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/ 2002
/ September
/ Thursday, September 05, 2002
[Federal Register: September 5, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 172)]
[Notices]
[Page 56809-56814]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05se02-28]
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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Funding Opportunity for a National Provider of Training and
Technical Assistance to Corporation for National and Community Service
Programs Using Service and Volunteers to Support Homeland Security
AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.
ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity.
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SUMMARY: Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Corporation
for National and Community Service (hereinafter the ``Corporation'')
intends to award approximately $600,000 to support one or more
organizations in partnership selected under this Notice to provide
training and technical assistance to national and community service
programs engaged in homeland security activities focusing on public
safety, public health, and disaster preparedness and relief. The
organization(s) selected will, for each homeland security focus area:
identify and maintain a network of geographically dispersed expert
resource people and organizations around the country and create a
mechanism for sharing these resources with local programs in need of
assistance; provide training and technical assistance materials; and
gather and provide critical information to Corporation programs and
projects engaged in homeland security activities.
The Corporation intends to enter into a cooperative agreement of up
to three years, beginning on or about December 1, 2002. The funding
opportunity announced under this Notice will support the initial phase
of the agreement (generally the first year's budget), with additional
funding contingent upon need, quality of service, the nature and scope
of activities to be supported, and availability of appropriations for
this purpose.
Note: This is a notice for selection of an organization or
organizations to provide training and technical assistance to
national and community service grantees. This is not a notice for
program grant proposals.
DATES: Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard time, on
November 4, 2002.
The Corporation anticipates making an award under this announcement
in December, 2002. The Corporation will not accept applications that
are submitted by facsimile. Due to delays in delivery of regular
U.S.P.S. mail to government offices, your application may not arrive in
time to be considered.
[[Page 56810]]
We suggest that you use U.S.P.S. priority mail or a commercial
overnight delivery service.
ADDRESSES: Submit proposals to the Corporation for National and
Community Service, Attention: Ms. Cathy Harrison, Room 9704A, 1201 New
York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20525.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina Fulbright-Powell or Wade Gatling
at the Corporation for National and Community Service, (202) 606-5000,
ext. 414; e-mail gfulbrig@cns.gov or wgatling@cns.gov. The TTY number
is (202) 565-2799. This Notice is available on the Corporation's Web
site: http://www.nationalservice.org/whatshot/notices. Upon request,
this information will be made available in alternate formats for people
with disabilities.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
I. Background
The Corporation is a federal government corporation that encourages
Americans of all ages and backgrounds to engage in national and
community service to meet the nation's educational, public safety,
environmental, and other human needs and to achieve direct and
demonstrable results. In doing so, the Corporation fosters civic
responsibility, strengthens the ties that bind us together as a people,
and provides educational opportunity for those who make a substantial
commitment to service. For more information about the Corporation and
the activities it supports go to http://www.nationalservice.org.
On November 8, 2001, President Bush announced that the Corporation
will support homeland security in the coming year in three major areas:
public safety, public health, and disaster preparedness and relief.
Through the award of $10.3 million in grants to 43 private groups and
public agencies in 26 states and the District of Columbia, the
Corporation is mobilizing more than 37,000 homeland security volunteers
across the nation to support these efforts. The President said:
* * * Many ask, ``What can I do to help in our fight?'' The
answer is simple. All of us can become a September the 11th
volunteer by making a commitment to service in our own communities.
So you can serve your country by tutoring or mentoring a child,
comforting the afflicted, housing those in need of shelter and a
home.
* * * You can participate in your neighborhood watch or
Crimestoppers. You can become a volunteer in a hospital, emergency
medical, fire or rescue unit. You can support our troops in the
field and, just as importantly, support their families here at home
by becoming active in the USO or groups in communities near our
military installations.
* * * We also will encourage service to country by creating new
opportunities within the AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs for
public safety and public health efforts.
The Corporation's support for homeland security includes:
Public Safety. Public safety is one of the four primary service
activities for AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America.
Thousands of volunteers serve with police departments and land
management agencies. The volunteers are not armed and cannot make
arrests, but they do carry out vital tasks including organizing
neighborhood watch groups and helping with community policing, victim
assistance, fingerprinting, and other tasks that free officers and
other professionals to do front-line work. In five years, AmeriCorps
has organized 46,000 safety patrols, and last year alone senior
volunteers carried out 131,000 patrols that freed up 540,000 hours of
police time.
Public Health. AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers
provide a variety of public health roles including assisting in
immunizing children and adults, serving as case managers, distributing
health information, and providing health screenings. Last year,
AmeriCorps members distributed health information materials to 500,000
people and provided health screenings to 181,000 individuals, while
Senior Corps volunteers assisted in assuring that 270,000 children and
adults were immunized.
Disaster Preparedness and Relief. AmeriCorps members, including
National Civilian Community Corps and Senior Corps volunteers, have a
long record of working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and
other relief agencies in helping communities respond to disasters.
Learn and Serve America students respond to local disasters as well.
National and community service participants help run emergency
shelters, assist law enforcement, provide food and shelter, manage
donations, assess and repair damage, and help families and communities
rebuild. Since September 11th , many Corporation-supported volunteers
have been actively engaged in relief efforts.
The Corporation is permitting organizations that it funds to
redirect their activities to support homeland security. The Corporation
also made homeland security a priority for new grants awarded in fiscal
year 2002. The training and technical assistance (T/TA) Provider will
work to assist new grantees and projects with program start-up, and to
help existing grantees improve services associated with homeland
security.
II. Conditions
A. Legal Authority
Section 198 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as
amended, 42 U.S.C. 12653, authorizes the Corporation to provide,
directly or through contracts or cooperative agreements, training and
technical assistance in support of activities under the national
service laws. Section 125 of that Act and titles I and II of the
Domestic Volunteer Service Act provide additional authority.
B. Cooperative Agreement
An award made under this Notice will be in the form of a
cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements are subject to
Corporation regulations or general administrative requirements: 45 CFR
part 2541 (for agreements with State and local government agencies) and
45 CFR part 2543 (for agreements with institutions of higher education,
non-profit organizations, and commercial entities). The Provider must
comply with reporting requirements, including submitting semi-annual
financial reports and progress reports linking progress on deliverables
to expenditures.
Cooperative agreements require substantial involvement on the part
of the Corporation. Substantial involvement includes frequent and
regular communication with and monitoring by the Corporation's
cognizant training officer (COTR). The COTR will confer with the
Provider on a regular basis to review project status and service
delivery, including work plans, budgets, periodic reports, materials
developed, preparation for and implementation of training events,
targeting of the Provider's services, and assessment of the Provider's
effectiveness.
C. Time Frame
The Corporation expects that activities assisted under the
agreement awarded through this Notice will commence on or about
December 1, 2002, following the conclusion of the selection and award
process.
The Corporation will make an award covering a period not to exceed
three years. Applications must include a detailed work plan of proposed
activities and a line-item budget for year one of the agreement, and
note projected changes to proposed activities for years two and three
of the award period. If the Corporation approves an application
[[Page 56811]]
and enters into a multiyear award agreement, funding will be provided
for the first year only. Funding for the second and third years of an
award period is contingent upon need, quality of service, the nature
and scope of activities to be supported, and availability of
appropriations for the purpose of the award. The Corporation has no
obligation to provide additional funding in subsequent years.
D. Use of Materials
To ensure that materials generated with Corporation funding for
training and technical assistance purposes are available to the public
and readily accessible to grantees and sub-grantees, the Corporation
reserves a royalty-free, non-exclusive, and irrevocable right to
obtain, use, reproduce, publish, or disseminate publications and
materials produced under the agreement, including data, and to
authorize others to do so. The Provider must agree to make such
publications and materials available to the national service field, as
identified by the Corporation, at no cost or at the cost of
reproduction. All materials developed for the Corporation must be
consistent with Corporation editorial and publication guidelines and
must be accessible to individuals with disabilities to the extent
required by law.
III. Eligibility
State and local government entities, non-profit organizations,
institutions of higher education, Indian tribes, and commercial
entities are eligible to apply. Pursuant to the Lobbying Disclosure Act
of 1995, an organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S C. 501(c)(4), which engages in lobbying is
not eligible to apply. Organizations that operate or intend to operate
Corporation-supported programs are eligible.
The Corporation anticipates making a single award to support all
homeland security T/TA activities, and will therefore consider
proposals from single applicants. However, when prospective applicants
have expertise in only one or two of the three homeland security areas,
the Corporation will consider proposals from principal applicants who,
acting in partnership with other applicants, can provide the required
services.
Organizations may apply to provide training and technical
assistance in partnership with organizations seeking other Corporation
funds. Based on previous training and technical assistance competitions
and our estimate of potential applicants, we expect fewer than ten
applications to be submitted.
IV. Scope of Training and Technical Assistance Requirements
The provider selected under this Notice will provide training and
technical assistance services, and develop and disseminate training
curricula and materials to support Corporation programs and projects
engaged in homeland security.
A. Training and Technical Assistance Tasks
The Corporation expects the Provider to accomplish the tasks below:
a. Identify and maintain a network of geographically dispersed
expert resource people and organizations around the country and create
a mechanism for sharing these resources with local programs in need of
assistance in achieving their homeland security objectives. The
provider will identify expert resources--organizations and
individuals--that can work in partnership with local programs and
projects to build the capacity of staff to achieve their homeland
security objectives. Among the potential sources of such expertise are
Citizen Corps Councils, which are the components of the President's USA
Freedom Corps that create opportunities for volunteers to help their
communities prepare for and respond to emergencies. Others are the
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, university-based
experts, and first-responder volunteer fire departments. Applicants are
encouraged to demonstrate their familiarity with and connection to such
entities across the country. The Provider will not train members or
volunteers, but may develop training materials for members and
volunteers and local provider organizations. They may train local staff
on the use of these materials. The Corporation's Web site and the
services of the National Service Resource Center and National Service
Learning Clearinghouse will form part of the strategy for sharing
knowledge about these resources with local programs in need of
assistance. The Provider will train resource people as needed to ensure
that they understand the Corporation and its programs. The Provider
will also gather information from national service grantees regarding
known resource personnel in areas of homeland security.
b. Identify characteristics of successful homeland security service
and volunteer programs, based on research and input from grantees and
programs in the field, and develop a menu of training and technical
assistance resources and materials linked to those characteristics and
designed to support programs in achieving them. To respond to this
notice, applicants need to demonstrate the capacity to design training
curricula and materials and make them available to local programs and
projects through a variety of methods including e-learning, train-the-
trainer models, peer assistance through listservs, and in-person
training sessions using locally identified resource persons. Training
and technical assistance materials are usually disseminated through the
National Service Resource Center and individual providers. The
Corporation emphasizes developing Web-based materials as opposed to
printing quantities of hardcopy documents.
c. Gather and provide critical information to Corporation programs
and projects engaged in homeland security activities. The Provider will
identify important literature and other information resources on public
safety, public health, and disaster preparedness and relief. This might
include effective practices in community volunteering and service as
strategies for addressing homeland security issues, and information on
project planning and member/volunteer development. The information will
be catalogued and made available to grantees through a variety of
methods including listservs, online publications, print materials, the
Corporation's database of effective program practices, the National
Service Resource Center, and the National Service-Learning
Clearinghouse.
B. Training and Technical Assistance Requirements
1. Performance Measurement and Accountability
The Corporation is committed to accountability and the measuring of
performance for all its grantees, including training and technical
assistance providers. The Provider must develop effective systems to
identify the critical outcomes of its work, indicators of its success
in this work, and how these can be judged or measured. The Corporation
needs tangible information documenting the effectiveness and outcomes
of the Provider's work.
In its proposal, the applicant must demonstrate its understanding
of accountability in grant-funded programs and its experience in and
plans for identifying and reporting on the significant outcomes of its
work with programs. Specific performance measures and reporting
guidelines will be finalized between the Corporation and the awardee at
the time of the
[[Page 56812]]
award negotiation, based on the Corporation's FY 2003 Administrative
Guidance.
The Provider will develop a plan to assess the impact of its
services for clients. The assessment must be ongoing and must be used
to inform program planning. It must also encompass immediate as well as
long term training impact. The Provider must submit evaluation
summaries, and records of evaluations must be available for review.
The Corporation may also require an independent assessment of the
Provider's performance.
2. Reporting Requirements
The Provider is responsible for submitting timely progress and
financial reports to the Corporation during and after the award period
as follows:
(a) Semi-annual Progress Reports. Progress reports must be
submitted semi-annually for each budget period during the cooperative
agreement. The Provider must submit this information electronically. At
a minimum, progress reports must provide the information below:
(1) A comparison of accomplishments with the goals and objectives
for the reporting period;
(2) An annotated version of the approved budget that compares
actual costs with budgeted costs by line item, and explains
differences. The explanation should include, as appropriate, an
analysis of cost overruns and high-cost units and a description of
service requests not anticipated in the Provider's original budget;
(3) A description of the services provided to include:
(i) Number of requests received by topic area and program type
(AmeriCorps, Learn & Serve, Senior Corps);
(ii) Activity conducted to address each request (e.g., training,
on-site technical assistance, phone consultation and other electronic
communication, and materials development and shipment) and mode of
delivery (e.g., staff member, consultant, peer and/or other Provider);
(iii) Number of participants at each training and technical
assistance event;
(iv) Client feedback on the services rendered (including the
aggregate evaluation of each training event); and
(v) Problems encountered in delivering services with
recommendations for correcting them.
(vi) List of upcoming activities and events with dates and
locations;
(vii) Recommended training and technical assistance focus areas as
suggested by analyses of service activities and trends;
(viii) Discussion of developments that hindered, or may hinder,
compliance with the cooperative agreement;
(ix) List of materials submitted to the National Service Resource
Center and National Service-Learning Clearinghouse;
(x) List of practices and supporting documentation or materials
submitted to EpiCenter.
(b) Financial Reports
Financial reports must be submitted semi-annually and must include
a summary of expenditures for the period. The reports are cumulative
and must be submitted on the Financial Status Report (FSR) form SF
269A.
(c) Final Reports. (1) Providers completing the final year of their
agreement must submit, in lieu of the last semi-annual progress report,
a final progress report that is cumulative over the entire award
period. The final progress report is due 90 days after the end of the
agreement.
(2) Providers completing the final year of their award must submit,
in lieu of the last semi-annual FSR, a final FSR that is cumulative
over the entire award period. The final FSR is due 90 days after the
end of the agreement and must be submitted to the Office of Grants
Management.
(d) Other Reports. The Provider must meet as necessary with the
cognizant training officer or other staff or consultants designated by
the cognizant training officer to exchange views, ideas, and
information concerning training and technical assistance. The Provider
must submit such special reports as may be reasonably requested by the
Corporation.
3. Accessibility to Persons With Disabilities
Ensure that all training and technical assistance resources
including Web sites are accessible to persons with disabilities, as
required by law, by doing the following:
(a) Notifying potential participants that reasonable accommodations
will be provided upon request;
(b) Providing reasonable accommodations when requested to do so, to
include sign language interpreters, special assistance, and documents
in alternate formats;
(c) Using accessible locations for training events;
(d) Using accessible technology, captioning videos, avoiding non-
voice-over formats, and when indicating a telephone number, including a
non-voice telephone alternative such as TTY or e-mail;
4. Other Requirements
The Provider must:
(a) Ensure that Provider staff and consultants are fully versed in
the background, objectives, and approaches of the Corporation and each
of its programs.
(b) Participate in the planning and implementation of national
Provider meetings and training events as requested by the Corporation.
(c) Collaborate in materials development and training events
organized by other providers or the Corporation, as requested.
(d) Share effective practices with other providers through the
training and technical assistance listserv, the EpiCenter, and other
mechanisms such as the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse and the
National Service Resource Center.
(e) Use technology creatively and effectively as a cost-effective
strategy for reaching large numbers of grantees, subgrantees, and
others related to national service programs.
V. Application Guidelines
A. Proposal Content and Submission
Applicants must submit one unbound, original proposal and two bound
copies. Proposals may not be submitted by facsimile. Proposals must
include the following components and should not exceed 50 pages:
1. Cover Page
The cover page must include the name, address, phone number, fax
number, e-mail address of the contact person, and World Wide Web site
URL (if available) of the applicant organization; a 250-500 word
summary of proposed training and technical assistance activities; and
the total funding amount requested for the first year.
2. List of Activities and Materials
A one-to-two page list of all proposed training and technical
assistance activities and materials.
3. Training and Technical Assistance Delivery Plan
A bulleted narrative of no more than 20 double-spaced, single-
sided, typed pages in no smaller than 12-point font that includes:
(a) The applicant's proposed first-year strategy and rationale for
providing training and technical assistance to national and community
service programs, with proposed changes (if any) for years two and
three. The applicant should use the specific deliverables and
requirements outlined
[[Page 56813]]
in Section IV of this Notice as a starting point for a plan, and should
present these deliverables in a way that creatively reflects the
applicant's areas of expertise and knowledge of national service
audiences. It is not appropriate to simply re-list the tasks stated in
this Notice.
(b) Information on proposed needs assessment process.
(c) A description of each proposed training and technical
assistance activity, product, or event: type, number, frequency,
audience, estimated audience size, skill level, and desired learning
outcomes.
(d) A detailed one-year work plan and timeline for completing all
training and technical assistance activities. The work plan will
include all deliverables and the tasks leading to them.
(e) A plan for regularly evaluating performance and using findings
for continuous improvement.
4. Training Course Outline and Description
A 250-500 word description for one face-to-face training course in
a content area relevant to the homeland security. The face-to-face
course should be considered part of a two-day event for 50-75 national
service program or project directors. Applicant should submit a session
description that includes desired learning outcomes and an outline of
session content and the activities that will accomplish the desired
outcomes.
5. Technology Strategy
A one-page description of how the applicant proposes to use
technology to extend the reach of the training and technical assistance
delivered. Description should include the target audience, proposed use
of technology, rationale for approach, and concepts and skills to be
delivered.
6. Organizational Capacity
(a) A narrative of no more than three double-spaced, single-sided,
typed pages in no smaller than 12-point font which describes:
(1) The organization's capacity to provide training and technical
assistance services nationwide and recent work similar to that being
proposed;
(2) The organization's knowledge of and/or experience with national
service programs;
(3) Names and contact information of three to five references that
can comment on the work described above.
(4) A list of proposed staff with their areas of expertise (Note:
key staff will be subject to Corporation approval) and resumes of the
individuals who will be primarily responsible for the proposed
deliverables with their relevant experience highlighted (up to 10 pages
of one-sided resumes will be accepted).
(5) An organizational chart that shows the relationship of the
training and technical assistance service Provider (including partners,
if any) to the overall structure of the legal applicant to this Notice.
7. Budget
A detailed, line-item budget with costs organized by personnel,
task and sub-task that lead to the deliverables as outlined in the
proposal narrative and work plan. Costs in proposed budgets must
consist solely of costs allowable under applicable cost principles
found in OMB Circulars (OMB Circular A-87 for state and local
governments, A-121 for non-profit organizations, A-21 for institutions
of higher education) and in F.A.R. part 31 for commercial entities.
Applicants should be mindful that a demonstrated commitment to
providing services in the most cost-effective manner possible will be a
major consideration in the evaluation of proposals. Provider match is
not required. The budget should include:
(a) Proposed staff and expert-consultant hours and pay rates by
task and sub-task (include daily maximums for consultants);
(b) Types and quantities of other direct costs being proposed by
task and subtask (for example, amounts of travel and volume of other
task-related resources, such as communications, postage, etc.).
8. Budget Narrative
Provide a budget narrative that corresponds with all items in the
line-item budget and that includes an explanation of all cost estimates
that appear in the line-item budget. The narrative should clearly show
how each cost was derived, using equations to reflect all factors
considered.
B. Selection Criteria
To ensure fairness to all applicants, the Corporation reserves the
right to take remedial action, up to and including disqualification, in
the event a proposal fails to comply with the requirements related to
page limits, line spacing, and font size. The Corporation will assess
applications based on the criteria listed below.
1. Quality (35%)
The Corporation will consider the quality of the proposed
activities based on the soundness of the strategy to carry them out; on
the relevance, effectiveness and creativity of the approach and
workplan; and on the applicant's demonstrated knowledge of adult
learning and experience in training adults.
2. Organizational Capacity and Personnel (35%)
The Corporation will consider the capacity of the applicant to
deliver the proposed services based on:
(a) Evidence of the organization's experience and that of its
proposed staff and consultants in delivering high-quality adult
training and technical assistance in the category under consideration
and their experience in using technology as a teaching tool.
(b) Demonstrated ability to manage a federal grant or apply sound
fiscal management principles to grants as evidenced by an annotated
list of the applicant's previous grants experience (include agency,
time frame, grant size, and subject area).
(c) Demonstrated ability to provide training and technical
assistance services nationwide as evidenced by the proposed technology
plan and staffing and by previous experience.
(d) Demonstrated ability of staff and consultants to conduct the
proposed activities as evidenced by their education and similar past
experiences.
(e) Demonstrated knowledge of staff and consultants in content
areas related to this agreement (public safety, public health, and
disaster preparedness and relief) as well as in training design and
methodologies.
3. Performance Measurement and Accountability (15%)
The Corporation will consider how the applicant:
(a) Proposes to measure the need for and outcomes of their products
and services.
(b) Plans to collect data and use assessments to modify and improve
their products and services.
4. Budget (15%)
The Corporation will consider the budget based on:
(a) Cost-effectiveness of the proposed training and technical
assistance activities in relation to the scope of the services proposed
(i.e., the number of participants and proposed activities); and
(b) The clarity and thoroughness of the budget and budget narrative
(see specifications under ``Budget Narrative'').
[[Page 56814]]
VI. Glossary of Terms
Grantees
Entities funded directly by the Corporation. These may include:
state commissions on national and community service, national non-
profit organizations, Indian tribes, and entities in states or U.S.
Territories that do not have a state commission.
Sub-grantees
Organizations receiving funds from Grantees of the Corporation.
National Service Resource Center (NSRC)
The National Service Resource Center (NSRC) serves as a repository
of information on all aspects of national service. The NSRC manages
most of the Corporation's listservs and maintains and operates a
library of print and media materials related to service and a toll-free
information and referral service. Training and technical assistance
publications are posted or distributed by the NSRC and its Web site at
www.etr.org;/nsrc, includes a calendar of training events and links to
all current providers.
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse serves as the primary
resource on service-learning for Learn and Serve America grantees in
higher education, K-12, community-based organizations and tribes, as
well as the entire service-learning community. Its resources include a
Web site (http://www.servicelearning.org), a library collection,
reference and referral, Learn and Serve America project directory,
listservs, and expert technical support. CFDA No. 94.009 Training and
Technical Assistance
Dated: August 29, 2002.
Gretchen Van der Veer,
Director, Office of Leadership Development and Training.
[FR Doc. 02-22562 Filed 9-4-02; 8:45 am]
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