonFederal Share Requirement. Section 502(c)(1)(2) limits the Department's cost of operating the program to 90 percent. Therefore, each grantee must contribute a minimum of 10 percent to the program through cash or inkind contributions. This requirement also applies to Federal agencies unless a statutory exemption is demonstrated. Grantees are prohibited from requiring local projects or subgrantees from providing match as a condition of receiving funds. For more information on nonFederal share requirements, please see 20 CFR 641.809 and 29 CFR 95.23.

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Subgrantee. This is defined as any organization that provides program services on behalf of the grantee. There are no statutory restrictions on the type of entity that may be a subgrantee; however, all subgrantees are required to follow all applicable Department rules, regulations, and policy advisories. Some examples of entities that may be subgrantees include, but are not limited to, community and faith based organizations, community colleges, state agencies, OneStop Career Centers, forprofit organizations, and tribal organizations.

Extension of Funding. At the request of a grantee, the Department may permit a grantee to extend the use of any remaining program year grant funds beyond the program year. The Department discourages such practice and will grant an extension only under extenuating circumstances.

Performance Measures. The performance measures for the program are outlined in 20 CFR part 641 subpart G and Appendix I. These goals are designed to ensure that grantees are enrolling those individuals who need the most training assistance to obtain employment. They also ensure that participants are placed into and retained in jobs and that they continue to improve their skills and employability. The Department expects continuous performance improvement from the program overall, which is measured under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 through established program goals. The ability of a grantee to meet the performance measures depends largely on how successful the grantee is at recruiting, conducting outreach, identifying job openings, training participants, and successfully matching participants with jobs.

II. Award Information

Type of Assistance Instrument. This is an initial one year grant unless extended by the Department under extenuating circumstances as described in Section IIC. The grant may be extended for an additional two years, contingent upon the grantee meeting or exceeding the minimum negotiated performance measures as required by section 514(a) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.700.

A. Service Locations

The applicable service locations are listed by state and county in Section VIII, Appendix F of this SGA. Please note that national grant funds are not allocated for the states of Alaska, Delaware, and Hawaii, and for the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
B. Funding Levels
(1) Funding Amount and Total Awards. The total amount of funds available for this SGA is approximately $341,000,000. It is anticipated that no more than 20 awards will be made under this SGA, including at least one award to an Indian organization and at least one to an Asian Pacific Islander organization that serve older individuals. (2) Minimum Request for Funding. In order to deliver services more efficiently and to reduce duplicative administrative costs, the Department seeks to reduce the number of national grantees serving individual local areas through this SGA. To that end, certain requirements have been placed on the size of requests for funding.

Applicants must apply for at least 10 percent of the state allocation or $1,600,000 (approximately 224 slots) in each state, whichever is greater. (See examples 1 and 2 below.) This requirement does not preclude an applicant from applying for more than 10 percent of the allocated amount in a state. In fact, the Department encourages applicants to apply for 2025 percent for maximum efficiencies of operation.

Applicants must also apply for all of the positions allocated in a county, except in large counties that exceed the 10 percent or $1.6 million state minimum. The Department may award two or more grants in large counties that have more than 224 positions (or more than $1.6 million). For those large counties, the applicant may apply for a portion of the county; but if that does not meet the 10 percent or $1.6 million state minimum, the applicant must also apply for surrounding contiguous counties.

In addition, requests for multiple counties in a state must be contiguously located to receive consideration. An applicant may apply for more than one cluster of counties in a state, such as in larger states, but each cluster must meet the minimum state funding requirements.

Applicants must list their requests for locations and number of positions by county and state in a chart format. This chart is available in Excel format with accompanying instructions at http://www.doleta.gov/seniors/. Applicants are required to submit this file

electronically as part of the application packet.

Example 1: Organization A submits an application to provide services in Wyoming, which has 230 available slots. Organization A must apply for all of the available slots in Wyoming.

Example 2: Organization B submits an application to provide services in California, which has 4,080 available slots but only wants to operate in the Oakland area, which is in Alameda County. In order to be considered for an application, Organization B must meet the minimum funding requirements, which in this case is 10 percent or $2,918,424 (408 slots) in California. Organization B must apply for the 158 slots in Alameda County or $1,130,174, and the slots in any contiguous counties to meet the minimum state funding request. In this example, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus Counties are contiguously located. Therefore, Organization B could also apply for 81 slots in Contra Costa or $579,606; 131 slots in Santa Clara County or $937,043; and 61 slots in Stanislaus County or $436,333 for a total request of $3,082,943, or other contiguous counties to meet the minimum funding requirements.
(3) The Calculation Formula. Applicants can calculate the estimated amount of funds allocated to a state by county using the ``cost per authorized position'' formula in section 506(g)(1) of the OAA Amendments. The unit cost is roughly $7,153 per authorized position based on the Federal minimum wage. This amount represents the total funding allocated for each authorized position, including
administrative costs. Applicants should multiply this amount by the number of positions in the county as listed in Section VIII, Appendix F of this SGA.

Example: Stanislaus County, California has 61 available positions in the county. Therefore, the amount of funding would be $7,153 x 61 = $436,333. Although this is only an estimate of cost per authorized position, it is a useful tool for applicants to determine their funding request under this proposal.

Note: A higher state minimum wage does not impact the slot funding calculation, but is a factor that is considered for performance measure calculations.
(4) Calculation Requirements. Calculations must be based on the number of authorized positions as a result of equitable distribution rather than the actual number of positions that currently exist in the county. This requirement encourages equitable distribution of positions. Therefore, underserved areas will be funded to provide services to more needy individuals in those counties. However, those counties that are overserved will not be funded to provide for all current participants. It will be the successful applicant's responsibility to move these eligible participants into unsubsidized employment or to fund the positions as part of a nonFederal share contribution. In exceptional circumstances, the transition period may exceed one year.
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(See Appendix F for the number of authorized positions in each county.)

Example 1: Alameda County, California should receive 158 positions according to the equitable distribution formula. However, this county is currently overserved by 20 positions. An
organization applying for this county will only be funded for the 158 positions or $1,130,174. The successful applicant will be responsible for either placing 20 participants in unsubsidized employment or funding the positions using grant or nonFederal share (match) funds. (See Appendix F for the number of authorized positions and the current level of filled positions.)

Example 2: San Joaquin County, California should receive 85 positions according to the equitable distribution formula. However, this county is currently underserved by 7 positions. An
organization applying for this county will be funded for 85 positions or $608,005 and will be able to enroll additional participants in the program in the county.
(5) Disqualification Statement. A failure in the application to adhere to these requirements will result in the disqualification of the applicant to compete for the area(s) impacted.

Note: The Department reserves the right to make final decisions on the service providers in an area and may take into consideration special local conditions and otherwise unforeseen circumstances including combining metropolitan areas across state borders. C. Period of Performance

Successful applicants under this SGA are expected to commence program operations on July 1, 2006. The period of performance will initially be for one (1) year (unless extended by the Department under extenuating circumstances) with an option to be funded for an additional two (2) years at the Department's discretion. However, the Department's option to refund the initial grant is contingent upon the grantee meeting or exceeding the minimum negotiated performance measures as required by section 514(a) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.700.
III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

In order to be eligible to compete for funds under this SGA, the applicant must demonstrate that it is capable of operating in more than one state as required at 20 CFR 641.140. This requirement does not preclude an organization from applying for areas in only one state as long as the other requirements are met. Note, however, that the Department reserves the right to award only one applicant per state.

Applicants must also meet the responsibility and eligibility tests under section 514(b)(d) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.430 641.440 and the funding requirements in Section II above.

Applicants may apply to receive a grant under one or more of the following three (3) categories:
(1) General National Grant Funds. Applications for general SCSEP national grant funds will be accepted from public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations, including faithbased and communitybased organizations, and tribal organizations consistent with section 502(b)(1) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.400(a), that are familiar with the areas and populations to be served and that can administer an effective program in more than one state.
``Nonprofit'' is defined as an agency, institution, or organization which is, or is owned and operated by, one or more corporations or associations no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual (OAA Amendments Sec. 101(4)).
``Public agency'' is defined as a Federal public agency with the statutory authority to receive other Federal grant funds (also known as gift authority) (20 CFR 641.400).
``Tribal organizations'' is defined as the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe, or any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body (OAA Amendments Sec. 101(7) and 20 CFR 641.140). In any case in which a contract is let or grant made to an organization to perform services benefiting more than one Indian tribe, the approval of each such Indian tribe is a prerequisite to the letting or making of such contract or grant.

Applicants must mark a ``G'' on the application and state specifically in the application that they are applying for general SCSEP national grant funds.
(2) Indian Grant Funds. Applications will be accepted from public or nonprofit national Indian aging organizations with the ability to provide employment services to older Indians as required by section 506(a)(3) of the OAA Amendments.
``Indian'' means a person who is a member of an Indian tribe (OAA Amendments Sec. 101(5) and 20 CFR 641.140).
``Indian tribe'' means any tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians (including Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) which (A) is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians; or (B) is located on, or in proximity to, a Federal or state reservation (OAA Amendments Sec. 101(6) and 20 CFR 641.140).

Applicants must mark an ``I'' on the application and state specifically in the application that they are applying for Indian SCSEP national grant funds. The Department may take local needs and population characteristics into consideration when making funding decisions.
(3) Pacific Islander and Asian American National Grant Funds. Applications for Pacific Islander and Asian American national grant funds will be accepted from national public or nonprofit Pacific Islander and Asian American aging organizations with the ability to provide employment to older Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans, as required by section 506(a)(3) of the OAA Amendments.
``Pacific Islander and Asian American'' means Americans having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands (OAA Amendments Sec. 516(3)).

Applicants must mark an ``AP'' on the application and state specifically in the application that they are applying for Pacific Islander and Asian American SCSEP national grant funds. The Department may take local needs and population characteristics into consideration when making funding decisions.
(4) Other Useful Information. Applicants applying for more than one category above must submit separate applications for each category for which they are applying. Please note, however, that regardless of the category selected, all successful applicants are required to serve any eligible individual within the awarded counties and states. Consideration of ethnic or racial status is only a factor for tracking services provided to individuals with multiple barriers to employment as defined in Section I of this SGA.

Entities may apply as a consortium, but each member of the consortium must meet all eligibility and responsibility tests. Entities applying as a consortium are also jointly and severally liable for meeting all requirements for administering this Federallyfunded program.

In the context of this SGA, a consortium is two or more eligible entities that enter into a legal agreement to apply for SCSEP funds as if they were applying as a single organization. For grant
administration purposes, the
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consortium must identify one organization as the lead contact. B. Veterans Priority

This program is subject to the priority provisions of the Jobs for Veterans Act, 38 U.S.C. 4215 et seq. In cases where providers of services must choose between two or more candidates with similar backgrounds and skill sets, the Jobs for Veterans Act requires that veterans and spouses of certain specified veterans be given priority. Please note that, to obtain priority of service, a veteran must meet the program's eligibility requirements. The advisory providing policy guidance on veterans' priority is at http://www.doleta.gov/programs/VETs/. Veterans priority for SCSEP is described at 20 CFR 641.520.

Legal rules pertaining to inherently religious activities by organizations that receive Federal financial assistance. The government is generally prohibited from providing direct Federal financial assistance for inherently religious activities. Grants under the solicitation may not be used for religious instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing, or other inherently religious activities. Neutral, nonreligious criteria that neither favor nor disfavor religion will be employed in the selection of grant recipients and must be employed by grantees in the selection of subrecipients.

C. Ineligible Applicants

Proposals will not be accepted from the following applicants: (1) Organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying are prohibited from receiving Federal awards under Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, Public Law 10465.
(2) Organizations that fail to provide any of the required information described in this SGA, or fail to clearly identify the number and location by county of slots requested.
(3) Organizations that fail to demonstrate that they are capable of operating in more than one state, as required by 20 CFR 641.400(a). (4) Organizations that apply to serve Alaska, Delaware, and/or Hawaii only.
(5) With the exception of Federal public agencies, other public agencies, such as state agencies or local governments, are not eligible to apply.

D. Cost Sharing or Matching

All applicants, including Federal agencies, must demonstrate a minimum of 10 percent nonFederal contribution to the program and the source of such nonFederal share. Federal agencies that have a statutory exemption to the nonFederal share requirement must attach a copy of the exemption language. The source of such documentation must be easily determined. Please see 20 CFR 641.809 for further information.
IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address To Request Application Package

All application materials will be made available on the following Web sites: http://www.grants.gov; and http://www.doleta.gov/seniors/. Please note that this announcement includes all information and forms needed to apply for this funding opportunity.

B. Content and Form of Application

Each application must include the original signed application and two hard copies. The proposal must consist of two separate and distinct parts: Part AFinancial Proposal and Part BTechnical Proposal. Both parts must be included in each copy of a complete application. Applications that fail to adhere to the instructions in this section will be deemed nonresponsive and will not be considered for funding. 1. Requirements for the Technical Proposal

Page Limit. Maximum fortyfive (45) page narrative, including all optional attachments, singleside only on 8\1/2\ x 11 paper. Pages must be numbered. Only those attachments listed below as ``Required Attachments'' will be excluded from the page limit. Optional attachments must be limited to meaningful information that contributes to and/or verifies the proposed activities, such as letters of commitment.

Spacing. Doublespaced with the exception of optional and required attachments. Major sections and subsections of the application should be divided and clearly identified.

Font Size and Typeface. Minimum 12 points in Times New Roman typeface.

Margins. Must be a minimum of one inch on all sides.

Required Attachments. The following attachments must be affixed as separate, clearly identified appendices to the application and will not count against the page limit:
(a) An organizational chart, resumes of key personnel, and complete staffing plans. Resumes of all key staff (e.g., Executive Director, Project Director, etc.) must include a description of each individual's roles and responsibilities, his/her current employment status and previous work experience, including position title, duties, dates in position, employing organizations, and educational background. Staffing plans must identify all key tasks, the person(s) or days required to complete each task, and the percentage of time allocated to the program by individuals assigned to the task, including subcontractors and consultants;
(b) A list of all government grants and contracts the applicant and its affiliates have had in the past 3 years, including grant officer contact name, telephone number and email address, amount of award, summary of the work performed, period of performance, and performance record and/or accomplishments. For purposes of this SGA, the term ``affiliate'' refers to the applicant's subsidiaries, divisions, predecessors, and successors;
(c) Chart listing the number of positions for which the applicant is applying to serve by county and state. (See Section VIII, Appendix K of this SGA);
(d) Consortium agreement, if applicable; and
(e) Federal agencies must submit a clearly identifiable copy of the statutory provision that permits it to receive other Federal funds and a clearly identifiable copy of any applicable exemptions from the non Federal share requirements.

Note: Applicants receiving awards will be expected to show audit reports for the past 3 years for the applicant and its affiliates before final awards are made.

2. Requirements for the Cost Proposal

Application for Federal Assistance SF424. The SF424 must clearly identify the applicant and be signed by an individual with authority to enter into a grant agreement on behalf of the applicant. Upon confirmation of an award, the individual signing the SF424 on behalf of the applicant shall represent the responsible entity. All applications for Federal grant and funding opportunities are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) number. Applicants must supply their DUNS number in item 8 of SF424. The DUNS number is easy to obtain and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access http://www.dnb.com or call 18667055711.

Budget Information for SF424A. Standard Form 424A must contain a detailed cost break out on each of the expenditures under Section B of the form, including Federal and nonFederal funds. Copies of all required forms along with the instructions for completing the forms are provided at the appendices of this SGA.

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Note: The Application for Federal Assistance (SF424) and the Budget Information Form (SF424A) are available at http://www.grants.gov/GovtWideForms .

Indirect Cost Rate. An indirect cost rate is required when an organization operates under more than one grant or other activity whether Federallyassisted or not. Organizations must use the indirect cost rate supplied by the cognizant Federal agency. If an organization requires a new indirect cost rate or has a pending indirect cost rate, the Department's Grant Officer will award a billing rate for 90 days until a provisional rate can be issued.

Cost Categories. Expenditures must fall under one of two cost categories: Administrative, which is to be divided between headquarters and local, and Program Costs, which includes wages, fringe benefits, and other participant costs.

Sufficient Local Funding. The OAA, at section 502(b)(1)(R) requires each grantee to allocate funding for administrative costs incurred at subrecipient levels for program administrative activities. In addition, grantees may not require a subgrantee to contribute financial resources to program operations as a condition of operating the program. Please see 20 CFR 641.861 and 641.809(e) for further information.

Transition and Training Costs. Applicants are required to provide a line item for transition costs (i.e., startup [costs], participant transfers, yearend closeout), as well as for sufficient training costs for local staff that may be required by the Department throughout the program year. Procurement procedures must comply with OMB Circular A 122.

Required Attachments. Assurances, Certifications, Signature page and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form are required.

Note: The cost proposal must be prepared to cover program costs for one (1) year of operation only.

C. Submission Dates, Times, and Addresses

Applications may be submitted in either method described below but must be received no later than 4:45 p.m., Eastern Time on the closing date. The application will not be considered if an applicant fails to adhere to the submission instructions below.

Electronic Submissions. The Department requests that applicants apply online at http://www.grants.gov. The Department strongly recommends that applicants initiate and complete the ``Get Started'' steps to register with grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted. Please note that these steps could take several days to complete, which should factor into an applicant's submission timing to avoid the rejection of an application due to potential delays. Documents should be saved as .doc or .pdf prior to electronic submission through grants.gov.

U.S. Postal Mail and Overnight Submissions. Submit one (1) blueink signed, typewritten original of the application, and two signed photocopies in one package to: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Attention: James Stockton, Mail Stop N4716, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.

Other Methods of Submission. Applications submitted by email, telegram, or facsimile will not be accepted.

Late Applications. Any application received after the closing date will not be considered, unless it is received before awards are made and:
(a) It was sent by U.S. Postal Service registered or certified mail not later than the fifth calendar day before the closing date (e.g., an application required by the 20th of the month must be postmarked by the 15th of that month); or
(b) It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail/Next Day Service from the post office to the addressee no later than 4:45 pm at the place of mailing, two (2) working days (excluding weekends and Federal holidays and days when the Federal Government is closed), prior to the closing date; or
(c) It is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due solely to the mishandling by the Government after receipt at the U.S. Department of Labor at the address indicated.

Acceptable Evidence for Late Applications. 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 closing date and time shall be considered as if mailed late.

The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a late application sent by U.S Postal Service Express Mail/Next Day Service from the post office to the addressee is the date entered by the Post Office receiving clerk on the ``Express Mail/Next Day ServicePost Office to Addressee'' label and the postmark on the envelope or wrapper on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service.
``Postmarked'' means a printed, stamped, or otherwise placed impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is readily identifiable, with further action, as having been supplied or affixed on the date of mailing by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.

Mail Advisory in the DC Area. All applicants are advised that U.S. mail delivery in the Washington, DC area is erratic. Packages addressed to the U.S. Department of Labor are subject to radiation before delivery. All applicants must take this into consideration when preparing to meet the application closing date, as each applicant assumes the risk for ensuring a timely submission of its application. The Department recommends that applicants confirm receipt of their applications by contacting James Stockton, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants and Contract Management, telephone (202) 6933335 before the closing date. [This is not a tollfree number.]

Applications may be withdrawn by written notice or telegram (including mailgram) at any time before the Department makes an award. An applicant may withdraw its submissions in person by the applicant or through an authorized representative of the applicant if the applicant makes the representative's identity known to the Grant Officer and the representative signs a receipt when he or she receives the withdrawn application.

D. Intergovernmental Review

This program is subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' Each applicant must contact the office or official designated as the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) in each applicable state for information on the process the state requires to be followed in applying for assistance. In some cases the SPOC may not have selected the SCSEP for review. Names and addresses for the SPOCs are listed in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) at http://. http://www.fws.gov/policy/library/rgeo12372.pdf. E. Funding Restrictions

The minimum funding requirement must be at least 10 percent of the state
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allocation or $1,600,000 (approximately 224 slots), whichever is greater. Applicants are also required to apply for contiguously located counties within a state, unless an applicant can meet the greater of $1,600,000 or 10 percent state allocation, within a single county. Applicants should follow the minimum request for funding guidance found in Section II.B.

F. Other Submission Requirements

Each applicant must submit a copy of the technical proposal (including the chart of service areas but no other attachment requirements) and the SF424 to the Governor in each state that it proposes to serve before submitting an application to the Department as required by section 503(a)(5) of the OAA Amendments and 20 CFR 641.410. Under this provision, the Governor of each state may submit a recommendation to the Secretary relating to the anticipated effect of an applicant's proposal on the overall distribution of positions within the state; recommendations for redistribution of positions to under served areas (i.e., Equitable Distribution); and recommendations for distribution of any newly available positions. The Department will not consider comments that are outside the scope of this provision.

Please note that Governors are not required to provide comments to applicants. Therefore, applicants should not wait for communication from the Governor before submitting the application to the Department.

Applicants submitting as an Indian (``I'') grant are not required to submit copies of their applications to the Governors under this section, but are encouraged to voluntarily comply with this provision. V. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

All applicants are required to use the Rating Criteria format when developing their proposals. The technical panel will review grant applications against the criteria listed below on the basis of 100 maximum points. In order to receive full credit, applicants must provide quality information that does more than reiterate the requirement statement or merely state how it will be accomplished. Therefore, responses must be thoughtful and reflect a strategic vision for how these requirements will be achieved. In addition, an applicant that describes only what has been accomplished in the past but lacks a full description of what it will do during the grant period will not receive credit for that response.

Points Summary:

1. Design and Governance15 points.

2. Program and Grant Management Systems10 points.

3. Financial Management System10 points.

4. Program Service Delivery40 points.

5. Performance Accountability25 points.

Total100 points.

1. Design and Governance: (15 Points)

Strategic Planning. The applicant must demonstrate how it will develop and implement a strategic approach to meeting business and industry needs for a prepared and competitive workforce through a demanddriven approach.

Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a response:

Service Design. The applicant must describe its service delivery system design that will accomplish its strategic objectives for helping older workers.

Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a response:

Program Integration. Applicants must describe how integration will be supported, codified in policy, measures, and demonstrated at the leadership level of the organization.

Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a response:

2. Program and Grant Management Systems: (10 Points)

Administrative Controls. The applicant must demonstrate that its administrative controls are sufficient to ensure grant integrity.

Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a response:

Personnel. The applicant must describe how the management structure and staffing of the organization are aligned with the grant requirements, vision, and goals, and how the structure and staffing are designed to assure responsible general management of the organization.

NonFederal Share. The applicant must describe its policies and procedures to meet nonFederal share requirements, including the use of leveraged resources.

Procurement. The applicant must demonstrate that its procurement actions are conducted according to Federal requirements.

The following must be included in the response:

Reporting Systems. The applicant must describe how Enterprise Business Support System (EBSS, formerly EIMS) will be used to fulfill financial and programmatic requirements and how data collection and the SCSEP Performance and Results QPR (SPARQ)
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system will be implemented and populated to meet reporting requirements and track program performance. For information on SPARQ, go to http://charteroakgroup.org/resources/scsep.shtml .

Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a response:

Budget Controls. The applicant must describe its method for tracking planned expenditures that will allow it to compare actual expenditures or outlays to planned or estimated expenditures. The following information must be included in the response:

Internal Controls. The applicant must describe how it will ensure effective control, integrity and accountability for all grant and subrecipient grant assets.

4. Program Service Delivery: (40 Points)

Participant Recruitment. The applicant must describe how it will broaden local awareness of the program in order to recruit eligible individuals to the program.

The following must be included in the response:

Participant Eligibility. The applicant must describe how it will ensure that individuals applying to be program participants and continuing program participants meet the eligibility criteria to enroll or remain in the program.

The following must be included in the response:

Assessments and IEPs. The applicant must describe how it will continuously assess program participants using the IEP and other assessment tools to ensure participants are trained for viable employment opportunities.

The following must be included in the response:

Orientation. The applicant must describe how it will introduce program participants and host agencies to program requirements, roles and responsibilities, and permissible and impermissible activities. Please include general timeframes for when orientation will occur and how often.

Community Service WorkBased Training. The applicant must describe how participants will be trained through community service organizations, how it will ensure that the workbased training is of high quality, and how this training will lead to unsubsidized employment.

The following must be included in the response:

Other Training. The applicant must describe any training that will be offered, required, and/or provided to program participants and host agencies.

The following should be included in the response:

Fringe Benefits. The applicant must describe any permissible and/or required fringe benefits that will be offered to participants and how it will terminate (``zeroout'') any permissible fringe benefits at the end of each program year. If no permissible fringe benefits will be offered, the applicant must provide a statement to that effect.

Supportive Services. The applicant must describe any supportive services that will be offered to participants and the additional resources the applicant will use to support those services. The applicant must also address those supportive services that will be offered to participants once they are placed in an unsubsidized job in order to help retain them in those positions.

Unsubsidized Employment. The applicant must describe how it plans to place participants in high growth jobs according to local labor market data. In addition, the applicant must describe how the targeted jobs will enable participants to become selfsufficient in positions for which they would not have otherwise had the necessary skill training provided by the program. Applicants should include in this description the types of jobs it will seek for participants. A chart may be attached if necessary.

Termination. The applicant must describe the circumstances under which a participant may be terminated from the program, including its maximum duration policy (if any), for cause, or other reasons. Please include description of the criteria that will be used for ``for cause'' terminations.

Transition to Minimize Disruptions. The applicant must describe how participants will be transitioned to and from a service provider if the grant is terminated for any reason, including loss of funds through a competitive process, in a manner that is least disruptive to program participants.

The following must be included in the response:

Confidentiality of Files. The applicant must describe how participant files will be kept confidential from personnel not affiliated with the project. If the applicant plans on enlisting volunteer assistance, the applicant must describe how it will ensure volunteer compliance with the confidentiality requirements.

Complaint Resolution Process. The applicant must describe the complaint resolution process that will be in place for program applicants, participants and/or host agency complaints or grievances without Federal intervention. For complaints involving illegal acts or discrimination, the applicant must describe the complaint resolution process that will be in place for participants and/or host agencies prior to Federal appeal.

5. Performance Accountability: (25 Points)

Performance Management. The applicant must describe how it will monitor funding and program activities to achieve the performance measures.

Applicants may wish to consider the following when formulating a response:

B. Review and Selection Process

Selection Process. The Grant Officer will organize several panels that include three individuals per panel to review the applications. The panels will use the point scoring system and the Rating Criteria format specified in Section A above to evaluate each application. The Grant Officer will rank applications based on the score assigned by the panels through the evaluation process. The ranking will be the primary basis used to identify applicants as potential grantees; however, the panel's conclusions are advisory in nature and are not binding on the Grant Officer.

Other Evaluation Factors. The Department may establish a range, based upon the application evaluation, for the purpose of selecting qualified applicants and to ensure that the best applicants are awarded grants.

The Grant Officer may take into account an applicant's demonstration of past program, financial and administrative capability in administering Federal grants or contracts during the past three (3) years. The Grant Officer may also take into account the applicant's key personnel and staffing plans. The lack of prior SCSEP experience will not disadvantage applicants.

The Department further reserves the right to select applicants out of rank order if such a selection would result in the most effective and appropriate
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combination of funding; administrative costs (e.g., cost per enrollment and placement); program goals (e.g., serving the needs of minorities, limited English speakers, Indian eligible individuals, and those of greatest economic need); service coverage; and statutory requirements. VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

The Department anticipates completing its review and ranking proposals by midMay 2006. The Grant Officer expects to announce the results of this competition in mid to lateMay 2006. Applicants may appeal a Grant Officer decision according to the provisions outlined at 20 CFR 641.900.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All grants will be subject to the following administrative standards and provisions, as applicable to the particular grantee and/ or subawardee: