Wrkfrce Innvatin and Opprtunity Act Yuth Career Pathways Prgram Request fr Applicatin State Fiscal Year 2016
Department f Cmmerce and Ecnmic Opprtunity Yuth Career Pathways Prgram Request fr Applicatin I. General Infrmatin Page A. Grantr Agency 3 B. Prject Gal 3 C. Funding 3 D. Targeted Cmmunities 4 E. Eligible Respndents 4 F. Eligible Prject Participants 4 G. Prject Perid f Perfrmance 4 H. Schedule 4 I. Psting f Prject Infrmatin 4 J. Agency Cntact 4 II. Prgram Backgrund and Descriptin A. Backgrund 4 B. Innvative Pilt Mdels 5 C. Prgram Outcmes, Gals and Deliverables 7 III. Prject Requirements A. Prject Integratin 7 B. WIOA Eligibility & Perfrmance 7 C. Allwable Csts 7 D. Prject Reprting 7 E. Pre-Award Survey 8 F. Mnitring 8 G. Additinal WIOA Requirements 8 IV. Applicatin Requirements A. Submittal f Grant Applicatin 9 B. Applicatin Frmat 9 C. Required Attachments 11 V. Review and Selectin Prcedures A. Applicant Capacity 11 B. Dcumentatin f Need 11 C. Prject Quality / Integratin 11 D. Cst Effectiveness / Return-n-Investment 12 2
I. GENERAL INFORMATION A. GRANTOR AGENCY: The Illinis Department f Cmmerce and Ecnmic Opprtunity (Department f Cmmerce), as the state agency respnsible fr the administratin f statewide wrkfrce develpment activities utlined in the Wrkfrce Innvatin and Opprtunity Act (WIOA) funded by the U.S. Department f Labr, is the entity issuing this Request fr Applicatin (RFA). B. PROJECT GOAL: The Illinis Department f Cmmerce and Ecnmic Opprtunity, in cnjunctin with the Cre WIOA Partners - Illinis Cmmunity Cllege Bard, Illinis Department f Emplyment Security, and Illinis Department f Human Services Divisin f Rehabilitatin Services, will award grants fr prjects that address pririties identified in the f WIOA Unified State Plan and incrprate the practices identified as effective career pathway prgram criteria by the Illinis Wrkfrce Innvatin Bard s (IWIB) Disadvantaged Yuth Task Frce. Successful pilt prjects will integrate wrkfrce, educatin and ecnmic develpment services; break dwn barriers t accessing jb-driven training resulting in emplyment pprtunities; and assist in the effective and efficient implementatin f WIOA regulatins within Illinis ecnmic develpment regins. C. FUNDING: The funding amunts fr prpsals will cmmensurate with the prject anticipated utcmes and deliverables. Grant awards will generally nt exceed $500,000; hwever, the Department f Cmmerce may elect t award amunts ver this based n strength f applicatin r strength f perfrmance during the grant perid. Blending and braiding f funds is required. Prjects must have cinvestment f public and private funds. Successful applicants will be required t reprt leveraged resurces frm partners ver the life f the prject, including WIOA frmula funds, ther federal, state, lcal, and private resurces. 1. Cre partner agencies under WIOA supprt this RFA. It is anticipated that Department f Cmmerce will award $3-5 Millin in Yuth Career Pathways grants, with the ptential additinal f funding cntributed by ther Cre WIOA partners. 2. Grant awards will generally nt exceed $500,000; hwever, Department f Cmmerce may elect t award amunts ver this based n strength f applicatin r strength f perfrmance during the grant perid. If at any time prir t the grant award r after an award is issued the applicant requests t change the number f participants, the grant award may be prprtinately adjusted at Department f Cmmerce s sle discretin. 3. Funding will supprt Career Pathways appraches, training, Wrk-Based Learning, and emplyment in sectrs included in the Illinis Pathways initiative and that align with the targeted sectrs identified in the WIOA Reginal Plans. The sectrs include Agriculture, Fd and Natural Resurces; Architecture and Cnstructin; Energy; Finance; Health Science; Infrmatin Technlgy; Manufacturing; Research and Develpment; and Transprtatin, Distributin and Lgistics (www.illinispathways.cm). Department f Cmmerce will place special emphasis n prjects targeting yuth ppulatins with additinal barriers, such as thse identified in this RFA. 4. In rder t ensure all funds are expended prir t their expiratin, Department f Cmmerce may, at its sle discretin, unilaterally increase r decrease a grant award based n grantee perfrmance. Department f Cmmerce will review prgress regularly with grantees t understand the factrs impacting perfrmance and may prvide technical assistance t imprve perfrmance. Department f Cmmerce will prvide ntificatin prir t adjusting the grant award. 3
5. Funding will be prvided n a reimbursement basis, and may be prrated dependent upn the grantee meeting perfrmance targets. Each grant will have enrllment and utcme gals specific t the types f prjects funded. Penalties fr missing perfrmance targets may be applied at the grantr s discretin. D. TARGETED COMMUNITIES: The Department f Cmmerce will cnsider prjects in Lcal Wrkfrce Areas and regins thrughut the State f Illinis (State). Applicants shuld dcument hw the prject will impact wrkfrce, educatin and ecnmic develpment and be replicated thrughut the State (if applicable). E. ELIGIBLE RESPONDENTS: Organizatins with the administrative capacity and a histry f successfully implementing innvative pilts and ther pririty prjects are eligible t apply fr funding. F. ELIGIBLE PROJECT PARTICIPANTS: Grant funds that prvide direct services must be targeted t yuth that are age 16-24 and meet the eligibility requirements f WIOA. Please nte that the Department f Cmmerce is cmmitted t prviding preference t all United States veterans, their spuses and family members wh are eligible in regard t all services needed fr educatin and emplyment acquisitin. G. PROJECT PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The prject perid f perfrmance will be negtiated based n the scpe f the prject. The typical grant term will be fr 12-18 mnths. H. SCHEDULE: This grant pprtunity is pen enrllment, pending available funding. All applicatins submitted prir t Mnday, May 2, 2016 will be cnsidered fr funding. Any applicatin received after this deadline may be cnsidered fr review at the discretin f the Department f Cmmerce. I. POSTING OF PROJECT INFORMATION: Fr mre infrmatin regarding this RFA and the task frce, please visit Illinis wrknet at: http://www.illiniswrknet.cm/yuth2016 J. AGENCY CONTACT: Applicatins r any questins regarding this RFA may be submitted via email t Matthew.Hillen@illinis.gv. II. PROGRAM BACKGROUND & DESCRIPTION A. Backgrund The United States Department f Labr awards WIOA funds t the Department f Cmmerce annually t wrk with Lcal Wrkfrce Areas and ther partners t serve adults, yuth, and dislcated wrkers as defined by law (Public Law 113-128). This RFA is t identify yuth career pathways prjects authrized under WIOA that are cnsistent with the visin established by the Illinis Wrkfrce Innvatin Bard s Disadvantaged Yuth Task Frce, which was cmprised f business, wrkfrce, educatin, and state agency fficials. Yung peple wh are nt in schl and nt wrking, cined Opprtunity Yuth, are a particular fcus fr WIOA. Illinis had an estimated 184,000 yuth between 18 and 24 wh fell int this categry in 2013. 4
Mre recent studies, such as the reprt by the Great Cities Institute, affirmed this distressing prfile. 1 The percentage f 20-24-year-ld pprtunity yuth in Illinis in 2014 was reprted as 38.3% fr African- Americans, 16% fr Hispanics, and 10.8% fr Whites. These percentages increase t 40.9% and 18.7% fr African-American and Hispanic yuth, respectively, in Chicag. A map shwing gegraphic cncentratins f pprtunity yuth thrughut the state can be fund alng with the full task frce reprt at: http://www.illiniswrknet.cm/yuth2016 Visin The Illinis Wrkfrce Innvatin Bard created the Disadvantaged Yuth Task Frce t use the visin and principles f the Wrkfrce Innvatin and Opprtunity Act (WIOA) Unified State Plan t frame recmmendatins fr creating sustainable career pathways fr yuth thrughut the state. With a fcus n the needs f Opprtunity Yuth, this reprt recgnizes the need t cnnect these yuth t meaningful educatin, training, and emplyment. Guiding Principles Ten success elements fr wrkfrce pilt prgrams serving pprtunity yuth were identified by the task frce. These elements demnstrate the principles, strategies, and criteria in the WIOA Unified State Plan and hw varius funding surces may be blended fr full reginal wnership and sustainability: 1. Partnerships with educatin, emplyers, and wrkfrce bards t plan and leverage resurces. 2. Business engagement in develping and managing career pathway prgrams. 3. Credentials, certificatins, and/r pstsecndary access that result frm career pathway prgrams. 4. High demand industries and higher skill ccupatins that meet yuth earnings and career gals. 5. Wrk-based learning pprtunities t experience the wrkplace first-hand. 6. Individual career/emplyment plans fr each yuth participant. 7. Individual supprts available t meet the unique needs f each yuth prgram participant. 8. Cntextualized learning and wrk-based skills that prepare yuth fr emplyment. 9. Measuring results and cntinuus imprvement methdlgy t maintain and enhance prgram quality. 10. Sustainability plans that cnnect the prgram t brader lng-term talent strategies. Fr full detail regarding the findings f the task frce and recmmended prgram criteria: http://www.illiniswrknet.cm/yuth2016 B. Innvative Pilt Mdels The Task Frce visin and principles infrm the strategies and investments that the Department f Cmmerce will cnsider thrugh this RFA. The Department f Cmmerce is interested in pilt prjects that address yuth with wrkfrce, educatin and ecnmic develpment services that create career pathways fr yuth and respnd t the talent pipeline needs f businesses within regins. Applicants must: Incrprate the prgram criteria identified in the IWIB Yuth Task Frce reprt, leveraging cinvestment f public (minimally including WIOA) and private (including at least ne business partner) funds. 1 Crdva, T.L., Wilsn, M.D., Mrsey, J.C., (January 2016). Lst: The Crisis f Jbless and Out f Schl and Yung Adults in Chicag, Illinis and the U.S. Chicag, IL: Great Cities Institute. https://greatcities.uic.edu/wp-cntent/uplads/2016/02/asn-reprt-v3.2.pdf 5
Develp and/r implement educatin and training prgrams that respnd t the labr market analysis within the regin(s) and relate directly t the sectrs and strategies expected t be addressed in the WIOA Reginal Plan. Ensure that training credits are prtable and stackable and allw participants t accelerate thrugh the prgram. Develp a clearly articulated plan fr cntinuus imprvement and sustainability using a mix f WIOA frmula funds, c-investment frm business and any ther participating reginal partner(s). 1) Additinal Prgram Cmpnents/Strategies Prjects may include utilizatin f effective business intermediaries, activities t imprve linkages between wrkfrce partners, and ther business services and strategies that better engage emplyers in wrkfrce investment activities, and make the wrkfrce develpment system mre relevant t the needs f State and lcal businesses. Pririty cnsideratin will be given t reginal prjects that implement innvative prgrams and strategies designed t meet the talent pipeline needs f business. Prgrams and strategies may include bridge prgrams in a targeted career pathway, Wrk-Based Learning (which fr the purpses f this RFA include custmized training, n the jb training, internships and apprenticeships), and implementatin f industry r sectr partnerships. 2) Additinal Cnsideratins The Department f Cmmerce is interested in reginal prjects that break dwn barriers t accessing career pathways and will result in emplyment pprtunities fr all Illinis yuth. Prjects may fcus n: Pririty Ppulatins: Develping strategies fr effectively serving individuals with barriers t emplyment and fr crdinating prgrams and services amng wrkfrce partners. Prjects may include the integratin f emplyment and training activities with: Child supprt services, and assistance prvided by State and lcal agencies carrying ut part D f title IV f the Scial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.); Cperative extensin prgrams carried ut by the University f Illinis; Prgrams carried ut in fr individuals with disabilities, including prgrams carried ut by State agencies relating t intellectual disabilities and develpmental disabilities, activities carried ut by Statewide Independent Living Cuncils established under sectin 705 f the Rehabilitatin Act f 1973 (29 U.S.C. 796d), prgrams funded under part B f chapter 1 f title VII f such Act (29 U.S.C. 796e et seq.), and activities carried ut by centers fr independent living, as defined in sectin 702 f such Act (29 U.S.C.796a). Fr mre infrmatin n funding strategies fr applicatins seeking t serve individuals with disabilities, please see the addendum t this RFA; Prgrams that target services t ut f schl yuth in the Juvenile Justice System; Prgrams that target services t ut f schl yuth in the Child Welfare and Fster Care System; Adult educatin and literacy activities, including thse prvided by public libraries; Activities in the crrectins system that assist ex-ffenders in reentering the wrkfrce; and Digital literacy and financial literacy activities. Full Inclusin Mdels: Supprting Illinis cmmitment t Emplyment First principles thrugh develpment f career pathway prgrams that fully integrate yuth with disabilities int 6
general training classrms/prgram mdels and feature full integratin in the general wrking ppulatin fr wrk-based learning and emplyment pprtunities. Evidence Based Prgramming: Supprting the develpment f alternative, evidence-based prgrams and ther activities that enhance the chices available t eligible yuth and encurage such yuth t reenter and cmplete secndary educatin, enrll in pstsecndary educatin and advanced training, prgress thrugh a career pathway, and/r enter int unsubsidized emplyment that leads t ecnmic self-sufficiency. C. Prgram Outcmes, Gals, and Deliverables Specific prject utcmes, gals and deliverables must be included in the prpsal. All applicants must wrk with the Department f Cmmerce t establish benchmarks and utcme targets fr each prject that will cntribute tward the statewide WIOA perfrmance measures. III. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS A. Prject Integratin Applicants must wrk with the lcal partners and the Department f Cmmerce t implement the prject in crdinatin with WIOA. B. WIOA Eligibility & Perfrmance Applicants must wrk with their designated Lcal Wrkfrce Area t create a viable apprach fr cmplying with eligibility, reprting and perfrmance requirements. Negtiated perfrmance measures are applicable. Applicants must enter int a Memrandum f Understanding develped and signed by the applicant and a Lcal Wrkfrce Area that details at a minimum the applicant s and Lcal Wrkfrce Area's rles and respnsibilities related t recruitment, eligibility determinatin, enrllment, perfrmance requirements, and strategies. WIOA final regulatins are currently under develpment by the United States Department f Labr and are expected in 2016. Prjects awarded prir t release f final regulatins are subject t adjustments and mdificatins needed fr cmpliance. Mre infrmatin abut WIOA can be fund at: http://www.dleta.gv/wia/. Fr thse applicants serving yuth with disabilities, please see the addendum t this RFA psted at http://www.illiniswrknet.cm/yuth2016. C. Allwable Csts Csts that are allwable must be necessary, reasnable, and allcable based n the activity r activities cntained in the scpe f wrk. Funding fr the activities utlined in this RFA will cme frm federal funds and are subject t State and federal legislative apprpriatin. Grantees are advised t cntact the Department f Cmmerce fr technical assistance with questins r cncerns prir t incurring csts. D. Prject Reprting Successful applicants will be required t submit regular reprts t dcument the prgress f the prject as part f the grant requirements. These reprts include, but are nt necessarily limited t, the fllwing: Quarterly Prgress Reprts 7
WIOA registrant infrmatin and reprts fr prjects serving WIOA registrants using the Illinis Wrkfrce Develpment System, Illinis wrknet, r ther reprting prcess as directed by the Department f Cmmerce Quarterly Trial Balance Reprt Other reprting deemed necessary by the Department f Cmmerce and/r the United States Department f Labr Frmal Evaluatin f prjects will be required as the State deems necessary. E. Pre-Award Survey Applicants are subject t a pre-award review cnducted by the Department f Cmmerce mnitring team. The review will be cmpleted prir t the grant being issued as required by the Unifrm Administrative Guidance at 2 CFR 200. The purpse f the review is t establish cnfidence that the rganizatin has the peratinal capacity t administer federal grant funds. F. Mnitring Applicants funded thrugh this RFA are subject t fiscal and prgrammatic mnitring visits by the Department f Cmmerce. The successful applicant must have an pen dr plicy allwing peridic visits by Department f Cmmerce mnitrs t evaluate the prgress f the prject, and prvide dcumentatin upn request f the mnitr. Prgram staff will als maintain cntact with the participating businesses and mnitr prgress and perfrmance f the cntracts. The Department f Cmmerce may mdify grants based n perfrmance. Successful applicants may be subject t mnitring by ther Cre Partners, in the instance where the additinal agency funding is included in the award. Frmal Evaluatin f prjects will be required as the State deems necessary. G. Additinal Requirements All applicants must be in cmpliance, r agree t cmply, with the fllwing federal and state laws and related regulatins in rder t be cnsidered fr an award: Wrkfrce Innvatin and Opprtunity Act (Public Law 113-128) Equal Emplyment Opprtunity / Nndiscriminatin Prvisin and will cmply with the physical, prgrammatic and accessibility requirements Prtectin f Persnally Identifiable Infrmatin Jbs fr Veteran Act (Public Law 107-288) Fld Disaster Prtectin Act f 1973 as amended (42 U.S.C 4001) Architectural Barriers Act f 1968 as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151) Drug-Free Wrkplace Act f 1988, (41 U.S.C. 702 et seq., and 2 C.F.R. 182) Htel Mtel Fire Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2225a) Buy American Act (41 U.S.C 10a) Cpeland "Anti-Kickback" Act (18 U.S.C. 874 and 40 U.S.C. 276c) Davis-Bacn Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 276a t a-7) Cntract Wrk Hurs and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 327-333) Rights t Inventins Made Under a Cntract r Agreement Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) and the Federal Water Pllutin Cntrl Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), as amended Byrd Anti-Lbbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352) Unifrm Administrative Requirements fund at 2 CFR Part 200 and the US Department f Labr Exceptins fund at 2 CFR 2900 Applicable State f Illinis Laws State Wrkfrce Innvatin and Opprtunity Act Plicies 8
IV. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS A. SUBMITTAL OF GRANT APPLICATION: All applicatins must be sent electrnically t the Department f Cmmerce t be cnsidered fr funding. Applicatins must be submitted t Matthew.Hillen@illinis.gv. The final date fr applicatin submittal t be cnsidered fr a grant is May 2, 2016. Applicatins received after this final date fr applicatin submittal may be cnsidered if funds remain after review and award t timely submittals. B. APPLICATION FORMAT: Applicatins must be submitted using the Illinis Department f Cmmerce Grant Applicatin, cmpleting all applicable Sectins. Each applicant must prvide a technical prpsal that respnds t the fllwing questins that pertain t the grant applicatin. Please nte that the Executive Summary, Technical Prpsal and Implementatin Plan are t be submitted as attachments t the Standard Department f Cmmerce Applicatin. 1) Executive Summary Prvide a ne page summary that identifies the applicant, the amunt f funding requested, describe the gegraphic regin, identify members f the reginal partnership including educatin and training agencies, reginal emplyers, business and industry assciatins, ecnmic develpment rganizatins, ne-stp partners, rganized labr, and thers determined apprpriate. Prvide an verview f the services that will be prvided and describes the anticipated gals and utcmes f this prject. 2) Technical Prpsal Prvide a technical prpsal that respnds t the fllwing questins that pertain t the grant applicatin. Applicant Capacity Describe the related experience f the applicant and partners respnding t the RFA. If any f the wrk is t be sub-cntracted, prvide the name f and describe the relevant experience f the sub-cntractr(s). Prvide infrmatin abut the applicant s size and structure, as well as the length f time in business. Include a list f the applicant s staff, including sub-cntractr persnnel, t be assigned t the prject. Describe the rle each staff persn will fulfill. Indicate the number f hurs each staff will be assigned t the prject. Prvide resumes fr all prject staff. Indicate, at a minimum, their psitins and ttal years in the rganizatin, educatin, and relevant wrk experience. Include references fr prjects recently cmpleted r underway that required skills and experience similar t thse required fr this prpsed prject. Prvide cntact infrmatin fr references. Dcumentatin f Need Prvide a detailed explanatin f hw this rganizatin meets the pririties specified in the Prgram Descriptin f the RFA. Describe yur cnnectin t the ppulatin (prgram participants) targeted in this prpsal. Hw many prgram participants will be served and hw will they be identified/recruited? 9
Prject Wrk Plan Identify prject cmpnents and hw the prject respnds t the prgram criteria questins that start n page 5 f the IWIB Yuth Task Frce Reprt. Fr emphasis, the questins are listed in truncated frm belw. Full detail and further infrmatin and guidance can be fund in the Task Frce reprt at: www.illiniswrknet.cm/yuth 2016 A) Prgram Questins: 1) Are there partnerships? Specifically, are there partners wh will plan and cmmit t leveraging resurces t educate, train, supprt, and/r identify emplyment fr yuth? 2) Is there business engagement/investment? D emplyers play a leadership rle in develping and managing high demand career pathway prgrams and wrk-based learning pprtunities? 3) Des the prgram lead t the attainment f a recgnized credential? Is it an industryrecgnized certificate r certificatin? 4) D the prgrams address high demand industries that result in high skill ccupatins? D the career pathway prgrams address high-demand industries and career advancement ccupatins/pprtunities? 5) D the prgrams include wrk-based learning experiences? D the career pathway prgrams include pprtunities t experience the wrkplace? 6) Are individual career/emplyment plans used in cnjunctin with these prgrams? Are individual career/emplyment plans develped by participants wh enter pathway prgrams? 7) Have individual supprts been identified? Is a cmprehensive set f supprt services available that t meet the individual needs f each pathway prgram participant? Are fundatinal skills addressed? 8) Is pathway prgram instructin cntextualized and des it address wrkplace skills? Is instructin related t real-wrld, real-life wrk situatins and experiences? 9) Is there a way t measure results and is there a plan fr cntinuus imprvement? Are pathway prgrams measuring results n indicatrs and benchmarks? 10) Is there a plan fr sustainability? Is there a sustainable mechanism fr keeping the prject running? Is this plan part f a brader and lng-term public and private human resurces strategic cmmitment? B) Identify the service r types f training and the methd fr delivery 1) Prvide detailed infrmatin abut the service r training prvider(s) selected fr this prject including but nt limited t: a. Where will the service r training take place? b. Wh will prvide the service r training? c. What is the duratin f service r training? d. What curse credit(s) and/r credential(s) will be received at cmpletin f training? (Be sure t nte any credentials that are natinally recgnized and prtable.) 2) A wrk plan describing in detail the tasks, deliverables and anticipated utcmes n a timeline ver the curse f the grant. 3) If yur prject includes training services, explain hw yu will assure that the training prvider is accredited and will successfully fulfill their duties. 4) A Memrandum f Understanding (MOU) must be develped and signed by the applicant and Lcal Wrkfrce Area that minimally includes the Lcal Wrkfrce Area s rle and respnsibilities related t recruitment, eligibility determinatin, enrllment, and perfrmance requirements and strategies. Attach Partnership Agreements (as ppsed t Letters f Supprt) with all key partners detailing entity infrmatin and cntact infrmatin, respnsibilities, functins, and integratin. 10
C. Required Attachments Standard Department f Cmmerce Grant Applicatin Executive Summary Technical Prpsal Resumes f Prgram Staff Partnership Agreements and Memrandums f Understanding Grantee Infrmatin Fr an LLC, classified as a crpratin, an IRS letter CP277 must be submitted Cpy f the rganizatin s 501(c) 3 apprval letter (if applicable) W-9 Frm V. REVIEW & SELECTION PROCEDURES A team f Department f Cmmerce staff and/r WIOA Cre Partner agency staff using the criteria listed belw will review the prpsals. Decisins t award grants and the funding levels will be determined per prpsal based upn cmpliance with the requirements f this RFA. Based n the review, applicants may be selected t enter int negtiatins with the Department fr a grant. The purpse f negtiatins will be t arrive at acceptable grant terms, including budgetary and scpe-f-wrk prvisins, at which time the final decisin t make a grant award will be made. A. Applicant Capacity (20%) The applicants capacity t successfully cmplete the prject tasks within the prpsed grant perid The applicant s experience in wrking with businesses n similar prjects The related experience f the applicant, sub-cntractrs, and partners The applicants previus perfrmance in administering similar grants and prjects The qualificatins f the applicants staff t be assigned t the prject B. Dcumentatin f Need (20%) The prpsed prject is aligned with the State visin and principles Demnstrated histric cnnectin t the ppulatin targeted in the prpsal Alignment f expected utcmes t the RFA C. Prject Quality / Integratin (30%) The types f services and the methd f delivery that will be implemented, including any partnerships implemented t deliver services The number f participants, cmpanies served, the participant recruitment plan, and the services prvided t pririty ppulatins The quality f the educatin/training prviders and educatin/training utcmes (industry recgnized skills, certificatins) Integratin with key partners and strength f the partnership agreements / MOUs The verall feasibility and quality f the wrk plan The innvative apprach and the ptential impact n wrkfrce, educatin and ecnmic develpment in the State The business engagement strategies and prjected impacts 11
D. Cst Effectiveness / Return n Investment (30%) The prpsed prject csts in relatinship t planned utcmes including cst per participant The reasnableness f the csts in relatin t the prpsed activities The applicants cmmitment t secure leveraged csts The applicants cmmitment t braiding public and private funding fr the prject Identified specific wrk placements fr permanent emplyment The Department f Cmmerce and Cre WIOA Partners reserve the right t request additinal infrmatin frm applicants during the review and scring prcess. The Department, at its sle discretin, reserves the right t reject all applicatins; t reject individual applicatins fr failure t meet any requirement; t award in part r ttal; and t waive minr defects and nn-cmpliance. Submissin f an applicatin cnfers n right t an award r t a subsequent grant agreement. Frmal Evaluatin f prjects will be required as the State deems necessary. All decisins f the Department f Cmmerce are final. 12