NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY
Innovation and Expansion Grant to Provide Job Creation Assistance on Behalf of Persons with Significant Disabilities
[32 Pa.B. 1352] The Department of Labor and Industry, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in 1992, announces that competing applications to establish, expand or improve community rehabilitation programs serving persons with the most significant disabilities will be accepted. This competition is authorized under section 103 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Funding for this competition is under the auspice of the Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation and the OVR, which will serve as administrator and fiscal agent for the grant awarded under this competition. Applications will be written to accomplish the following area of emphasis:
* To increase employment and career opportunities for persons with significant disabilities in mainstream industry jobs in Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKean Counties.
* To stimulate development, retention, and growth of commerce and industry in Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKean Counties.
Service Information
This competition will result in one award and funding for a 4-year period, beginning July 1, 2002. The maximum annual funding level for this grant will not exceed $150,000.
Eligible applicants are recognized Economic Development Groups (EDG), defined as ''any group, corporation, or consortium which exists for the purpose of providing economic development funding, including capital equipment purchases, in the region for which the EDG has been designed.''
For purposes of this competition, an eligible applicant may also be another nonprofit or governmental organization experienced in successfully collaborating with business and industry located in Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKean Counties. The collaboration must have been in regard to development of employment, employment opportunities, placement of hard-to-place populations, workforce development or comparable areas of endeavor.
An applicant must demonstrate an understanding of the economy, market characteristics, and market potential in the service area that encompasses Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKean Counties.
An applicant must have operated in these capacities for a minimum of 3 years for its application to be considered for this competition.
For purposes of this competition, Job Creation Assistance on Behalf of Persons with Significant Disabilities, services focus upon activities that result in increased competitive employment of OVR-eligible persons with significant disabilities. Activities allowable under this grant competition include disbursement of moneys, through the OVR grantee, to qualified local businesses for purchase of equipment.
The grantee funded under this competition must comply with the following:
* Individuals placed in employment through this program must be eligible OVR customers.
* Job creation services must be implemented with the close coordination of the OVR DuBois District Office functioning in a leadership capacity. Proposals submitted for consideration under this grant competition must reflect this ongoing joint effort.
* The OVR District Administrator, the OVR DuBois District Office or that person's designee, must personally be involved in all decisions regarding provision of equipment to applicant businesses. The district administrator must cosign all disbursements made by the grantee to qualifying businesses.
Application Information
Applications received by 5 p.m., April 12, 2002, which are complete and conform to established specifications, will be accepted for review. Applications submitted after this date and time will be ineligible for consideration.
Applications will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers convened for that purpose.
The effective dates for the contract will be July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2003. Final awards made through this competition are subject to the approval of the Executive Director of the OVR.
Eligible applicants include EDGs, defined as ''any group, corporation, consortium which exists for the purpose of providing economic development funding, including capital equipment purchases, in the region for which the EDG has been designed.''
For purposes of this competition, an eligible applicant may also be another nonprofit or governmental organization experienced in successfully collaborating with business and industry located in Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson and McKean Counties. The collaboration must have been in regard to development of employment, employment opportunities, placement of hard-to-place populations, workforce development or comparable areas of endeavor.
A complete application package, which includes more detailed information, is available by contacting Jacqueline B. Lucas, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Contracts and Grants Management Section, 909 Green Street, Harrisburg, PA 17102-2913, (717) 787-7016, fax: (717) 705-9345; TDD: (717) 783-8917.
Preproposal Conference
A preproposal conference to deal specifically with technical questions regarding applications will be held for applicants on Tuesday, March 26, 2002, at 10 a.m. in the DuBois Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, 199 Beaver Drive, DuBois, PA 15801.
Copies of the application package will also be available at this conference. Persons expecting to attend should advise the DuBois District Office at (814) 765-0545, no later than 1 week prior to the conference, of any special accommodations that may be required for them to fully participate in the preproposal conference.
JOHNNY J. BUTLER,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 02-392. Filed for public inspection March 8, 2002, 9:00 a.m.]
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