[Federal Register: June 21, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 118)][Notices] [Page 35711-35733]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21jn05-115]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, FY 2005 Budget
Announcement Type: Initial announcement of availability of funds
and solicitation for grant applications.
Funding Opportunity No.: SHTG-FY-05-01.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No.: 17.502.
Dates: Grant applications must be received by the OSHA Office of
Training and Education in Arlington Heights, Illinois, by 4:30 p.m.
(central time) on Thursday, July 21, 2005.
Summary: This notice contains all of the necessary information and
forms needed to apply for grant funding. The U.S. Department of Labor,
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) awards funds to
nonprofit organizations to provide training and education programs or
to develop training materials for employers and workers about safety
and health topics selected by OSHA. Nonprofit organizations, including
community-based and faith-based organizations, that are not an agency
of a State or local government, are eligible to apply. State or local
government-supported institutions of higher education are eligible to
apply in accordance with 29 CFR part 95. This notice announces grant
availability for two different categories of Susan Harwood Training
grants. General descriptions of the two categories of grants are
provided below.
Targeted Topic Training Category
The Targeted Topic training category grants are available to
nonprofit organizations to conduct training for employers and employees
on two different occupational safety and health topic areas selected by
OSHA.
Training Materials Development Category Grants
The OSHA Training Materials Development category grants are
available to nonprofit organizations to develop, evaluate, and validate
training materials on five different occupational safety and health
topic areas selected by OSHA.
ADDRESSES: Grant applications must be sent to the attention of: Grants
Officer, U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA Office of Training and
Education, 2020 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois
60005-4102.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Overview of the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program
The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program provides funds for
programs to train workers and employers to recognize, avoid, and
prevent safety and health hazards in their workplaces. The program
emphasizes three areas:
Educating workers and employers in small businesses. A
small business has 250 or fewer workers.
Training workers and employers about new OSHA standards.
Training workers and employers about high risk activities
or hazards identified by OSHA through its Strategic Management Plan, or
as part of an OSHA special emphasis program.
Grant Categories Being Announced
OSHA will accept applications for two different categories of
grants in FY 2005.
Targeted Topic training category
OSHA Training Materials Development category
Topics for the Targeted Topic Training Category
The Targeted Topic category grants are available to nonprofit
organizations to conduct training for employers and employees on two
different occupational safety and health topic areas selected by OSHA.
Grantees funded for Targeted Topic training category grants are
expected to provide occupational safety and health training programs
addressing one of the topic subject areas selected by OSHA, develop
safety and health training and/or educational programs, recruit workers
and employers for the training, and conduct and evaluate the training.
Grantees are also expected to conduct follow up evaluations with people
trained by their program to determine what, if any, changes were made
to reduce hazards in their workplaces as a result of the training. If
your organization plans to train workers or employers in any of the 26
states operating OSHA-approved State Plans, State OSHA requirements
should be included in the training.
Two different topic areas were selected for this grant
announcement. OSHA may award grants for some or all of the listed
Targeted Topic subjects. Applicants wishing to apply for more than one
grant topic subject must submit a separate grant application for each
subject. Each application must propose a plan for developing and
conducting training programs addressing the recognition and prevention
of safety and health hazards for one of the subject areas listed below.
Construction Industry Hazards. Programs that train workers and
employers in the recognition and prevention of safety and health
hazards in one of the following subjects:
Excavation and trenching
Focus Four hazards (falls, electrocution, caught-in and
struck-by)
Highway construction work zone safety
Steel erection
Crane operator training
General Industry Hazards. Programs that train workers and employers
in the recognition and prevention of safety and health hazards in one
of the following subjects:
Food processing industry involved in preserving fruits and
vegetables (SIC 203/NAICS 3114)
Concrete and concrete products (SIC 327 except 3274 and
3275/NAICS 32733)
Public warehousing and storage (SIC 422/NAICS 4931)
Landscaping/horticultural services (SIC 078/NAICS 56173)
Lockout/tagout hazards
Topics for the OSHA Training Materials Development Category
The OSHA Training Materials Development category grants are
available to nonprofit organizations to develop, evaluate, and validate
classroom quality training materials on five different occupational
safety and health topic areas selected by OSHA.
Grantees funded for OSHA Training Materials Development category
grants are expected to develop, evaluate, and validate classroom-
quality training materials on occupational safety and health topics
selected by OSHA that may be used immediately for classroom or worksite
training or for self-study. These training materials should be original
products that do not duplicate information and products currently
available from OSHA or other government agencies.
The objective is to make quality training materials available for
training and education purposes that have broad applicability. The
training materials are to be tailored to the selected industry or
hazard and selected target audience, as announced in this solicitation.
The training materials are to be developed in portable formats that are
suitable for hard-copy publication and distribution and Internet publication and
distribution. OSHA is not soliciting the development of Web-based
training programs. While limited on-site training may be proposed for
evaluation and validation purposes, the conduct of training programs
should not be a significant work plan element in the grant proposal.
Grantees developing training materials under this grant category
will be required to post the training materials on their organization's
Web site for two years after receiving OSHA approval of their final
products, and provide access to users at no cost. OSHA may list the
grantees' URL addresses to access these materials or directly link to
the materials on the grantees' Web sites from OSHA's Web site. In
addition, grantees will also be required to track and report quarterly
to OSHA on the distribution and use of these training materials during
the two years the materials are posted on their Web site. Grantees will
collect and report on training materials product usage by tracking the
number of times the grantee's training materials Web site was visited,
and the number of times the training materials were downloaded. After
the two year period, OSHA may continue to post or to link to the
materials on the Internet for no-cost access by any interested party.
Five different topic areas were selected for this grant
announcement. OSHA may award grants for some or all of the OSHA
Training Materials Development subjects. Applicants wishing to apply
for more than one grant topic subject must submit a separate grant
application for each subject. Each application must propose a plan for
developing, evaluating and validating training materials for one of the
subjects listed below.
Construction Industry Hazards. Programs suitable for training
others or for self-study in the recognition and prevention of safety
and health hazards on the following subject:
Focus Four hazards (falls, electrocution, caught-in and
struck-by)
General Industry Hazards. Programs suitable for training others or
for self-study in the recognition and prevention of safety and health
hazards on one of the following subjects:
Prevention of amputation hazards
Electrical installation safety issues related to
Electrical Standards, 1910 Subpart S; the most recent edition of the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E, Standard for
Electrical Safety in the Workplace; and the National Electrical Code
(NEC).
Primary metals and basic steel (SIC 331/NAICS 3311 and 3312)
Oil and gas field services (SIC 138/NAICS 213111 and 213112)
Prevention of Transportation Fatalities and Accidents, Work-
Related. Programs suitable for training others or for self-study that
address the principles of safe driving or safe use of motorized
equipment for the prevention of work-related transportation fatalities
and accidents. Select one of the following subjects:
Work-related motor vehicle accident and fatality prevention program
Powered industrial trucks (fork lifts and motorized hand trucks)
Respiratory Diseases. Programs suitable for training others or for
self-study in the recognition and prevention of safety and health
hazards of working with:
Isocyanates
Other Safety and Health Topic Areas. Programs suitable for training
others or for self-study on one of the following subjects:
Employer responsibilities for new small business employers
Prevention of workplace violence
Train-the-trainer course for community- and faith-based
organizations on presenting safety and health training to vulnerable
workers
II. Award Information
Targeted Topic category grants will be awarded for a 12-month
period. The project period for these grants begins September 30, 2005,
and ends September 30, 2006. There is approximately $2.9 million
available for this grant category. The average Federal award will be
$150,000.
OSHA Training Materials Development category grants will be awarded
for a 12-month period. The project period for these grants begins
September 30, 2005 and ends September 30, 2006 There is approximately
$4 million available for this grant category. The average Federal award
will be $200,000.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Nonprofit organizations, including community-based and faith-based
organizations, that are not an agency of a State or local government
are eligible to apply. State or local government supported institutions
of higher education are eligible to apply in accordance with 29 CFR
part 95. Eligible organizations can apply independently for funding, or
in partnership with other eligible organizations, but in such a case, a
lead organization must be identified. Sub-contracts must be awarded in
accordance with 29 CFR 95.40-48, including OMB circulars requiring free
and open competition for procurement transactions.
A 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, as described in 26 U.S.C.
501(c)(4), that engages in lobbying activities will not be eligible for
the receipt of Federal funds constituting an award, grant or loan. See
1 U.S.C. 1611.
Applicants other than State or local government supported
institutions of higher education will be required to submit evidence of
nonprofit status, preferably from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Authorities: The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, Pub. L. 108-447, authorize this
program.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Applicants are not required to contribute non-Federal resources
towards the grant.
3. Other Eligibility Requirements
A. Legal Rules That Apply to Faith-Based Organizations That Receive
Federal Financial Assistance
The government is prohibited from providing direct financial
assistance for religious activity*. These grants may not be used for
religious instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing or other
inherently religious practices. Neutral, non-religious criteria that
neither favor nor disfavor religion will be employed in the selection
of grant recipients and must be used by grantees in the selection of
sub-recipients.
* In this context, the term direct financial assistance means
financial assistance that is provided directly by a government
entity or an intermediate organization, as opposed to financial
assistance that an organization receives as the result of the
genuine and independent private choice of a beneficiary. In other
contexts, the term ``direct'' financial assistance may be used to
refer to financial assistance that an organization receives directly
from the Federal government (also known as ``discretionary''
assistance), as opposed to assistance that it receives from a State
or Local government (also known as ``indirect'' or ``block'' grant
assistance). The term ``direct'' has the former meaning throughout
this solicitation for grant applications (SGA).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package
Application forms are published as part of this Federal Register
notice and in the Federal Register, which may be obtained from your nearest U.S.
Government Office or public library or online at http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/index.html.
The complete Federal Register notice and application forms may also be downloaded from the
OSHA Susan Harwood Training Grant Program Web site at http://www.osha.gov/harwoodgrants.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Separate grant applications must be submitted by organizations
interested in applying for a grant under more than one grant category
and by organizations interested in applying for more than one subject
area under each category.
A. Required Contents
To be considered for a Harwood grant, an application must include
all of the information listed below. A complete application will
contain the following forms and narrative sections. The parts are
listed in the order in which they should appear in the application.
(a) Application for Federal Assistance form (SF 424).
(b) Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants form.
(c) Program Summary. The program summary is a short one-to-two page
abstract that succinctly summarizes the proposed project and provides
information about the applicant organization.
(d) Budget Information forms (SF 424A).
(e) Detailed Project Budget Backup. The detailed budget will break
out the costs that are listed in Section B of the SF 424A Budget
Information form.
(f) A description of any voluntary non-Federal resource
contribution to be provided by the applicant, including source of funds
and estimated amount.
(g) Technical Proposal, program narrative, not to exceed 30 single-
sided pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, containing:
Problem Statement/Need for Funds;
Administrative and Program Capability; and
Workplan.
(h) Assurances form (SF 424B).
(i) Certifications form (OSHA 189).
(j) Supplemental Certification Regarding Lobbying Activities form.
(k) Organizational Chart.
(l) Evidence of Non-Profit status, preferably from the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS), if applicable. (Does not apply to State and
local government-supported institutions of higher education.)
(m) Accounting System Certification, if applicable. Organizations
that receive less than $1 million annually in Federal grants must
attach a certification signed by your certifying official stating that
your organization has a functioning accounting system that meets the
criteria below. Your organization may also designate a qualified entity
(include the name and address in the documentation) to maintain a
functioning accounting system that meets the criteria below. The
certification should attest that your organization's accounting system
provides for the following:
1. Accurate, current and complete disclosure of the financial
results of each Federally sponsored project.
2. Records that identify adequately the source and application of
funds for Federally sponsored activities.
3. Effective control over and accountability for all funds,
property and other assets.
4. Comparison of outlays with budget amounts.
5. Written procedures to minimize the time elapsing between the
transfer of funds.
6. Written procedures for determining the reasonableness,
allocability and allowability of costs.
7. Accounting records, including cost accounting records that are
supported by source documentation.
(n) Any attachments such as resumes, exhibits, list of previous
grants, and letters of support.
The forms listed above are included as a part of this Federal
Register notice. The forms are also available on the OSHA grant web
page at http://www.osha.gov/harwoodgrants. These forms do not
count toward the page limitation specified.
B. Technical Proposal
The Technical Proposal will contain the narrative segments of the
application including the Program Summary abstract, not to exceed two
pages, and the Program Narrative section, not to exceed 30 single-
sided, double-spaced, 12-point font, typed pages in length, consisting
of the Problem Statement/Need for Funds, Administrative and Program
Capability, and Workplan. Reviewers will only consider Technical
Proposal Program Narrative information up to the 30-page limit. The
Technical Proposal must demonstrate the capability to successfully
administer the grant and to meet the objectives of this solicitation.
The Technical Proposal will be rated in accordance with the selection
criteria specified in Section V., A. (Note: Separate review criteria
are provided for each grant category.)
The Technical Proposal must include the following sections.
(a) Program Summary; an abstract of the application, not to exceed
two pages, that must include the following information:
Applicant organization's full legal name.
Project director's name, title, street address, and
mailing address if it is different from the street address, telephone
and fax numbers, and e-mail address. The Project Director is the person
who will be responsible for the day-to-day operations and
administration of the program.
Certifying Representative's name, title, street address,
and mailing address if it is different from the street address,
telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address. The Certifying
Representative is the official in your organization who is authorized
to enter into grant agreements.
Funding requested. List how much Federal funding you are
requesting. If your organization is contributing non-Federal resources,
also list the amount of non-Federal resources and the source of the
funds.
Grant Category. List the grant category your organization
is applying under, i.e., Targeted Topic training category, or OSHA
Training Materials Development category.
Grant Topic. List the grant topic and industry or subject
area your organization has selected to target in its application.
Summary of the Proposed Project. Write a brief program
summary of your proposed project.
Applicant Background. Describe your applicant
organization, including its mission and a description of your
membership, if any.
(b) The Program Narrative segment, which is not to exceed 30
single-sided, double-spaced, 12-point font pages in length, should
address each section listed below.
Problem Statement/Need for Funds. Describe the hazards
that will be addressed in your program, the target population(s) that
will benefit from your training and education program, and the barriers
that have prevented this population from receiving adequate training.
When you discuss target populations, include geographic location(s),
and the number of workers and employers.
Administrative and Program Capability. Briefly describe
your organization's functions and activities. Relate this description
of functions to your organizational chart that is included in the
application. If your organization is conducting, or has conducted within
the last five years, any other government (Federal, State, local) grant
programs, the application must include an attachment (which will not count
towards the page limit) providing information regarding previous grants
including (a) the organization
for which the work was done, and (b) the dollar value of the grant. If
your organization has no previous grant experience, you may partner
with an organization that has grant experience to manage the grant. If
you use this approach, the management organization should be identified
and its grant program experience discussed.
Program Experience. Describe your organization's experience
conducting the type of program that you are proposing. Include program
specifics such as program title, numbers trained and duration of
training. Experience includes safety and health experience, training
experience with adults, and programs operated specifically for the
selected target population(s). Nonprofit organizations, including
community-based and faith-based organizations, that do not have prior
experience in safety and health may partner with an established safety
and health organization to acquire safety and health expertise.
Staff Experience. Describe the qualifications of the
professional staff you will assign to the program. Include resumes of
staff already on board. If some positions are vacant, include position
descriptions/minimum hiring qualifications instead of resumes.
Qualified staff are those with safety and health experience, training
experience and experience working with the target population.
Workplan. The 12-month workplan should correlate with the
grant project period that will begin September 30, 2005, and end
September 30, 2006. An outline of specific items required in your
workplan follows.
Plan Overview. Describe your plan for grant activities and the
anticipated outcomes. The overall plan will describe such things the
development of training materials, the training content, recruiting of
trainees, where or how training will take place, and the anticipated
benefits to workers and employers receiving the training.
Activities. Break your overall plan down into activities or tasks.
For each activity, explain what will be done, who will do it, when it
will be done, and the results of the activity. When you discuss
training include the subjects to be taught, the length of the training
sessions, and training location (classroom, worksites.) Describe how
you will recruit trainees for the training.
Quarterly Projections. For training and other quantifiable
activities, estimate how many, e.g., number of advisory committee
meetings, classes to be conducted, workers and employers to be trained,
etc., you will do each quarter of the grant (grant quarters match
calendar quarters, i.e., January to March, April to June) and provide
the training number totals for the grant. Quarterly projections are
used to measure your actual performance against your plans. If you plan
to conduct a train-the-trainer program, estimate the number of
individuals you expect to be trained during the grant period by those
who received the train-the-trainer training. These second tier training
numbers should only be included if your organization is planning to
follow up with the trainers to obtain this data during the grant
period.
Materials. Describe each educational material you will produce
under the grant, if not treated as a separate activity under Activities
above. Provide a timetable for developing and producing the material.
OSHA must review and approve training materials for technical accuracy
before the materials are used in your grant program. Therefore, your
timetable must include provisions for an OSHA review of draft and
camera-ready products. For Targeted Topic training grants, any
commercially-developed training materials you are proposing to utilize
in your grant training must also go through an OSHA review before being
used.
Evaluation. There are three types of evaluations that should be
conducted. First, describe plans to evaluate the training sessions or
the training materials being developed. Second, describe your plans to
evaluate your progress in accomplishing the grant work activities
listed in your application. This includes comparing planned and actual
accomplishments. Discuss who is responsible for taking corrective
action if plans are not being met. Third, describe your plans to assess
the effectiveness of the training your organization is conducting or to
evaluate and validate the training materials your organization is
developing. This will involve following-up, by survey or on-site
review, if feasible, with people who attended the training or utilized
your training materials to find out what changes were made to abate
hazards in their workplaces. Include timetables for follow-up and for
submitting a summary of the assessment results to OSHA.
(c) An organizational chart of the staff that will be working on
this grant and their location within the applicant organization.
(d) A Detailed Project Budget that clearly details the costs of
performing all of the requirements presented in this solicitation. The
detailed budget will break out the costs that are listed in Section B
of the SF 424A Budget Information form.
(e) A description of any voluntary non-Federal resource
contribution to be provided by the applicant, including source of funds
and estimated amount.
Attachments: Summaries of other relevant organizational
experiences; information on prior government grants; resumes of key
personnel and/or position descriptions; and signed letters of
commitment to the project.
To be considered responsive to this solicitation the application
must consist of the above mentioned separate parts. The Technical
Proposal narrative is not to exceed 30 single-sided (8\1/2\'' x 11'' or
A4), double-spaced, 12-point font, typed pages. Major sections and sub-
sections of the application should be divided and clearly identified
(e.g., with tab dividers), and all pages shall be numbered. Standard
Forms, attachments, resumes, exhibits, letters of support, and the
abstract are not counted toward the page limit.
Applicants are reminded to budget for compliance with the
administrative requirements set forth (copies of all regulations that
are referenced in this SGA are available on-line at no cost at
http://www.osha.gov/harwoodgrants).
This includes the costs of performing activities such as travel for two
staff members, one program and one financial, to the Chicago area to attend
a new grantee orientation meeting; financial audit, if required; project
closeout; document preparation (e.g., quarterly progress reports, project
document); and ensuring compliance with procurement and property
standards. The Detailed Project Budget should identify administrative
costs separately from programmatic costs for both Federal and non-
Federal funds. Administrative costs include indirect costs from the
costs pool and the cost of activities, materials, meeting close-out
requirements as described in Section VI, and personnel (e.g.,
administrative assistants) who support the management and
administration of the project but do not provide direct services to
project beneficiaries. Indirect cost charges, which are considered
administrative costs, must be supported with a copy of an approved
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement form. Administrative costs cannot exceed
25% of the total grant budget. The project budget should clearly
demonstrate that the total amount and distribution of funds is
sufficient to cover the cost of all major project activities identified by
the applicant in its proposal, and
must comply with Federal cost principles (which can be found in the
applicable OMB Circulars).
3. Submission Date, Times, and Addresses
Date: The closing date for receipt of applications is Thursday,
July 21, 2005. Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. (central
time) at the address below. Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or
facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted. Applications sent by other
delivery services, such as Federal Express, UPS, etc., will be
accepted; the applicant, however, bears the responsibility for timely
submission. Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in
this notice will not be honored. No exceptions to the mailing and
delivery requirements set forth in this notice will be granted.
Applications must be delivered to: Grants Officer, U.S. Department
of Labor, OSHA Office of Training and Education, 2020 S. Arlington
Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005-4102.
The individual signing the SF 424 form on behalf of the applicant
must be authorized to bind the applicant.
One (1) blue ink-signed original complete application in English
plus two (2) copies of each application must be received at the
designated place by the date and time specified or it will not be
considered unless it is received before the award is made and:
(a) It was sent by registered or certified mail no later than the
fifth calendar day before the closing date; 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 p.m.
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 mishandling by the Government after receipt at the U.S.
Department of Labor at the address indicated.
The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a
late application sent by registered or certified mail is the U.S.
Postal Service postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on the original
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. If the postmark is not legible,
an application received after the above closing time and date shall be
processed as if mailed late. ``Postmark'' means a printed, stamped, or
otherwise placed impression (not a postage meter machine impression)
that is readily identifiable without further action as having been
applied and affixed by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service on the
date of mailing. Therefore, applicants should request that the postal
clerk place a legible hand cancellation ``bulls-eye'' postmark on both
the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
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 Service
`` Post Office to Addressee'' label and the postmark on the envelope or
wrapper on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service.
``Postmark'' has the same meaning as defined above.
4. Intergovernmental Review
The Harwood Training Grant Program is not subject to Executive
Order 12372 Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
5. Funding Restrictions
Grant funds may be spent on the following.
(a) Conducting training.
(b) Conducting other activities that reach and inform workers and
employers about workplace occupational safety and health hazards and
hazard abatement.
(c) Conducting outreach and recruiting activities to increase the
number of workers and employers participating in the program.
(d) Developing educational materials for use in training.
(e) For the OSHA Training Materials Development category grants,
purchase of software necessary to track the number of visits to the
grantee's training materials Web site and the number of times the
training materials were downloaded.
Grant funds may not be used for the following activities under the
terms of the grant program.
(a) Any activity that is inconsistent with the goals and objectives
of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
(b) Training individuals not covered by the Occupational Safety and
Health Act.
(c) Training workers or employers from workplaces not covered by
the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Examples include: State and
local government workers in non-State Plan States, and workers covered
by section 4(b)(1) of the Act.
(d) Training on topics that do not cover the recognition,
avoidance, and prevention of unsafe or unhealthy working conditions.
Examples of unallowable topics include: Workers' compensation, first
aid, and publication of materials prejudicial to labor or management.
(e) Assisting workers in arbitration cases or other actions against
employers, or assisting employers and workers in the prosecution of
claims against Federal, State or local governments.
(f) Duplicating services offered by OSHA, a State under an OSHA-
approved State Plan, or consultation programs provided by State
designated agencies under section 21(d) of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act.
(g) Generating membership in the grantee's organization. This
includes activities to acquaint nonmembers with the benefits of
membership, inclusion of membership appeals in materials produced with
grant funds, and membership drives.
While the activities described above may be part of an
organization's regular programs, the costs of these activities cannot
be paid for by grant funds, whether the funds are from matching
resources or from the Federally funded portion of the grant.
Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with
the applicable Federal cost principles, e.g., Nonprofit Organizations--
OMB Circular A-122; Educational Institutions--OMB Circular A-21.
Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency
or its representative determines to not be allowed in accordance with
the applicable Federal Cost Principles or other conditions contained in
the grant.
No applicant at any time will be entitled to reimbursement of pre-
award costs.
V. Application Review Information
Grant applications will be reviewed by technical panels comprised
of OSHA staff. The results of the grant reviews will be presented to
the Assistant Secretary who will make the selection of organizations to
be awarded grants. Agency priorities and geographic factors may also be
taken into consideration in the selection process. OSHA may award
grants for some or all of the listed topic areas. It is anticipated
that the grant awards will be announced in September 2005.
1. Criteria
The technical panels will review grant applications against the
criteria listed below, on the basis of 100 maximum points. Please note
that grant review criteria are listed separately for the Targeted Topic
training and OSHA Training Materials Development categories. Target Topic
training grant category applications will be reviewed and rated as follows.
A. Technical Approach, Program Design--45 points total (Note:
Separate review criteria are provided for each grant category.)
Program Design:
(1) The proposed training and education program must address the
recognition and prevention of safety and health hazards for one of the
following Targeted Topic subject areas. (3 points)
Construction Industry Hazards. Programs that train workers and
employers in the recognition and prevention of safety and health
hazards in one of the following subjects:
Excavation and trenching
Focus Four hazards (falls, electrocution, caught-in and
struck-by)
Highway construction work zone safety
Steel erection
Crane operator training
General Industry Hazards. Programs that train workers and employers
in the recognition and prevention of safety and health hazards in one
of the following subjects:
Food processing industry involved in preserving fruits and
vegetables (SIC 203/NAICS 3114)
Concrete and concrete products (SIC 327 except 3274 and
3275/NAICS 32733
Public warehousing and storage (SIC 422/NAICS 4931)
Landscaping/horticultural services (SIC 078/NAICS 56173)
Lockout/tagout hazards
(2) The proposal plans to train workers and/or employers, it
clearly estimates the numbers to be trained, and clearly identifies the
types of workers and employers to be trained. The training will reach
workers and employers from multiple employers. (4 points)
(3) If the proposal contains a train-the-trainer program, the
following information must be provided: (4 points)
what ongoing support the grantee will provide to new
trainers;
the number of individuals to be trained as trainers;
the estimated number of courses to be conducted by the new
trainers;
the estimated number of students to be trained by these
new trainers; and
a description of how the grantee will obtain data from the
new trainers about their classes and student numbers.
(4) The planned activities and training are tailored to the needs
and levels of the workers and employers to be trained. The target
audience to be served through the grant program is described. The
training materials and training programs are to be tailored to the
training needs of one or more of the following target audiences: small
businesses; minority businesses; limited English proficiency, non-
literate and low literacy workers; youth; immigrant and minority
workers, and other hard-to-reach workers; and workers in high-hazard
industries and industries with high fatality rates. Organizations
proposing to develop Spanish-language training materials should utilize
the OSHA Dictionaries (English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English) for
terminology. The Dictionaries are available on the OSHA Web site at:
http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/compliance_assistance/spanish_dictionaries.html.
Organizations proposing to develop materials in languages other than English
will also be required to provide an English version of the materials. (20 points)
(5) There is a plan to recruit trainees for the program. (3 points)
(6) If the proposal includes developing educational materials for
use in the training program, there is a plan for OSHA to review the
educational materials for technical accuracy during development. If
commercially-developed training products will be used for the Targeted
Topic training program, applicants should also plan for OSHA to review
the materials before using the products. (3 points)
(7) There is a plan to evaluate the program's effectiveness and
impact to determine if the safety and health training and services
provided resulted in workplace change. This includes a description of
the evaluation plan to follow up with trainees to determine the impact
the program has had in abating hazards and reducing worker injuries. (5
points)
(8) The application is complete, including forms, budget detail,
narrative and workplan, and required attachments. (3 points)
B. Budget--20 points total
(1) The budgeted costs are reasonable. No more than 25% of the
total budget is for administration. (10 points)
(2) The budget complies with Federal cost principles (which can be
found in the applicable OMB Circulars) and with OSHA budget
requirements contained in the grant application instructions. (5
points)
(3) The cost per trainee is less than $500 and the cost per
training hour is reasonable. (5 points)
C. Past Performance--18 points total
(1) Describe your organization's experience with occupational
safety and health. Applicants that do not have prior experience in
providing safety and health training to workers or employers may
partner with an established safety and health organization to acquire
safety and health expertise. (5 points)
(2) Describe your organization's experience in training adults in
work-related subjects or in recruiting, training and working with the
target audience for this grant. (5 points)
(3) The application organization demonstrates that the applicant
has strong financial management and internal control systems. Describe
the programs you have managed over the past five years. (5 points)
(4) List any Federal and/or State grants that you have administered
over the past five years. (3 points)
D. Experience and Qualification of Personnel--17 points total
(1) The staff to be assigned to the project has experience in
occupational safety and health, the specific topic chosen, and in
training adults. (10 points)
(2) Project staff has experience in recruiting, training, and
working with the population your organization proposes to serve under
the grant. (7 points)
OSHA training materials development category grant applications
will be reviewed and rated as follows.
A. Technical Approach, Program Design--50 points total
(Note: Separate review criteria are provided for each grant
category.)
Grantees will be expected to develop, evaluate and validate
classroom-quality training materials that are tailored to a specific
topic, industry and target audience that may be used immediately for
classroom or worksite training or for self-study. These training
materials should be original products that do not duplicate information
and products currently available from OSHA or other government
agencies. More than one target audience may be selected. The training
materials must include:
Detailed description of the most dangerous tasks/job
duties.
Identification of the hazards associated with these tasks.
Methods of abating these hazards.
Training materials should be tailored directly to the
target audience participant. Grantees will be expected to submit
classroom quality products. Classroom quality materials should follow
the commonly accepted instructional systems design process that OSHA
has adopted as a quality measure for all of its education and training
products. OSHA has outlined a seven-step design process in the U.S.
Department of Labor publication OSHA 2254 (1998 Revised) Training
Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines. OSHA uses the
following seven-step model: Determine if training is needed; identify
training needs; identify goals and objectives; develop learning
activities; conduct the training; evaluate program effectiveness; and
improve the program.
Grantees are to develop the training materials in a
portable format that is suitable for hard-copy publication and
distribution and Internet publication and distribution. OSHA is not
soliciting the development of Web-based training programs.
Grantees will be required to post the approved final
product training materials on their Web site for two years at no cost
to users. OSHA may list the grantees' URL addresses to access these
materials or directly link to the materials on the grantees' Web sites
from OSHA's Web site.
Grantees will be required to track and report quarterly to
OSHA on the usage of the training materials developed under this grant.
Usage statistics would include the number of times the training
materials Web site was visited, and the number of times the training
materials were downloaded from the Internet during the two-year period.
Program Design: (1) The proposed training and educational materials
are tailored to the specific topic, industry and a selected target
audience and must address one of the following Training Materials
Development subject areas. (3 points)
Construction Industry Hazards. Programs suitable for training
others or for self-study in the recognition and prevention of safety
and health hazards on the following subject:
Focus Four hazards (falls, electrocution, caught-in and
struck-by)
General Industry Hazards. Programs suitable for training others or
for self-study in the recognition and prevention of safety and health
hazards on one of the following subjects:
Prevention of amputation hazards
Electrical installation safety issues related to
Electrical Standards, 1910 Subpart S; the most recent edition of the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E, Standard for
Electrical Safety in the Workplace; and the National Electrical Code
(NEC).
Primary metals and basic steel (SIC 331/NAICS 3311 and
3312)
Oil and gas field operations (SIC 138/NAICS 213111 and
213112)
Prevention of Transportation Fatalities and Accidents, Work-
Related. Programs suitable for training others or for self-study that
address the principles of safe driving or safe use of motorized
equipment for the prevention of work-related transportation fatalities
and accidents. Select one of the following subjects:
Work-related motor vehicle accident and fatality
prevention program
Powered industrial trucks (fork lifts and motorized hand
trucks)
Respiratory Diseases. Programs suitable for training others or for
self-study in the recognition and prevention of safety and health
hazards of working with:
Isocyanates
Other Safety and Health Topic Areas. Programs suitable for training
others or for self-study on one of the following subjects:
Employer responsibilities for new small business employers
Prevention of workplace violence
Train-the-trainer course for community- and faith-based
organizations on presenting safety and health training to vulnerable
workers
(2) Identify the target audience(s) for this training and describe
your plan to analyze their training needs. Applicants are encouraged to
develop training materials that also serve limited-English proficiency
workers (i.e., non-English speaking, non-literate and low-literacy
workers).
Training programs and materials are to be tailored to the training
needs of one or more of the following target audiences: small
businesses; minority businesses; limited English proficiency, non-
literate and low literacy workers; youth; immigrant and minority
workers; other hard-to-reach workers; and workers in high-hazard
industries or industries with high fatality rates. Organizations
proposing to develop Spanish-language training materials should utilize
the OSHA Dictionaries (English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English) for
safety and health terminology. The Dictionaries are available on the
OSHA Web site at: http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/compliance_assistance/spanish_dictionaries.html.
Organizations proposing to develop materials in languages other than
English will also be required to provide an English version of the materials. (15 points)
(3) Describe the tasks/job duties that will be discussed during the
training. Explain how these tasks/job duties or other unique
characteristics of the intended audience will be incorporated into the
training materials. (5 points)
(4) Describe the occupational safety and health hazards associated
with the above tasks/job duties. Explain how these hazards were
identified and the method(s) being proposed to eliminate or control
these hazards to be highlighted during the training process are
provided. (5 points)
(5) List the objectives for each course or set of training
materials and describe how you will evaluate and verify that these
objectives will be met. There is a clear link between objectives and
evaluation criteria. (7 points)
(6) Provide a brief outline of the proposed course or training
program. Include a sample or detailed description of a lesson/training
module. (6 points)
(7) Describe the items that will be included as the final training
products/materials. These may include instructor's manuals, student's
manuals, brochures, visual aids, videotapes, or technology-based
training materials such as digital photos, CD's, or DVD's. (2 points)
(8) Describe your plan for OSHA to review the education materials
for technical accuracy and quality of instructional design during
development. (2 points)
(9) Explain how you will track and report on the usage of the
training materials during the two-year period these materials are to be
posted on your Web site. (2 points)
(10) The application is complete, including forms, budget detail,
narrative and workplan, and required attachments. (3 points)
B. Budget--15 points total
(1) The budgeted costs are reasonable. No more than 25% of the
total budget is for administration. (10 points)
(2) The budget complies with Federal cost principles (which can be
found in applicable OMB Circulars) and with OSHA budget requirements
contained in the grant application instructions. (5 points)
C. Past Performance--18 points total
(1) Describe your organization's experience with occupational
safety and health. Applicants that do not have prior experience in
safety and health may partner with an established safety and health
organization to acquire safety and health expertise. (5 points)
(2) Describe your organization's experience training adults in
work-related subjects or in recruiting, training, and working with the
population it proposes to serve under the grant. (5 points)
(3) The applicant organization demonstrates that it has strong
financial management and internal control systems. Describe the
programs you have managed over the past five years. (5 points)
(4) List any Federal and/or State grants that the organization has
administered over the past five years. (3 points)
D. Experience and Qualifications of Personnel--17 points total
(1) The staff to be assigned to the project has experience in
occupational safety and health, the specific topic chosen, and training
adults. (10 points)
(2) Staff has experience in recruiting, training, and working with
the population it proposes to serve under the grant. (7 points)
2. Review and Selection Process
OSHA will screen all applications to determine whether all required
proposal elements are present and clearly identifiable. Those that do
not may be deemed non-responsive and may not be evaluated. A technical
panel will objectively rate each complete application against the
criteria described in this announcement. The panel recommendations to
the Assistant Secretary are advisory in nature. The Assistant Secretary
may establish a minimally acceptable rating range for the purpose of
selecting qualified applicants. The Assistant Secretary will make a
final selection determination based on what is most advantageous to the
Government, considering factors such as panel findings, geographic
presence of the applicants, the best value to the government, cost, and
other factors. The Assistant Secretary's determination for award under
this SGA is final.
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Announcement of these awards is expected to occur by September 30,
2005. The grant agreement will be awarded by no later than September
30, 2005.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
Organizations selected as grant recipients will be notified by a
representative of the Assistant Secretary, usually from an OSHA
Regional office. An applicant whose proposal is not selected will be
notified in writing.
Notice that an organization has been selected as a grant recipient
does not constitute approval of the grant application as submitted.
Before the actual grant award, OSHA will enter into negotiations
concerning such items as program components, staffing and funding
levels, and administrative systems. If the negotiations do not result
in an acceptable submittal, the Assistant Secretary reserves the right
to terminate the negotiation and decline to fund the proposal.
Note: Except as specifically provided, OSHA's acceptance of a
proposal and an award of Federal funds to sponsor any program(s)
does not provide a waiver of any grant requirement or procedures.
For example, if an application identifies a specific sub-contractor
to provide the services, the USDOL OSHA award does not provide the
justification or basis to sole-source the procurement, i.e., to
avoid competition.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All grantees, including faith-based organizations, will be subject
to applicable Federal laws and regulations (including provisions of
appropriations law) and the applicable Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) Circulars. The grant award(s) awarded under this SGA will be
subject to the following administrative standards and provisions, if
applicable.
29 CFR part 95, which covers grant requirements for nonprofit
organizations, including universities and hospitals. These are the
Department of Labor regulations implementing OMB Circular A-110.
29 CFR part 93, new restrictions on lobbying.
29 CFR part 98, government wide debarment and suspension
(nonprocurement) and government wide requirements for drug-free
workplace (grants).
OMB Circular A-21, which describes allowable and unallowable costs
for educational institutions.
OMB circular A-122, which describes allowable and unallowable costs
for other nonprofit organizations.
OMB Circulars A-133, 29 CFR parts 96 and 99, which provide
information about audit requirements.
29 CFR parts 31, 32 and 36 as applicable.
Certifications. All applicants are required to certify to a drug-
free workplace in accordance with 29 CFR part 98, to comply with the
New Restrictions on Lobbying published at 29 CFR part 93, to make a
certification regarding the debarment rules at 29 CFR part 98, and to
complete a special lobbying certification.
Students. Grant-funded training programs must serve multiple
employers and their employees. Grant-funded training programs must
serve individuals covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of
1970. As a part of the grant close-out process, grantees must self-
certify that their grant-funded programs and materials were not
provided to ineligible audiences.
Other. In keeping with the policies outlined in Executive Orders
13256, 12928, 13230, and 13021 as amended, the grantee is strongly
encouraged to provide subgranting opportunities to Historically Black
Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal
Colleges and Universities.
3. Special Program Requirements
OSHA review of educational materials. OSHA will review all
educational materials produced by the grantee for technical accuracy
and quality of instructional design during development and before final
publication. OSHA will also review training curricula and purchased
training materials for accuracy before they are used. Grantees
developing training materials must follow all copyright laws and
provide written certification that their materials are free from
copyright infringements.
When grant recipients produce training materials, they must provide
copies of completed materials to OSHA before the end of the grant
period. OSHA has a lending program that circulates grant-produced
audiovisual materials. Audiovisual materials produced by the grantee as
a part of its grant program may be included in this lending program. In
addition, all materials produced by grantees must be provided to OSHA
in hard copy as well as in a digital format (CD Rom/DVD) for possible
publication on the Internet by OSHA. Three copies of the materials must
be provided to OSHA. Acceptable formats for training materials include
Microsoft XP Word and PowerPoint.
As listed in 29 CFR 95.36, the Department of Labor reserves a
royalty-free, nonexclusive and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish,
or otherwise use the work for Federal purposes, and to authorize others
to do so. Applicants should note that grantees must agree to provide
the Department of Labor a paid-up, nonexclusive and irrevocable license
to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use for Federal purposes all
products developed, or for which ownership was purchased, under an
award including, but not limited to, curricula, training models,
technical assistance products, and any related materials, and to
authorize them to do so. Such uses include, but are not limited to, the
right to modify and distribute such products worldwide by any means,
electronic or otherwise.
Posting of OSHA Training Materials Development Training Materials
on the Internet. Grantees developing training materials under the OSHA
Training Materials Development grant category will be required to post
the training materials on their organization's Web site for two years
after receiving OSHA approval of their final products, and provide
access to users at no cost. OSHA may list the grantees' URL addresses
to access these materials or directly link to the materials on the
grantees' Web sites from OSHA's Web site. In addition, these grantees
will also be required to track and report quarterly to OSHA on the
distribution and use of these training materials during the two years
the materials are posted on their Web site. Grantees will collect and
report on training materials product usage by tracking the number of
times the grantee's training materials Web site was visited, and the
number of times the training materials were downloaded.
Acknowledgment of USDOL Funding. In all circumstances, all approved
grant-funded materials developed by a grantee shall contain the
following disclaimer:
This material was produced under grant number ---------- from
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department
of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of
the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names,
commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S.
Government.
Public reference to grant: When issuing statements, press releases,
requests for proposals, bid solicitations, and other documents
describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with Federal
money, all Grantees receiving Federal funds must clearly state:
The percentage of the total costs of the program or
project, that will be financed with Federal money;
The dollar amount of Federal financial assistance for the
project or program; and
The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the
project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.
4. Reporting
Grantees are required by Departmental regulations to submit program
and financial reports each calendar quarter. All reports are due no
later than 30 days after the end of the fiscal quarter and shall be
submitted to the appropriate OSHA Regional Office.
Financial: The Grantee(s) shall submit financial reports on a
quarterly basis. The first reporting period shall end on the last day
of the fiscal quarter (December 31, March 31, June 30, or September 30)
during which the grant was signed. Financial reports are due within 30
days of the end of the reporting period (i.e., by January 30, April 30,
July 30, and October 30).
The Grantee(s) shall use Standard Form (SF) 269A, Financial Status
Report, to report the status of the funds, at the project level, during
the grant period. A final SF269A shall be submitted no later than 90
days following completion of the grant period.
If the Grantee(s) uses the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services Payment Management System (HHS PMS), it must also send USDOL
copies of the PSC 272 that it submits to HHS, on the same schedule.
Otherwise, the Grantee(s) shall submit Standard Form (SF) 272, Federal
Cash Transactions Report, on the same schedule as the SF269A.
Technical Program: After signing the agreement, the Grantee(s)
shall submit technical progress reports to USDOL/OSHA Regional Offices
at the end of each fiscal quarter. Technical progress reports provide
both quantitative and qualitative information and a narrative
assessment of performance for the preceding three-month period. OSHA
Form 171 shall be used for reporting training numbers and a narrative
report shall be provided that details grant activities conducted during
the quarter, information on how the project is progressing in achieving
its stated objectives, and notes any problems or delays along with
corrective actions proposed. The first reporting period shall end on
the last day of the fiscal quarter (December 31, March 31, June 30, or
September 30) during which the grant was signed. Quarterly progress
reports are due within 30 days of the end of the report period (i.e.,
by January 30, April 30, July 30, and October 30.) Between reporting
dates, the Grantees(s) shall also immediately inform USDOL/OSHA of
significant developments and/or problems affecting the organization's
ability to accomplish work.
VII. Agency Contacts
Any questions regarding this SGA should be directed to Cynthia
Bencheck, e-mail address: Bencheck.Cindy@dol.gov, tel: 847-297-4810
(note that this is NOT a toll-free number), or Ernest Thompson,
Thompson.Ernest@dol.gov, tel 847-297-4810. To obtain further
information on the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program of the U.S.
Department of Labor, visit the OSHA Web site of the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration at http://www.osha.gov.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 15th day of June, 2005.
Jonathan L. Snare,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor.
Attachments
Project Document Format
SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance form
Your organization is required to have a Data Universal Number
System (DUNS) number (received from Dun and Bradstreet) to complete
this form. Information about ``Obtaining a DUNS Number ``A Guide for
Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Applicants'' is available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/duns_num_guide.pdf.
Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants form
Program Summary (not to exceed two pages)
Budget Information, SF 424A form
Detailed Project Budget Backup
If applicable: Provide a copy of approved indirect cost rate
agreement, and statement of program income.
Technical Proposal, program narrative, not to exceed 30 single-
sided pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, containing:
Problem Statement/Need for Funds
Administrative and Program Capability
Workplan
Assurances (SF 424B)
Certifications form (OSHA 189)
Supplemental Certification Regarding Lobbying Activities
Organizational Chart
Evidence of Nonprofit status, (letter from the IRS) if applicable
Accounting System Certification, if applicable
Organizations that receive less than $1 million annually in Federal
grants must attach a certification signed by your certifying official
stating that your organization has a functioning accounting system that
meets the criteria below. Your organization may also designate a
qualified entity (include the name and address in the documentation) to
maintain a functioning accounting system that meets the criteria below.
The certification should attest that your organization's accounting
system provides for the following:
1. Accurate, current and complete disclosure of the financial
results of each Federally sponsored project.
2. Records that identify adequately the source and application of
funds for Federally sponsored activities.
3. Effective control over and accountability for all funds,
property and other assets.
4. Comparison of outlays with budget amounts.
5. Written procedures to minimize the time elapsing between the
transfer of funds.
6. Written procedures for determining the reasonableness,
allocability and allowability of costs.
7. Accounting records, including cost accounting records, that are
supported by source documentation.
Attachments such as:
Summaries of other relevant organizational experience; information
on prior government grants; resumes of key personnel or position
descriptions; signed letters of commitment to the project.
Attachments (Forms)
SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance
Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants form
SF-424A, Budget Information form
SF 424B, Assurances
OSHA 189 form, Certification
Supplemental Certification Regarding Lobbying Activities
The forms are also available at: http://www.osha.gov/harwoodgrants.
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P
[FR Doc. 05-12203 Filed 6-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-C
