U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety And Health Administration
Funding Opportunity Announcement/Notice Of Available Funding:
Susan Harwood Training Grant Program, FY 2017 Funding
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 17.502
Funding Opportunity Number: SHTG-FY-17-01
Grant Categories: 1) Targeted Topic Training
2) Training and Educational Materials Development
Action: This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and Notice of Available Funds is for eligible nonprofit organizations to deliver occupational safety and health training and/or develop classroom quality occupational safety and health training for workers and employers in one or more targeted audiences.
Eligible Applicants: Qualifying labor unions, Community-based and faith-based organizations, Employer associations that are not an agency of a state or local government, state or local government-supported Institutions of higher education, Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Alaska Native entities, Indian-controlled organizations serving Indians, and Native Hawaiian organizations.
Application: This FOA, grant application, submission instructions, and required standard federal forms are available at https://www.Grants.gov (Grants.gov). The applications, including attachments, must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Applications may not be revised after they are submitted. Corrections will require a resubmission of the entire application. Partial applications are non-viable. The last viable application submitted by an applicant will be reviewed.
Application Deadline: This FOA closes on XXXX, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. All applications must be successfully submitted and validated in Grants.gov before they will be considered viable for review. Applications submitted after this date and time will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.
For Further Information: Information about the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program is located on the OSHA website at https://www.osha.gov/dte/sharwood/index.html (Susan Harwood web page). Email your questions about this FOA to HarwoodGrants@dol.gov, or call the Susan Harwood Training Grant Coordinator at 847-759-7700 on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The phone number is not toll-free.
Questions about Grants.gov may be answered by Grants.gov Support using their web page, https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, by email to Support@grants.gov, or by calling 1-800-518-4726 toll free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except on federal holidays.
II. Overview Of The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program And Funding Opportunity Description 4
D. 2017 Targeted Training Topic 6
F. Targeted Training Audiences 6
IV. Application And Submission Information 7
C. Required Application Content 8
1. SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance 8
2. SF-424A Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs 9
3. SF-424B Assurances – Non-Construction Programs 9
4. Project/Performance Site Location(s) 9
5. Grants.gov Certification Regarding Lobbying Form 9
6. SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable) 9
7. Application Summary (not to exceed 2 pages) 10
8. Program Abstract (not to exceed 1 page) 10
9. Technical Proposal (not to exceed 20 double spaced pages) 10
Table 1: Training Projections by Training Type and Audience 18
10. Fiscal Responsibility and Program Budgeting 20
D. Meetings, Reporting, and Documentation 23
Table 3: Grantee reporting Due Dates 23
F. Intergovernmental Review 26
G. Evaluation Criteria, Review and Selection Process 26
H. Anticipated Award Announcement Date and Notification 26
I. Request for Application Comments 27
V. Post Award Administrative And National Policy 27
B. Grant Program Conditions 28
APPENDIX A - Acronyms and Websites 30
APPENDIX B - Grant Funded Material Submittal Process 31
APPENDIX B - Grant Funded Material Submittal Process (Cont.) 32
APPENDIX B - Grant Funded Material Submittal Process (Cont.) 33
APPENDIX B - Grant Funded Material Submittal Process (Cont.) 34
APPENDIX D - Freedom of Information Act 36
APPENDIX E - Drug-Free Workplace 37
APPENDIX F - Targeted Audiences 38
APPENDIX G - Targeted Training Topics 39
APPENDIX G - Targeted Training Topics (Cont.) 40
APPENDIX H - Formatting Requirements 41
APPENDIX I - Application Summary Document Sample Outline 42
APPENDIX J - Budget Requirements 43
APPENDIX J - Budget Requirements (Cont.) 44
APPENDIX J - Budget Requirements (Cont.) 45
APPENDIX K - Use of Grant Funds 46
APPENDIX K - Use of Grant Funds (Cont.) 47
APPENDIX L - Example of Budget Forms 48
APPENDIX L - Example of Budget Forms (Cont.) 49
APPENDIX M - Evaluation Criteria 50
APPENDIX N - Application Checklist 51
APPENDIX O - Grant Submission Information 52
APPENDIX O - Grant Submission Information (Cont.) 53
Under the authority of Section 21(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
(OSH Act), the U .S. Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established its discretionary grant program in 1978. In 1997, the program was renamed in honor of the late Susan Harwood, a former director of OSHA’s Office of Risk Assessment. The program offers an opportunity for nonprofit organizations to compete annually for funding so they may develop and conduct training and education programs for small business employers and workers on the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of occupational safety and health hazards in their workplaces, and to inform workers of their rights and employers of their responsibilities under the OSH Act.
For FY 2017, OSHA announces the availability of approximately $10.5 million to fund new Susan Harwood Training Grants. OSHA expects to award multiple grants to eligible nonprofit organizations under this competitive Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). Program funding will be for a 12-month period beginning no later than September 30, 2017, and ending on September 30, 2018. Grant awards will not exceed $155,000 for a Targeted Topic Training grant or $50,000 for a Training and Education Material Development grant.
Organizations are restricted to one Susan Harwood Training grant award in a fiscal year. If multiple applications are submitted by an organization, the last viable application accepted by Grants.gov will be reviewed.
Applications submitted under this FOA are competing for either a Targeted Topic Training grant or a Training and Educational Materials Development grant. Applicants must propose developing and conducting training and/or training materials relate to one of the OSHA-selected training topics for a targeted audience identified in this funding opportunity.
Eligible nonprofit applicants include qualifying labor unions, community-based and faith-based organizations, and employer associations that are not an agency of a state or local government. State or local government-supported institutions of higher education are eligible to apply in accordance with OMB 2 CFR 200 and DOL exceptions in 2 CFR 2900. Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Alaska Native entities, Indian-controlled organizations serving Indians, and Native Hawaiian organizations are eligible to apply in accordance with Executive Order 13175.
Ineligible applicants include individuals, 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations, and FY 2016 Susan Harwood grantees with a performance period extension.
The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program funds eligible nonprofit organizations to deliver training and/or develop training and educational materials on the recognition, abatement, and prevention of occupational safety and health hazards in their workplaces.
The six areas of emphasis are:
Educating workers and employers in small businesses (for purposes of this grant program, a small business is one with 250 or fewer employees);
Training workers and employers on identifying and means of preventing serious occupational safety and health hazards identified by OSHA through the DOL’s Strategic Plan, an OSHA special emphasis program, or other OSHA priorities (more information may be found at https://www.osha.gov/);
Training workers and/or employers about new OSHA standards;
Training at-risk and/or low-literacy worker populations, including temporary workers and youth; and
Developing and disseminating materials to train and educate workers.
OSHA may award a grant with or without negotiations with the applicant. Funding for the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program is subject to Congressional approval and the availability of federal funds.
Grants awarded under this FOA will support one of the following award categories:
Targeted Topic Training
Proposals must emphasize delivering quality occupational safety and health training on one or more OSHA-specified topics. Proposals may include acquiring and/or revising existing training materials, or developing new training materials. Training must reach workers and employers from multiple businesses. OSHA-specified topics are described in Appendix G.
Training and Educational Materials Development
New training and educational materials must fill an unmet training need, be relevant and useful to a wide-range of trainers and trainees. Proposals must include the development, evaluation, and validation of new classroom-quality training and educational materials on one or more of the OSHA-specified topics. Pilot training(s) of the new materials to a targeted audience is required to evaluate and validate the effectiveness of the new materials. Targeted audiences and training topics may be found in Appendices F and G.
Successful applicants will be awarded funding for a 12-month performance period beginning no later than September 30, 2017, and ending on September 30, 2018.
Approximately $10.5 million is available for new FY 2017 Susan Harwood Training grants. Applicant may contribute non-federal resources, but it is not required.
Targeted Topic Training applicants may request federal funding up to $155,000.
Training and Educational Materials Development applicants may request federal funding up to $50,000.
OSHA has selected the following training topics for FY 2017. Applicants must propose to develop and/or conduct training on one of the targeted topics listed below. Full descriptions of the 2017 topics are included in Appendix G.
Chemical Hazards/Hazard Communication – General Industry and Maritime Industry
Construction Road Zones (heavy construction equipment, backing operations, struck-by/caught-in, caught-between, vehicle accidents)
Electrical Hazards – Construction, General, or Maritime Industries
Excavation Hazards
Fall Prevention in Construction (ladders, scaffolds, falls from heights)
Grain Handling Operations (combustible dust, grain bin entry hazards)
Machinery and Machine Guarding Hazards (amputation prevention) – General Industry and Maritime Industry
Oil and Gas Production (including hydraulic fracturing, fire, explosion, and struck-by hazards)
Powered Industrial Trucks (powered platforms, aerial lifts, and vehicle-mounted work platforms)
Respiratory Hazards in the Maritime Industry
Walking Working Surfaces, slips and falls in the Maritime Industry (stairways, ladders, dockboards, roofs, scaffolds, elevated work surfaces and walkways)
Under this grant program, grantees may train only eligible trainees. Eligible trainees are workers and employers covered under the OSH Act of 1970, SEC. 4, codified at 29 U.S.C. 653 (Appendix F) including unemployed workers who are planning to enter/reenter the workforce in a position covered by the OSH Act. OSHA covers most private sector employers and workers. Workers at state and local government agencies are not covered by OSHA, but have OSH Act protections if they work in a state operating an OSHA-approved State Plan occupational safety and health program. Information about states with an OSHA-approved State Plan occupational safety and health programs may be found at https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html.
Training and training materials presentations must be in a language the participants can understand and must serve employers and workers from multiple small businesses with less than 250 employees. Training should focus on reaching workers and employers in one or more of the following targeted audiences:
Workers and employers in industries with high fatality rates;
Workers and employers in high-hazard industries;
Temporary workers, minority, or other hard-to-reach workers;
Non-literate, low-literacy, or limited English proficiency workers;
Young workers (ages 16-24); or
Workers and employers in new small businesses.
All information needed to apply for this funding opportunity is referenced as part of this announcement, and all forms are available on the Grants.gov website. Applicants may receive only one Susan Harwood training grant in any fiscal year; therefore, should apply for only one grant award under this FOA. Applicants must identify the award category as either Targeted Topic Training or Training and Educational Materials Development. The applicant’s last viable application submitted will be reviewed.
Eligible applicants are limited to nonprofit organizations. These organizations include qualifying labor unions, community-based and faith-based organizations, and employer associations (may not be an agency of a state or local government); Institutions of higher education that are supported by a state or local government; and Indian tribes, tribal organizations, Indian-controlled organizations serving Indians, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations.
Sub-awarding of the grant duties is not allowed. Contracting of services must include a description of the duties of each contractor and explain why the contractor is necessary, explaining how the contractor will support grant activities.
All members of a partnership or consortium of organizations an eligible organization as defined in this FOA and must conform to program requirements. One partner must be identified as the lead member and identify who in their organization is the Authorized Representative for communicating and submitting program reporting with OSHA and the Financial Certifying Representative for receiving, disbursing, and reporting of grant funds. Organizations may not receive funding from more than one award, so a partner identified in one application should not apply for a separate grant.
Ineligible applicants include Individuals, 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations, and Susan Harwood grantees with a time extension of more than 90 days to their FY 2016 grant performance period.
This FOA is available on the Grants.gov and Susan Harwood websites. An application must be completed and submitted using the Grants.gov website https://www.Grants.gov. Applicants must follow the checklist in Appendix N when preparing the application package. All documents itemized in the checklist must be submitted by the FOA closing date and time. The application package must be downloaded and forms within the application package must be completed and submitted in their entirety.
Applicant’s questions may be answered on the Grants.gov Support web page http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, by emailing Support@grants.gov, or by calling 1-800-518-4726, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except on federal holidays. Appendix O provides important information about submitting a viable grant application.
If applying online poses a hardship, applicants must contact the OSHA Directorate of Training and Education (DTE) office at least three weeks prior to the application closing date. An OSHA representative will advise the applicant on how to submit an application online prior to the closing date. Send an email to HarwoodGrants@dol.gov, or call the Susan Harwood Grant Coordinator at 847-759-7700 any weekday, except a federal holiday, between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. This phone number is not toll-free.
A complete application includes six (6) standard federal grant forms that will be completed as part of the application process at Grants.gov and up to ten (10) additional supporting documents the applicant must upload into the application package at Grants.gov. The applicant should use the checklist in Appendix N to ensure all the documents are included in their application package submission. Only complete application packages will be considered. Formatting requirements are provided in Appendix H.
The following are documents that must to be completed on-line as part of the application at Grants.gov.
Clearly identify the applicant information ensuring it is consistent in all application documents, including attachments
The Authorized Representative listed on the SF-424 must also be the Authorized Representative listed on the Application Summary attachment
The Authorized Representative’s authenticated Grants.gov electronic signature on the SF-424, Block 21, constitutes a binding offer by the applicant
If funding amounts are inconsistent, the amount specified on the SF-424, box 18a. will be the official funding amount considered in the application review. This may require corrections to other supporting documents should the applicant be awarded a grant
The projected budget must cover the 12-month performance period
No additional funding will be made available to the grantee during the performance period
The projected budget must be allocated by cost categories on the SF-424A and the Detailed Budget Support documentation
Projected costs in each cost category must be shown as either a program or an administrative cost (defined in Appendix J)
Budget information provided on the SF-424A must match the information provided by the applicant on the Detailed Budget Support and Budget Narrative documents. Examples of the SF-424A and the Detailed Budget Support documents may be found in Appendix L
The Authorized Representative’s authenticated Grants.gov electronic signature shown on the SF-424, Block 21, certifies the applicant’s agreement to comply with federal laws, executive orders, regulations, policies, grant requirements, certifications, and assurances governing this program.
Site locations, known at the time of application, include all locations where grant activities may be performed. Do not check the box at the top of this page that would identify you as applying as an individual. Individuals may not apply.
The Authorized Representative authenticated Grants.gov electronic signature on the Certification Regarding Lobbying form certifies the applicant’s agreement to comply. If item 2 is applicable, the SF-LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form must be completed.
This form must be completed by applicants who make payments to any lobbying entity to influence or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, an officer, employee, or member of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with a covered federal action.
The following supporting documents must be attached to the Grants.gov application package. Formatting requirements for attachments are listed in Appendix H.
Applicants must follow the outline in Appendix I.
The program abstract is a brief description that focuses of the proposed training program. All applicants' program abstract will be published on the DOL Grants web page with no redaction. Do not include any personally identifiable information on this page as described in Appendix C. Additionally, applicants must follow to the formatting requirements are described in Appendix H. The program abstract narrative should address the following:
A. Grant Category (choose only one):
1. Targeted Topic Training Grant
2. Training and Educational Materials Development Grant
B. Proposed Targeted Audience(s)
C. Grant Topics
D. Describe your key activities:
1. Plans to develop new or use/revise existing training materials
2. Identity who will be trained (workers/employers/industry?)
Estimated number to be trained
Estimated hours of the training (2-hour, 4-hour, etc.)
Languages used for the training
3. Training presentation (classroom, on-site, webinar, etc.)
4. Geographical area of the proposed trainings
5. Other activities planned during the program year
The technical proposal describes who the applicant is, their experience in training and interacting with the targeted audience, their success in completing program obligations, their staff’s occupational safety and health knowledge and experience, and states of their planned activities for accomplishing their project training goals. Document formatting requirements are described in Appendix H. The technical proposal should follow the following outline:
Proposal Title
Grant Category (Targeted Topic or Training and Educational Materials Development)
Applicant/Organization Name
Training Topic
Targeted Audience
Proposal Narrative
Organization(s) Background
Provide a brief overview of the organization’s purpose, function, usual business activities, and the past five years’ experience with governmental (federal, state, or local) grant programs. Discuss the organization’s occupational safety and health experience, training experience with adults and include programs operated that are specific to the selected target population(s) and/or training topics. Organizational experience includes recruitment, training, and/or other services directed at the target audience(s) or involving the selected training topic(s). If the organization has experience conducting the proposed type of training program, please attach a list of the program titles, type(s) of training materials developed, numbers of workers and/or employers trained, and the associated trainee contact hours. Describe the organization’s experience in conducting and utilizing level 1 (training session reaction) and level 2 (learning) training evaluations.
Staff Experience
The grant program must be supported by knowledgeable staff. Describe the key personnel and professional staff who will be working on project activities including their experience conducting training and/or developing training materials for adult learners, their occupational safety and health qualifications, their experience with the targeted audience, and other experience relevant to the work activities proposed in the application. Following are required attachments to the application to support the staff’s qualifications:
Organizational Chart (may be an attachment to the application);
Identify the name of the staff that will be working on the grant
Show the staff’s position within the applicant organization
Resumes or curricula vitae (CVs) for each key and professional staff that will be working on the grant program; and
Position description or minimum hiring qualifications, if planning to hire key or professional staff.
Problem, Purpose, and Funding Needs Statement
Provide a clear and concise statement about the goals for the project, the issues the training will address, and explain why the organization needs federal assistance to facilitate the program goals. The statement may address unmet training needs of an identified target population and issues encountered by the targeted audience in obtaining occupational safety and health training.
Work Plan
The purpose of the work plan is to detail the grant activities necessary for accomplishing the project and to state the anticipated outcome of the 12-month performance period. The work plan proposal is comprised of two components, 1) an activities table that separates the activities by quarter and 2) a descriptive narrative about the planned program activities. The work plan should address the following items:
Training material acquisition (develop, acquire, or revise);
Targeted audience, including workers and employers;
Trainees recruitment;
Proposed training sessions including topic(s);
Where or how training will take place;
The number of trainees and contact hours per trainee for each training event being proposed;
Describe planned activities for conducting Levels 1 and 2 training evaluations; and
State the anticipated benefits in training the workers and employers.
Work plans must be reasonable and achievable within the twelve-month grant performance period. Grantees are accountable for completing the activities listed in their work plans, and meeting the proposed quarterly training projections. Actual quarterly performance is measured against the work plan proposal, and the results are reported to the Assistant Secretary of Labor. Grantees must be mindful of performance issues and consult with OSHA as early as possible.
A Work Plan Activity Table divided by program quarter for the 12-month performance period must include the activities and tasks projected for each performance quarter. The project’s quarters are:
Quarter 1: September 30, 2017 – December 31, 2017
Quarter 2: January 1, 2018 – March 31, 2018
Quarter 3: April 1, 2018 – June 30. 2018
Quarter 4: July 1, 2018 – September 30, 2018
Closeout: October 1, 2018 – December 29, 2018
When developing the Work Plan Activity Table consider the following questions about each project activity or task: what will be done; who will do it; when and how will it be done; and what are the expected results of the activity?
Other anticipated grant-related activities may include attending OSHA-required meetings and monitoring visits, submitting grant developed materials for OSHA review, submitting quarterly reports, projecting proposed training sessions and associated training numbers and training contact hours, and other grant related activities you plan to accomplish.
Work Plan Detailed Narrative describes the activities, tasks, and expected results of the project’s performance goals. Following is guidance on program requirement to assist you in developing the narrative of the activities outlined in the Work Plan Narrative and Activities Table:
Training and Educational Materials
Training and Educational Materials Development grant applicants are required to develop new and pertinent occupational safety and health training materials. Targeted Topic Training grant applicants may develop new training materials, acquire existing training materials, or revise previously approved grant materials. Targeted Topic Training grant applicants should not propose developing training or educational materials that duplicate existing training materials. OSHA posts training materials developed by previous grantees on its public website. These materials feature various topics and languages, and include materials such as PowerPoint presentations, instructor guides, student manuals, student exercises, and tests. Grantee developed training materials are posted on the Susan Harwood webpage, https://www.osha.gov/dte/grant_materials/index.html.
Applicants must identify the training materials they plan to use, and where/how they will acquire them. Training and education materials include promotional/program flyers and advertising, training materials including PowerPoint presentations, video, handouts, student and trainer manuals, evaluation and testing instruments, student sign-in sheets, etc.
All training materials must address the recognition, abatement, and prevention of occupational safety and health hazards. Training and training materials are to cover federal OSHA’s requirement, but may include State requirements if training will be provided to workers or employers in any of the 28 OSHA-approved State Plan states. However, prior to the submission of final training materials, all references to the OSHA State Plan state’s regulations must be removed.
Training sessions should include a brief overview of anti-retaliation provisions of Section 11(c) of the OSH Act. The whistleblower protection provisions covers employee rights, employer responsibilities, whistleblower laws enforced by OSHA, and OSHA’s Complaint Investigation Procedures. Additional information may be found at https://www.whistleblowers.gov/.
Because the focus of the Susan Harwood Training Grant program is to provide training on occupational safety and health topics, the whistleblower protection overview shall be limited to 10 percent of the training period not to exceed 30 minutes.
Applicants acquiring training and educational materials from an outside source must provide a list of the acquired training materials. These materials must have been developed under commonly accepted instructional design processes. Grantees must adhere to all copyright laws and provide a written certification that materials are free from copyright infringements. Acquired materials may be subject to OSHA’s review and approval.
Applicants revising previously approved training and educational materials must provide information on how the materials will be acquired, the title, publication date of the materials, and the planned revisions. OSHA’s review and approval of revised materials is required. OSHA may review and approve only the highlighted revisions to a grantee’s previously approved grant materials, or request to review the entire revised document. This requirement applies to training materials downloaded from the Susan Harwood Grant Products website or acquired directly from a previous Susan Harwood grantee.
Applicants Developing New Training and Educational Materials are expected to submit classroom quality products that follow the commonly accepted Instructional Systems Design (ISD) process that OSHA has adopted as a quality measure for all of its education and training products. The five ISD steps are analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE Model). More information about the ADDIE Model is at http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/sat.html.
Applicants must itemize and describe the proposed training and educational materials to be produced under the grant, including the languages for planned translations of materials. State a timetable for the development, evaluation, validation, and production of the material. Explain how the proposed training and educational materials will fill an unmet training and/or training materials need, and describe how the new materials will have broad applicability for other trainers and organizations.
Training and Education Materials Development grantees must validate their materials with at least one training session to assess content feedback and the need for content revision.
Grantees are encouraged to review the guidance document “Best Practices for the Development, Delivery, and Evaluation of Harwood Training Grants” at https://www.osha.gov/dte/sharwood/best-practices.html. An updated publication, “Resource for Development and Delivery of Training to Workers”, is at https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3824.pdf. These resources address needs assessments, proven adult learning techniques, effective models for worker training, and training evaluation documentation.
Acknowledgment of DOL Funding is required on all grant-funded materials. These materials include promotional/program flyers and advertisement, training materials including PowerPoint presentation, video, handouts, student and trainer manuals, evaluation and testing instruments, student sign-in sheets, etc. Each material shall contain the following disclaimer:
This material was produced under grant number SH-____-SH_ 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.
Applicants using previously approved Susan Harwood training materials shall retain the original grant number in the disclaimer. Revisions to previously approved materials shall be acknowledged on the materials by adding the following statement to the original disclaimer:
Revisions were made to this material under grant number SH-____-SH_ from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.
OSHA Review and Approval of Grant Materials are required prior to the first scheduled training or translation date of new and revised materials. All training materials are subject to OSHA review to verify technical accuracy and suitability of content before the materials may be used. Grantees should allow OSHA at least three weeks to complete the review of draft materials. Any revisions made to the approved training and educational materials during the grant period must be provided to OSHA for additional review and approved before they may be used.
Grant Training and Educational Materials developed for presentation in a Language Other Than English must be reviewed and approved by OSHA prior to translation. The English version of the materials must be provided to OSHA for review and the grantee must state how the materials will be translated. OSHA reserves the right to review translated materials prior to use, or they may request the grantee to certify that the materials were translated accurately by identifying the translator and providing the translator’s qualifications.
Organizations proposing to develop Spanish-language training materials must utilize the OSHA Dictionaries (English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English) for terminology. The dictionaries are available at https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/compliance_assistance/spanish_dictionaries.html.
Final OSHA Approved Materials and Internet Posting Requirements apply to materials developed or revised with grant funds. Grant produced materials will be posted on the OSHA website and grantees must ensure the materials comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. This Act requires electronic and information technology (EIT) documents to be accessible to people with disabilities. Materials that are not Section 508 compliant will be sent back to the grantee for rectifications. Go to https://www.section508.gov/Section-508-Of-The-Rehabilitation-Act for more information about Section 508. For guidance checklists, go to https://www.hhs.gov/web/508/checklists/index.html.
The Grant-Funded Material Submittal Procedures in Appendix B require grantees, which developed or revised training materials under this award, to provide OSHA with one (1) bound hard copy and two (2) electronic copies of the final set of all approved materials either prior to the end of the grant performance period. Grant funded training materials are an OSHA resource for other organizations seeking training materials, and will be maintained on the OSHA website for a minimum of three years, unless significantly revised. Final materials include the following items developed with grant funds: promotional flyers and advertisements, training materials including instructor and student books, handouts, guides, presentations, sign-in sheets, evaluation instruments, pre- and post-tests, or methods for testing increases in student knowledge, and training methods/environment.
Training and Educational Materials Development grantees will be required to post all final training materials on their website in a free downloadable format for three years after the grant is closed. The grantee must provide to OSHA two (2) electronic copies of the training and education materials, including videos, and the URL address of the posted materials. The OSHA website may post the materials or provide a direct link to the materials on the grantees’ websites.
2. Training Projections
A Recruiting plan must describe the methods the applicant plans to use to recruit workers from the target audience for the proposed training. Past success in reaching the target audience as well as any plans to work with other organizations during the recruiting efforts should be described.
A Training description must include the occupational safety and health training topics, the teaching methods, training sites, geographical impact, and projected number of trainees and contact hours. Substantiate the methodology used to develop the projections for total number trained and total contact hours for each type of training (train-the-trainer, worker, or employer). All training should be participatory in nature and actively involve workers in the training. Specific details on how participatory learning will be achieved should be included.
Grantees may not train an individual on a grant topic more than once during the performance period. Multiple topic grantees must train an individual on all the topics before they may be counted as trained. If an organization is awarded a grant for consecutive years to provide training on the same topic to a target population, the organization must describe their process to ensure that different workers from the previous grant year(s) will be trained.
Training sessions must be a minimum of 30 minutes of a trainees contact hour, but may not exceed 7½ trainee contact hours per day. Contact hours refer to time spent covering course content. Trainee contact hours do not include breaks, lunchtime, or instructor-led minutes used for administrative activities such as presenting training certificates. Multiple days may be required to train multiple topics. Trainee may not be considered trained until they have completed all the training topics.
Recommended Training Class Size is between 3 - 40 trainees per class. To facilitate participatory learning with active trainee involvement, the ideal class size is between 10 - 30 trainees.
Training Evaluations shall be performed at all training sessions and must be administered at the training session. Evaluation results are important in validating training materials and improving the training program. The two levels of training evaluations are:
Level 1 – Training Session Reaction Evaluations measure how trainees react to the training experience including trainees’ perceptions of the training environment, instructor, and quality and usefulness of the training. Level 1 assessment may be a written evaluation or an instructor-documented verbal satisfaction survey.
Level 2 – Learning Evaluations measure the skills, knowledge, or safety attitude the trainee acquires and retains because of the training. This evaluation may be accomplished using written or instructor-documented oral pre- and post-training assessments. Alternative methods may involve trainees performing a new task or completing interactive activities that were taught during the training and documented by the instructor.
The grantee/instructor must document oral or activity based evaluations so results are readily available for quarterly reporting and OSHA monitoring purposes. Occasionally, the Department of Labor may conduct a separate evaluation of the impacts of the program’s training. In accepting grant funding under this program, grantees agree to fully cooperate with and provide any data needed by federally sponsored evaluation(s) of the training.
Training Projections require a description of the training to be conducted including the projected total of workers/employers trained and total training contact hours. Describe the target audience and type of training (worker, employer, or train-the-trainer) for the proposed training, including how the training will reach multiple employers and their workers. Please include a table similar to the following:
Audience |
Type of Training |
Length of training (hours)
|
Projected Number of Trainees |
Total Contact hours |
Temporary Worker |
Worker |
4 |
130 |
520 |
Limited English/ Low-Literacy |
Worker |
2 |
250 |
500 |
Limited English |
Train-the-Trainer |
10 |
10 |
100 |
Small Business |
Employer |
10 |
10 |
100 |
|
|
Total |
400 |
1220 |
Trainee Numbers and Training Contact Hours must be estimated for each performance quarter. Include a description of the methodology for projecting trainee numbers and associated contact hours. Projections must be a single number and not a range of numbers.
The cost per trainee must be less than $500 and the cost per training hour must not exceed $125. Costs are determined by dividing the total grant funding (federal and non-federal funds) by the total projected number trained or total contact hours. Following is an example how to show projected training and contact hours and associated costs.
Table 2: Training Number of Trainees and Training Contact Hours
Quarter |
Performance Period |
Projected Trainees |
Projected Contact Hours |
Quarter 1 |
October 1 to December 31 |
0 |
0 |
Quarter 2 |
January 1 to March 31 |
20 |
200 |
Quarter 3 |
April 1 to June 30 |
230 |
620 |
Quarter 4 |
July 1 to September 30 |
150 |
380 |
Totals |
400 |
1200 |
|
Total funding (federal and non-federal) |
$137,000 |
$137,000 |
|
*Costs per Trainee/Contact Hour |
$343 |
$114 |
(* Does not apply to Training and Educational Materials Development grants)
Train-the-Trainer Component, if applicable, may be proposed under this grant announcement. New trainers trained under the grant will lead to a wider distribution of occupational safety and health training and reach more workers.
Grantees, who are training workers and employers, or training new trainers under the train-the-trainer component of the program, are providing tier one training. Training conducted by the newly trained trainers, who have completed the train-the-trainer component of the program, is tier two training. Only grantees may provide the train-the-trainer component. Tier two trainers may not conduct additional tiers of train-the-trainer training.
Grantees must formally monitor the new trainers during the grant performance period to validate the quality of the training. Tier two trainers must follow grant requirements and provide appropriate supporting documents and information to the grantee for inclusion in the quarterly reports.
The technical proposal must include the following information to support the train-the-trainer component of the grant program:
The worker population the new trainers will train;
The estimated number of courses to be conducted for workers by the new trainers during the grant period;
The estimated number of workers/employers to be trained;
The estimated number of contact hours per worker/employer;
The process for receiving timely training data from the newly trained trainers;
The type of ongoing support the grantee will provide to new trainers; and
The monitoring of the trained trainers to validate training quality and reporting accuracy.
Institutions of Higher Education must observe Constitution Day and Citizenship Day in accordance to the 36 USC 106, Consolidated Appropriations Act. The U.S. Department of Education requires every school and college receiving federal money to teach about the U.S Constitution on September 17, the anniversary date the Constitution was adopted in 1787. Visit https://archive.opm.gov/constitution_initiative/ for relevant information. No federal funds are provided for these activities.
The applicant must provide detailed budget information to support the funds requested on the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, the costs allocated by cost category on the SF-424A, Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs, and the project funding stated on the Application Summary document. If there are discrepancies between these documents, the estimated funding shown in Box 18 of the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, will take precedence.
No additional federal funds will be available during the performance period.
The applicant organization must demonstrate it has sufficient financial management processes and internal control systems by describing the organization’s financial management process and internal systems of control including separation of fiscal duties.
The project budget and budget narrative must demonstrate the total amount and distribution of funds are sufficient to cover the cost of all major project activities identified by the applicant in its proposal, and comply with federal cost principles found in the Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 2900. All proposed costs must be necessary, reasonable, and in accordance with federal guidelines. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the Cost Principles found in the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 2900. Disallowed costs are those charges to a project that the grantor agency or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable federal cost principles or other conditions contained in the grant.
Allowable project costs support developing and/or purchasing training and educational materials for use in training, conducting training, conducting other activities that reach and inform workers and/or employers about workplace occupational safety and health hazards and hazard abatement, and conducting outreach and recruiting activities to increase the number of workers and/or employers participating in the program.
Restricted costs deemed unallowable under the terms of this funding opportunity are outlined in Appendix K. While some of the restricted activities described in Appendix K may be part of an organization’s regular programs, the costs of these activities may not be paid with grant funds, whether the funds are from non-federal matching resources or from the federally funded portion of the grant.
Contracting Opportunities to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities, as stated in the policies outlined in Executive Orders 13256, 12928, 13230, and 13021 as amended, are strongly encouraged.
Equipment purchases must be limited and necessary to support training and training and education materials development. Budgeting for equipment should be minimal and supported with a justification as to why the equipment is necessary and how the equipment will support the program. Capital equipment (equipment with a useful life of more than one year, exceeds the threshold of $5000, and may be depreciated for tax purposes) purchases will not be considered under this funding opportunity.
Budget-related supporting documents and information that are required as attachments to the grant application package include:
Detailed Project Budget Support outline must clearly detail and support the costs shown related to the work plan and administrative activities for the 12-month performance period as shown on the SF‑424A, Budget Information. The budget must include total program funding (federal and non-federal funds) and be allocated into administrative or program costs, and identified as federal or non-federal funding. For each cost category, itemize and assign a cost to each anticipated program expense and identify the expense as either an administrative cost or a program cost as defined in Appendix J. Include names and positions for personnel and benefits, locations and methods of calculating travel costs, list supply and equipment items, show individual contractors and the method used to calculate the costs, and itemize other costs necessary for the project. These details are necessary for the monitoring of program costs.
The federal share of the budget shall not exceed the maximum funding federal award levels established in this FOA.
Administrative costs generally include the direct costs of personnel who support the management and administration of the project, (e.g., Authorizing Representative, Financial Certifying Representative, administrative assistants). Travel costs to attend the OSHA required meetings, supplies and materials needed to complete administrative tasks, and costs to meet the reporting and closeout requirements are also administrative costs. Administrative costs include all indirect costs allocated under an approved negotiated Indirect Rate Cost Agreement, or 10 percent de Minimis rate in accordance to 2 CFR 200.414(f).
Administrative costs are capped at no more than 25 percent of the total funding amount. Any deviation from this restriction requires a justification that is supported with an indirect cost rate agreement, and a narrative explaining the deviation.
Program costs are direct costs and services necessary to develop and conduct the training and education program. Information to assist the applicant in defining administrative and program costs is included in Appendix J.
A Detailed Project Budget Support Narrative is needed to describe and justify the projected costs including the methodology for how the costs are allocated.
In additional to program costs, the budget may include activities such as a financial audit, project closeout costs, document preparation (e.g., quarterly progress reports, project documents), and ensuring compliance with procurement and property standards.
Applicants including non-federal resource contributions to support the project must provide a description of all voluntary non-federal resource contributions. The description must include the source of funds, estimated amount, and acknowledge that use of these funds must be consistent with the goals and objectives of the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. Non-federal resource contributions must meet the same criteria for allowability as other costs incurred and paid with federal funds.
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (ICRA)/10 percent de Minimis support documentation must be provided if indirect costs are included as part of the grant budget. A negotiated ICRA approved by a federal cognizant agency must be included with the application and be effective for the entire performance period. If an approved ICRA cannot be obtained, indirect costs will not be allowed as a grant cos unless the applicants has never had an ICRA. These applicants may include a 10 percent de Minimis rate to their budget based on their Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC) as described in 2 CFR 200.68 and 2 CFR 200.414. The calculations used to identify the MTDC and the 10 percent de Minimis rate must be provided to support this allocation to the budget. Indirect costs shall be included under the Administration section of the budget.
Organizations must provide Evidence of their Non-Profit Status with their application. The evidence must be current and from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or state. This does not apply to state and local government-supported institutions of higher education. An applicant may show it is a nonprofit organization through any of the following means:
Proof that the Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3);
A statement from a state taxing body or the state’s Secretary of State certifying that the organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the state and that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private shareholder or individual;
A certified copy of the applicant’s certificate of incorporation or similar document that clearly establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant;
Any item described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of this section, if that item applies to a state or national parent organization, together with a statement by the state or national parent organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate of the organization; and
Indian tribes and other tribal organizations may submit equivalent documentation to show evidence of non-profit status.
Meetings, reporting, and OSHA visits to review, discuss, and evaluation of the grantee’s performance including OSHA review of grant related documentation is required of all awardees during the performance period. These activities must be included as grant activities in the work plan with associated costs in the budget proposal. Additionally, describe a plan to evaluate the progress in accomplishing grant work activities including comparing planned vs. actual accomplishments. Discuss who in the organization is responsible for taking corrective action if the activities are not being met.
Information on meeting and reporting requirements may be found in the OSHA Instruction TED 03-00-002, “Administering OSHA Discretionary Grant Programs” at https://www.osha.gov/dte/sharwood/grant_requirements.html.
Orientation Meeting is a mandatory two-day meeting occurring early in the performance period at a location to be determined. All grantees should budget for two (2) staff members (one (1) program and one (1) financial) to attend this meeting using Washington, DC travel rates. The time and travel-related costs to the meeting must be allocated as an administrative cost in the budget projection.
Grantees’ Financial and Program Reporting requirements include quarterly submissions of financial and program progress reports. All quarterly reports are due no later than 30 days after the end of the federal fiscal quarter. The grant Closeout report is due no later than 90 days after the end of the performance period. Budgeted time and other costs related to the reporting requirements are administrative costs.
Program and Financial Reports Due Dates |
||
Report |
Reporting Period |
Due Date |
Initial FFR |
09/30/2017 - 09/30/2017 |
10/30/2017 |
Quarter 1 |
10/01/2017 - 12/31/2017 |
01/30/2018 |
Quarter 2 |
01/01/2018 - 03/31/2018 |
04/30/2018 |
Quarter 3 |
04/01/2018 - 06/30/2018 |
07/30/2018 |
Quarter 4, Final Report |
07/01/2018 - 09/30/2018 |
10/30/2018 |
Closeout |
09/30/2017 – 12/29/2018 |
12/29/2018 |
SF-425 Federal Financial Report (FFR) is a required report of cumulative expenditures. Expenditures are reported on an accrual basis, from the beginning of the grant period through the end of each reporting period. Instructions for submitting the
SF-425 will be provided at the Orientation Meeting.
The OSHA 171 Grantee Quarterly Progress and Narrative Reports are necessary to monitor the grantee’s success at meeting their work plan goals. These reports are due no later than 30 days after the end of the federal fiscal quarter. The Grant Closeout narrative report is due no later than 90 days after the end of the performance period. Reports must be provided to the Regional Program staff prior to their due date.
The OSHA 171 Grantee Quarterly Progress Report provides quantitative reporting of the number of workers and employers trained per training session and the associated contact hours with the trainees. The report will state the training location, training number, and training contact hours completed during the quarter. A separate OSHA Form 171 is required for each type/tier of training conducted during the quarter.
The Quarterly Progress Report Narrative should evaluate the progress towards meeting the quarter’s work plan activities, identifying successes, challenges, and if needed present a plan to rectify deficiencies in achieving the work plan goals. It will require collecting, analyzing, and using information acquired during the quarter to determine whether program benchmarks for the quarter were achieved, and to identify areas of success and struggles. The analysis of level 1 and level 2 training evaluation activities shall describe instructor(s) effectiveness, trainee’s retention of knowledge and skills, and positive impacts the training activities may have in work attitude and practices. To the extent possible, such evaluations shall include quantitative as well as qualitative results. Grantees must address performance concerns and propose corrective actions to improve their performance. Include the following in the quarterly progress report narrative:
Summary of the quarterly activities compared to the work plan;
Training materials development;
Recruiting activities;
Training conducted, including type of training;
Planned to actual training numbers and contact hours;
Training evaluations by type completed during the quarter ;
Results of evaluation(s) presented as an aggregate for the type of training conducted and the type of evaluation completed during the quarter;
Identify successes and or challenges during the quarter;
If needed, provide plans to correct deficiencies in achieving the quarterly work plan goals;
Describe any other activities related to the grant program; and
Training and Educational Materials Development grantee only, report the total number of unique website hits for published training materials.
Grant Closeout Reports are due no later than 90 days after the end of the grant performance period. For grants ending on September 30, 2018, close out reports are due no later than December 29, 2018. During the closeout period, grantees will settle outstanding financial obligations incurred during the performance period and submit the grant closeout report. Further guidance for preparing a program closeout report will be provided to awardees during the performance period.
SF-425 Federal Financial Closeout Report will close the financial aspects of the grant. This is a cumulative report covering the entire grant performance period and must be completed no later than 90 days after the end of the grant performance period. For grants ending on September 30, 2018, the SF-425 Closeout Report due date is no later than December 29, 2018. No further expenditures may be obligated to the award during the closeout period. Recipients should make a good-faith effort to finalize all payments against the existing obligation during the 90 days following the expiration date of the award.
Program Closeout Report is a cumulative narrative report summarizing all activities conducted under the grant. This report should describe how these activities enabled the grantee to accomplish the work plan goals. Grantees should highlight their successes and problems encountered during the program year. A summary of the results from the Level 1 and 2 evaluations must be included in the closeout report.
Self-certifications must be submitted on the organization’s letterhead and signed by the grant’s Authorized Representative with the closeout report. The grantee must certify that:
Grant-funded programs and materials were not provided to ineligible audiences;
Any materials developed with grant funds are free from copyright infringements.
OSHA Reserves the Right to implement special program requirements and may request for additional documentation about grant activities as needed during the grant cycle. Grantees are required to respond to all DOL requests for performance evaluations and/or impact on participants relating to the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program activities. Additional documentation and information may relate to, but is not limited to; site visits, collection of programmatic administrative and performance data, and interviews with grant program personnel and program participants.
A grant application package including forms and attachments must be submitted through Grants.gov. The Application Checklist provided in Appendix N should be used to ensure all required documents and attachments are included with the application submitted in Grants.gov. Missing and incomplete documents may affect the viability of the application, and affect the review of the application.
Other attachments to the application may include relevant organizational experiences, information on prior government grants, resumes of key personnel and/or position descriptions, budget support documentation, and signed letters of commitment to the project. The required organization chart(s) may be an attachment, but no other component of the Technical Proposal may be a separate attachment.
Limit the number of attachments to essential documents. The cumulative number of pages for the attachments (excluding budget documents) may not exceed 20 pages. Budget information documents required above do not count toward the number of documents attached. Acceptable formats for document attachments submitted as a part of the Grants.gov grant application include Microsoft Office, or Adobe Reader (PDF) format.
The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
OSHA will screen applications only after Grants.gov determines the viability of the submission. OSHA will use the checklist in Appendix N to determine further whether the application meets the requirements of the FOA. Applications not complying with one or more of the requirements may be classified as non-responsive and will not be evaluated.
A technical panel of OSHA staff will objectively rate each responsive application against the criteria described in Appendix M. The panels’ ratings and comments about each application are provided to the Assistant Secretary for deliberation. The Assistant Secretary will make a final selection based on what is most advantageous to the government after considering Agency priorities, the review panel’s determination, the applicants’ geographic presence, the training value to the government, related cost, and other factors. The Assistant Secretary’s award selections are final.
Award announcements are expected no later than September 30, 2017. The assistant secretary, or his/her representative, will notify successful applicants. Directorate of Training and Education (DTE) will mail consolation letters to unsuccessful applicants.
The award notice sent to a successful applicant does not constitute approval of the submitted grant application. The acceptance of a proposal and awarding of federal funds to sponsor any program does not constitute a waiver to comply with grant requirements or procedures. OSHA may elect to award a grant with or without negotiations with the applicant. A grant awarded without negotiations constitutes a binding offer by the Authorized Representative, whose Grants.gov E-Authentication electronic signature is shown on the SF-424, Section 21, and the Application Summary Document.
OSHA may enter into negotiations with the applicant regarding compliance to program components, staffing, budgeting, funding levels, and/or administrative systems. If negotiations do not result in an acceptable submittal, the Assistant Secretary reserves the right to terminate the negotiation and decline to fund the proposal. Awardees must submit negotiated revisions to their application to the appropriate Regional Office by October 16, 2017.
Unsuccessful applicants may request comments on their viable application. Requests must be on the organization’s letterhead and signed by the Authorized Representative as shown in Section 21 of the SF424, Application for Federal Assistance, and/or identified as the Authorized Representative on the Application Summary document. Requests must be received by March 31, 2018.
Requests will be accept by email sent to HarwoodGrants@dol.gov or regular mail sent to:
Susan Harwood Program Coordinator
U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA
Directorate of Training and Education
2020 S. Arlington Heights Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005-4102
The following information must accompany the written request:
Funding Opportunity Announcement number (SHTG-FY-17-01);
Grants.gov Tracking Number (Grants____________);
Training Topic(s);
Authorized Representative’s name and complete mailing address, zip + 4; and
A contact phone number or e-mail address.
All grantees, including faith-based organizations, will be subject to applicable federal laws and regulations (including provisions of appropriations law) and the applicable OMB Uniform Guidance. Grantees are required to cooperate with all federal, state, and local requirements. The grant award(s) under this FOA are subject to the following administrative standards and provisions, as applicable to the particular grantee:
29 CFR 2, Subpart D, equal treatment regulations;
29 CFR Parts 31, 32, 35 and 36, as applicable;
29 CFR 93, restrictions on lobbying;
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), which covers grant requirements for nonprofit organizations, including universities and hospitals (https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-12-26/pdf/2013-30465.pdf);
2 CFR 2900, Department of Labor exceptions to the OMB Uniform Guidance (https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-19/pdf/2014-28697.pdf);
General Terms and Conditions of Award – See the following link: (https://www.osha.gov/dte/sharwood/grant_requirements.html);
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 or Transparency Act – Public Law 109-282, as amended by section 6202(a) of Public Law 110-252 (31 U.S.C. 6101) (https://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-22705.pdf);
2 CFR 25, Financial Assistance Use of Universal Identifier (https://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-22706.pdf);
2 CFR 170, Reporting Subaward and Executive Compensation Information (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr170_main_02.tpl);
41 U.S.C. 702 - Drug-Free Workplace Requirement for Federal Grant Recipients Act of 1988, and 2 CFR 182 (https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/USCODE-2009-title41/USCODE-2009-title41-chap10-sec702)
Evaluations of Overall Performance of the Harwood grants and/or impacts on participants may be required. As a condition of award, grantees are required to cooperate with any evaluation of the program DOL may undertake. This cooperation may include but is not limited to site visits, collection of programmatic administrative and performance data, and interviews with grant program personnel and program participants.
Grant Produced Training Materials including revised materials must be made available to OSHA for inclusion in the lending program that allows public access to these materials. DOL reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use for federal purposes any work produced under a grant, and to authorize others to do so (2 CFR 200.315). Awardee must agree to provide DOL 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 the others 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.
The use of the DOL or OSHA Logo on grant products is prohibited.
Grantees must provide to OSHA one (1) hard copy of all final product materials produced by grantees. Hard copy materials must be bound and clearly labeled. Two (2) digital (CD Rom/DVD/flash drive) copies of the materials must be provided in accessibility Section 508 compliant format for publication on the OSHA website. All final product materials must be submitted following guidelines established in Appendix B, Grant-Funded Material Submittal Procedures.
Grantees using existing training materials acquired for grant training purposes must certify the materials are free of copyrights. A list of the acquired training materials used during the grant period, including previously approved Susan Harwood materials, must state the type of material acquired, the name/title of the material, the author/owner of the material, the rights to use the materials, information on how to acquire the material, and a description on how the materials were used, i.e., instructional, recruiting, evaluating, audiovisual. This information may be posted on the OSHA website as additional resources for training.
Public Reference to a grant award by any grantees receiving federal funds, including issuing statements, press releases, proposal requests, bid solicitations, and other documents about the award, must describing the project/program funded in whole or in part with federal money and clearly state the following in their documents:
Dollar amount of federal financial assistance for the project or program;
Dollar amount of the total costs of the project or program funded by non-governmental sources;
Percent of the total costs of the program or project funded with federal money;
Percent of the total costs of the program or project funded with non-governmental sources.
Acronyms
AOR Authorized Organization Representative CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DOL U.S. Department of Labor
DTE Directorate of Training and Education ET Eastern Daylight Time
FCR Financial Certifying Representative
FFR Federal Financial Report SF-425
FOA Funding Opportunity Announcement
FY Fiscal Year
MTDC Modified Total Direct Costs
ICRA Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSH Occupational Safety and Health
OMB Office of Management and Budget
SAM System for Award Management
SF Standard Form
U.S.C. United States Code
Websites
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) –
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl
2 CFR 2900, Department of Labor exceptions to the OMB Uniform Guidance - https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-19/pdf/2014-28697.pdf
DUNS Number - https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform
Grants.gov - https://www.Grants.gov/
OSHA - https://www.osha.gov
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 508 - https://www.section508.gov/Section-508-Of-The-Rehabilitation-Act
Susan Harwood - https://www.osha.gov/dte/sharwood/index.html
System Award Management (SAM) - https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/
Any materials (training, marketing, etc.) distributed during the grant period are subject to OSHA review and approval. Newly developed or revisions to previously approved training materials must be reviewed and approved by OSHA prior to the grantee using the materials to conduct training. Two (2) electronic copies and one (1) paper copy of the new or revised materials developed with grant funds must be submitted to OSHA by the end of the grant performance period. A list of other materials used by the grantee must be provided. OSHA reserves the right to request copies of other materials used during the performance period.
The purpose of the electronic copies is to share the grant-produced materials with the public via the OSHA website. The following instructions were developed to standardize submittal procedures for the grant-funded training materials:
1. Material Requirements
The word “draft” must not appear on any materials (print or electronic) submitted to OSHA.
If materials were produced in or translated to a non-English language, a final English version must accompany the non-English language materials.
Training materials must be generic and appropriate for all audiences.
References to training of specific groups, members of a group, or individuals must be removed.
Personal information (instructor names, addresses, cell phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc.) must be removed.
Promotional materials may include the grantee organizational information including phone numbers, e-mails addresses, etc.
Tests must include the blank test and test answer key.
All approved grant-funded materials developed by a grantee shall contain the following disclaimer:
This material was produced under grant number SH________-SH___ 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.
Applicants using previously approved Susan Harwood training materials shall retain the original grant number in the disclaimer. If revisions are made to the materials, OSHA must approve the revisions. Once OSHA approves the revisions, the applicant must
acknowledge the revisions to the materials by adding the following statement to the original disclaimer:
Revisions were made to this material under grant number SH-_____-SH__ from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.
A list of all (new, revised, or acquired) training materials used during the grant period. This list must include the following:
The title of the material
The author of the material
Information on how to acquire the material
Copyright approval
The type of material and how the materials were used, i.e., instructional, recruiting, evaluating, audiovisual
2. Required Software
Grant-funded training materials must be provided in a format that is widely accessible to the public. Microsoft Office formats, as indicated below, meet this requirement. Currently there is no preferred program for providing media files. No .pdf files will be acceptable without approval. Electronic files must meet the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, https://www.section508.gov/Section-508-Of-The-Rehabilitation-Act.
Word Files: Manuals and other print materials must be submitted as unlocked editable Word documents.
PowerPoint Files: Must be submitted as .ppt or .pptx unlocked editable files. “Show” format is not acceptable.
The file must be Section 508 compliant.
Photographs and other images must be compressed in JPEG format and include an alternate text description
If the presentation includes linked or embedded audio or video files, two (2) copies of the presentation must be provided. Links and embedded files must be removed from one (1) copy.
Presenter notes or a transcript of the presenter notes must be included
Media Files (Only for online courses):
Must be Section 508 compliant
Images such as photographs must have descriptive captions
Audio files must have transcripts.
Video files must be captioned and have transcripts.
3. Section 508 Compliance
All Federal electronic document content must be accessible per Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Document accessibility ensures all users can access the product or service, regardless of their capabilities. Colorblind users may not be able to see colors. Text to voice software needs alternate text to describe the image and hyperlinks to someone who cannot see.
Headers and titles assist the user in searching for a section or item in the electronic document.
Grantees are required to providing training materials that are compliance with Section 508.
Accessibility Issues:
Images
Document Navigation
Hyperlinks
Data Tables
Color
Blank Spaces
Fixing accessibility issues is easy and uses the Accessibility Checker that is built into the Microsoft Office software. It is found in the File tab, under Info, Check for Issues. By running the Accessibility Checker, Inspection Results will be provided with Errors, Warnings, and Tips. The Additional Information area will provide information as to why the issues should be fixed and how to do it.
As each issue is fixed, it disappears from the list. There is no need to repeatedly rerun the accessibility checker unless the document is revised.
What Makes a Microsoft Office document accessible (compliant with Section 508)
Compress Pictures and Images to Email size (96 ppi)
Delete cropped areas of pictures
Add Alternate Text to Pictures and Images
Describe Hyperlinks
Add Slide titles
Remove extra spaces
Label the colors in chart’s legend
4. Submitting Materials
All grant-funded training materials must be submitted in both printed and electronic format (one (1) printed and two (2) electronic). Please provide:
A list of materials being submitted by the grantee;
A list of other materials used;
Printed documents must be submitted in a bound format (i.e. spiral bound or 3-ring binder);
Produced materials that are not practical for mailing (banners, etc.) must be photographed and photo included with the submitted materials;
Electronic files that do not exceed 15MB;
All electronic files must be certified by the grantee as 508 Accessibility compliant;
Grantees may split materials files into several smaller files;
All electronic files of grant-funded materials must be test-based and executable.
CDs, DVDs, or USB flash drives are clearly label with the name of the grantee’s organization and the grant number (e.g., SH-12345-SH7);
Electronic file names on the CD, DVD, or USB flash drive must be clearly labeled by type of material (examples: Instructor Manual, Student Manual, Pre-Test, Post-Test, Test Answers, Evaluation Forms); and
Files are not be password protected, “read only” format, or encrypted.
Always recheck the CD, DVD, or USB flash drive before sending to ensure that all of the files will open and that all grant-funded materials are included.
DOL is committed to conducting a transparent grant award process and publicizing information about program outcomes. Posting grant applications on public websites is a means of promoting and sharing innovative ideas. For this grant competition, DOL will publish on the Department’s public website, https://www.dol.gov/dol/grants/, all of the applications’ Program Abstract. The Program Abstracts will not be published until after the grants are awarded. No other application documents will be published. Information about grant process, award results, and combined grantees performance may be made public.
Program Abstracts will be published in the form originally submitted, without any redactions. Applicants should not include any proprietary or confidential business information or personally identifiable information in this summary. Proprietary or business confidential information is information that is not usually disclosed outside an organization and disclosing this information is likely to cause the organization substantial competitive harm. Personally identifiable information is any information that may be used to distinguish or trace an individual‘s identity such as name, Social Security Number, date and place of birth, mother‘s maiden name, or biometric records; and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information.1
In the event that an applicant submits a Program Abstract with proprietary or confidential business information or personally identifiable information, DOL is not liable for the posting of this information. The submission of the grant application constitutes a waiver of the applicant’s objection to the posting of the Program Abstract as submitted. If personally identifiable information is contained within the Program Abstract, it is the applicant’s responsible for obtaining all authorizations from relevant parties. Therefore, if a Program Abstract contains proprietary or confidential business or personally identifiable information, it is presumed that all necessary authorizations to release this information have been obtained by the applicant thus exempting OSHA of any liability for releasing of this information.
Should a dispute arise about the release of the Program Abstract, DOL will follow the procedures outlined in the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations (29 CFR Part 70). The act of submitting a grant application constitutes the applicant’s agreement to indemnify and hold harmless the United States, the U.S. Department of Labor, its officers, employees, and agents against any liability or for any loss or damages arising from this application. By such submission of this grant application, the applicant further acknowledges having the authority to execute this release of liability.
Grant applications will be protected by DOL from public disclosure in accordance with federal law, including the Trade Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. § 1905), FOIA, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. § 552a). If DOL receives a FOIA request for an application, the procedures in DOL’s FOIA regulations for responding to requests for commercial/business information submitted to the government will be followed, as well as all FOIA exemptions and procedures, 29 CFR § 70.26. Consequently, in response to a FOIA request the application of FOIA rules may result in the release of information that an applicant redacted in its redacted copy.
The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, 41 U.S.C. 702 et seq., and 2 CFR 182 require that all organizations receiving grants from any Federal agency maintain a drug-free workplace. The recipient must notify the awarding office if an employee of the recipient is convicted of violating a criminal drug statute. Failure to comply with these requirements may be cause for suspension or debarment.
A. Eligible Trainees
The use of grant funds is to support project costs associated with developing and conducting training for eligible trainees. Eligible trainees are workers and employers currently covered under the OSH Act of 1970, SEC. 4, codified at 29 U.S.C. 653. Other eligible trainees include unemployed workers planning to return to or enter the workforce in a position that is covered by the OSH Act. OSHA covers most private sector employers and workers. Workers at state and local government agencies are not covered by OSHA, but have OSH Act protections if they work in states that have an OSHA-approved State Plan occupational safety and health program. Information about states with an OSHA-approved State Plan occupational safety and health programs may be found at https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html.
OSH Act of 1970, SEC. 4. Applicability of This Act
(a) This Act shall apply with respect to employment performed in a workplace in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Wake Island, Outer Continental Shelf Lands defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Johnston Island, and the Canal Zone. The Secretary of the Interior shall, by regulation, provide for judicial enforcement of this Act by the courts established for areas in which there are no United States district courts having jurisdiction.
(b) (1) Nothing in this Act shall apply to working conditions of employees with respect to which other Federal agencies, and State agencies acting under section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2021), exercise statutory authority to prescribe or enforce standards or regulations affecting occupational safety or health.
B. Targeted Audience(s)
Training and training materials presentation must be in a language the participants can understand and serve employers and workers from multiple small businesses with less than 250 employees. Training should reach one or more of the following targeted audiences:
Workers and employers in industries with high fatality rates;
Workers and employers in high-hazard industries;
Temporary workers, minority, or other hard-to-reach workers;
Non-literate, low-literacy, or limited English proficiency workers;
Young workers (ages 16 to 24); or
Workers and employers in new small businesses.
FY2017 Targeted Training Topics
Applicants must propose training on one of the following targeted topics:
Chemical Hazards/Hazard Communication in General Industry and the Maritime Industry - Chemical Hazards and Hazard Communication - covering subjects related to hazard identification and chemical exposures in the maritime industry.
Construction Road Zones (heavy construction equipment, backing operations, struck-by/caught-in, caught-between, vehicle accidents) - covering subjects related to hazards and controls for heavy vehicles, backing operations, struck-by/caught-in/caught-between; and vehicle accidents.
Electrical Hazards - covering subjects related to electrical hazards and controls in construction, general industry, or maritime industry.
Excavation Hazards - covering subjects related to excavation hazards and controls for the Construction Industry.
Fall Prevention in Construction (ladders, scaffolds, falls from heights) - covering subjects related to falls from ladders, scaffolds, or roofs; handling, installing, and bracing of trusses; steel erection; or residential construction.
Grain Handling Operations - covering subjects related to safety and health hazards for farm and dairy workers, grain bin entry, combustible dust including preventing dust explosions.
Machinery and Machine Guarding Hazards in General Industry or Maritime Industry (amputation prevention) – covering subjects related to machinery and machine guarding hazards including amputation prevention.
Oil and Gas Production including hydraulic fracturing, covering subjects related to confined space; falls; fires and explosions; chemical exposures; struck-by/caught-in/caught-between.
Powered Industrial Trucks (powered platforms, aerial lifts, and vehicle-mounted work platforms) – covering safety and health hazards in the use, inspection, and maintenance of powered industrial trucks.
Respiratory Hazards in the Maritime Industry – covers respiratory hazards in the maritime industry including recognition and control of respiratory hazards and use of respiratory protection.
Walking Working Surfaces in the Maritime Industry - covering subjects on fall prevention and controls related to slips and falls, stairways, ladders, dockboards, roofs, scaffolds and elevated work surfaces and walkways.
Text documents (application summary, program abstract and technical proposal) must be submitted electronically in Grants.gov using the following formatting: double-spaced with one-inch margins on 8 ½” x 11” non-colored paper. Fonts must be 12-point Times New Roman, Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, or Calibri. Text documents must be in Microsoft Office format, version 10 or older and may not be locked or password protected
Application forms, assurances, certifications, and other supporting documents must be attached in Adobe Reader (PDF) format.
For consistency, use the following file naming nomenclature:
Organization Name document name.ext; e.g., ABC Nonprofit Application Summary.docx
File attachment names should be no longer than 30 characters. DOL E-Grants limits the special characters in file names to the ones listed below. Using other characters may prevent OSHA from viewing the attachments. Allowable characters in attachment file names:
letters and numbers - A-Z, a-z, 0-9
underscore ( _ ) and hyphen (-)
parenthesis (()), curly brackets ({}), and square brackets ([])
tilde (~)
exclamation point (!), comma (,), and period (.)
dollar sign ($), percent sign (%), plus sign (+), and equal sign (=)
spaces
If an application exceeds the cited page limitation for double-spaced pages in the technical proposal, the extra pages will not be reviewed. In addition, if a technical proposal is single-spaced and/or one-and-a-half spaced (in whole or in part) the total number of these lines will be doubled. This adjustment may result in an increased total number of pages. The extra pages will not be reviewed. Only graphs and numerical tables as part of the technical proposal may be single-spaced.
Organization Name and Physical Address
Authorized Organizational Representative (Same as on SF424, section 21)
Name and Title
Physical address (for courier delivery)
Telephone and Fax Number
Email Address
Project Director:
Name and Title
Address
Telephone
Email Address
Financial Certifying Official:
Name and Title
Address
Telephone
Email Address
Grant Type:
Targeted Topic Training
Training and Educational Materials Development
Grant topic(s) from Appendix C
Targeted audience:
Federal funds requested:
Non-federal funds:
Total program funding:
Projected number to be trained:
Cost per Trainee:
Projected contact hours:
Cost per Contact Hour:
Affiliations/Alliances
Targeted cities/counties/states and associated Congressional Districts
Administrative and Program Cost Information
As stated in the funding opportunity announcement (FOA), the Detailed Project Budget Support and Detailed Project Budget Narrative must break out grant costs for the federal and non-federal grant funds as either administrative or programmatic costs.
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS include direct and indirect costs. Direct administrative costs are easily identifiable costs associated with grant-related activities and the administration of the grant. Indirect costs are from the costs pool and the cost of activities, materials, meeting closeout requirements, 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 are administrative costs and must be supported with a copy of a current approved negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement applicable to the entire program performance period, or a 10 percent de Minimis allocation supporting document.
Administrative costs are capped at no more than 25 percent of the total funding. Any deviation from this restriction requires a justification that is supported with an indirect cost rate agreement, and a narrative must be included in the application package to explain the deviation. Following are general administrative functions.
Personnel and fringe benefit costs related to:
report preparation
review resolution
development of systems and procedures for administrative functions
budgeting, accounting, general legal services functions, and audits
financial and cash management
purchasing and procurement
property management
payroll functions
personnel management
Travel costs incurred for official business in carrying out administrative or management activities of the grant including travel associated with required attendance at the OSHA Orientation Meeting and Grantee Exchange.
Costs of goods and services required for administrative functions of the program:
advertising and outreach services targeted to the general public
internet services
office supplies
postage
rental and maintenance of office space
rental, leasing, and maintenance of equipment (copiers, printers, etc.)
utilities
purchasing, developing, and operating costs of information systems related to administrative functions. For example: personnel management, accounting and payroll, procurement/purchasing, or property management systems
Partners, contractors, or vendors costs associated with the performance of administrative functions associated with the award.
PROGRAM COSTS are direct costs incurred for grant function and training activities:
Performance and program cost information on training services and activities
The portion of personnel salaries for direct training to workers and employers
The purchase, systems development, and operating costs (e.g. data entry costs) of the information systems used to:
Tracking or monitoring of participant information
basic worker information
employer information
statistical information relevant to program evaluations
Costs of goods and services required for direct program functions:
advertising and outreach services specific to recruiting the target audience to attend training
training supplies, including local materials reproduction
rental or purchase of training equipment
rental and maintenance of training space
equipment, if justified and necessary to support the training program
Travel costs incurred for official business in carrying out training activities.
The portion of grant award paid to partners or vendors for the performance of program activities.
Subcontracts must be offered with full and open competition for procurement transactions to the maximum extent practicable and must meet the award requirements of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 2 CFR 200 (known as Uniform Requirements or Super-circular).
Sub-awards, where grantees enter into an agreement with a third party to execute grant activities, are not authorized under this FOA
Grantees and sub-contractors must comply with 29 CFR Part 2, Subpart D pertaining the treatment in DOL government programs with religious organizations and religious activities involving inherently religious activities by organizations that receive federal financial assistance. Direct financial assistance for inherently religious activities by a government entity, or an intermediate organization, is prohibited under this FOA. Faith-based organization or grantees working with a partner with religious institutions may not use grant funds for religious instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing, or other inherently religious practices.
The portion of indirect costs determined as a proportionate share of the indirect costs in the indirect cost pool, which are the costs of program functions, not administrative functions (see indirect costs below).
SHARED ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROGRAM COSTS are personnel and non-personnel costs of staff that perform both administrative functions and programmatic services. These costs must be allocated as either administrative or program to the benefitting cost objectives/categories based on documented distributions of actual time worked or other equitable cost allocation methods.
INDIRECT COSTS, as specified in the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200, are costs that have been incurred for common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective and are not be readily assignable with a particular final cost objective. An Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (IRCA) or defined 10 percent de Minimis allocation for the applicant and program partners is required when an organization allocated indirect costs to the program budget. Indirect costs must be allocated as an administrative cost.
Indirect costs represent the expenses of doing business that are not readily identified with a particular grant, contract, project function or activity, but are necessary for the general operation of the organization and the conduct of activities it performs.
An ICRA is a mechanism for determining fairly and conveniently within the boundaries of sound administrative principle, what proportions of organization administration costs each program should bear.
Application of Indirect costs is allowed with an approved ICRA covering the program period. ICRAs are negotiated and approved by the cognizant federal agency. An agreement from any federal agency is applicable to all federal grant programs. The ICRA will include a rate (percentage) and a base. The allowable amount of indirect costs is simply the rate times the base. Rates and bases depend on the size and number of cost pools, and organization structure. Indirect charges applied under 10 percent de Minimis allowance may be used if the organization has never has an ICRA.
Allowable/Unallowable Costs
All proposed costs must be necessary, reasonable, and in accordance with federal guidelines. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in accordance with the Cost Principles found in the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 and in 2 CFR 2900. Disallowed costs are those charges to a grant that the grantor agency or its representative determines not to be allowed in accordance with the applicable federal cost principles or other conditions defined by the grant program.
Grant funds include all funding, federal and non-federal, stated on the SF424. The use of these funds is limited to the costs related to:
developing and/or purchasing training and educational materials for the project;
conducting training, conducting other activities that reach and inform workers and/or employers about workplace occupational safety and health hazards and hazard abatement; and
conducting outreach and recruiting activities to increase the number of workers and/or employers participating in the program.
While the activities described below may be part of an organization’s regular programs, the costs of these activities may not be paid with grant funds, whether the funds are from non-federal matching resources or from the federally funded portion of the grant. Under the terms of the grant agreement, grant funds MAY NOT be used for:
Any activity that is inconsistent with the goals and objectives of the OSH Act of 1970;
Activities for the benefit of state and local government employees unless they have occupational safety and health responsibilities; e.g. occupational safety and health trainer; safety and health program management; on a safety and health committee; responsible for abatement of unsafe and unhealthful working conditions;
Program activities predominately involving self-employed workers or workplaces that are largely precluded from enforcement action by OSHA under section 4(b)(1) of the Act, codified at 29 U.S.C. 653(b)(1);
Training on topics that do not cover the recognition and prevention of unsafe or unhealthy working conditions; e.g. training on workers’ compensation, first aid, publication of materials prejudicial to labor or management; etc.
Assisting workers in arbitration cases or other actions against employers, or assisting workers and/or employers in the prosecution of claims against federal, state or local governments;
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 OSH Act, codified at 29 U.S.C. 670(d)(1);
Conducting any of the OSHA Outreach Training Program classes;
Conducting courses that are presented by the OSHA Training Institute or the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers;
Providing staff development training to grantee employees or contractors unless it is expressly approved by OSHA;
Conducting or providing training through any pre-existing, proprietary, or industry training or certification programs;
Providing any type of certification program;
Generating membership in the grantee and/or partner’s organization including activities to acquaint nonmembers with the benefits of membership, inclusion of membership appeals in materials produced with grant funds, and membership drives;
Reimbursing the cost of lost-time wages paid to trainees while attending grant-funded training;
Providing any compensation or stipends to trainees prior to, during, or after attending grant-funded training for any grant-related activities;
Providing food and beverages;
Duplicating services of other federal and/or state agencies;
Proposing training required by other federal and/or state agencies; or
Reimbursing pre-award costs.
All grantees must comply with legal rules pertaining to inherently religious activities by organizations that receive federal financial assistance. The U.S. Government is generally prohibited from providing direct financial assistance for inherently religious activities. 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 funding opportunity announcement.
The grantee may be a faith-based organization or work with a partner with religious institutions; however, “direct” federal assistance provided under grants with the U.S. DOL must not be used for religious instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing, or other inherently religious practices. 29 CFR Part 2, Subpart D governs the treatment in DOL government programs of religious organizations and religious activities; the grantee and any sub-contractors are expected to be aware of and observe the regulations in this subpart.
Example SF424A
(To be completed at Grants.gov)
Example Detailed Budget
Reminders: Totals for each category on the Detailed Program Budget must match the category lines on the SF424A and a Detailed Program Budget Narrative must be attached to the Detailed Program Budget to describe the itemized costs and how they were estimated.
Costs to attend the Grantee Orientation Meeting and Indirect Charges must be allocated as administrative costs. Administrative costs are capped at no more than 25 percent of the total funding amount. Any deviation from this restriction requires a justification that is supported with an indirect cost rate agreement, and a narrative must be included in the application package to explain the deviation.
Targeted Topic & Training and Educational Materials Development
Applicants must list the same requested federal grant amount on the SF-424, SF-424A, application summary, and budget support documents. If inconsistencies are found between these documents, the budget amounts specified on the SF-424 is considered the official funding amount requested. If selected for an award, correction will be required to the other documents to support the official funding amount.
Application Checklist |
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Forms to be completed on https://www.Grants.gov |
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SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance |
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SF-424A, Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs |
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SF-424B, Assurances – Non Construction Programs |
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Project/Performance Site Location(s) |
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Grants.gov Lobbying Form |
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SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable) |
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Documents that must be attached to the application package in Grants.gov |
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Application Summary (not to exceed 2 pages) |
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Program Abstract (not to exceed 1 page) |
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Technical Proposal (not to exceed 20 pages) |
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Organizational Chart of the grant program |
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Experience of Key Personnel |
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Resumes/Curriculum Vitae |
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Position Description/Minimum Hiring Criteria for Vacant Positions |
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Evidence of Nonprofit Status (Institutions of Higher Education excepted) |
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Detailed Budget Support Documents |
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Form showing cost details by cost category |
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Narrative description of the detailed costs for each cost category |
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Explanation of Non-Federal Resource contribution (if applicable) |
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Cost per Trainee |
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Cost per Training Contact hour |
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Indirect Cost Supporting Document (if applicable) |
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Approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or |
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10 percent de Minimis calculation and certification Form |
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Other Attachments |
Application Requirements
Applicants must have a DUNS number and be registered with Grants.gov and the System for Award Management (SAM). Grants.gov registration involves many steps that may take several weeks to complete, depending upon the accuracy of the applicant’s data entered into the SAM database. An applicant may begin working on the application while completing the registration process, but cannot submit an application until all of the registration steps are finished. First time Grants.gov users are encouraged to register early. Applicants must registration with Grants.gov at https://www.Grants.Gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html .
All applicants are required to have a DUNS number for the form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. To obtain a DUNS number, or access additional information, visit the website http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/.
Organizational information in Grants.gov must be current and accurate. Inaccurate or expired information could result in delays or rejection of the grant application. Grants.gov passwords expire every 60 days. Inactive accounts are removed after a year.
Organizations must be registered and remain active in SAM during the application-screening period and if awarded, during the entire grant lifecycle. Organizations new to SAM must allot an additional 14 days to their registration time to receive a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code through the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency. SAM requires organizations to review and update their registration at least every 12 months. If the applicant needs to update their SAM registration, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be updated in Grants.gov, further delaying when an application can be submitted through Grants.gov. SAM registration and updates may be made at https://www.sam.gov/.
Incomplete registrations at any of these websites will result in the rejection of the application. Since these registration steps require multiple days for completion, the applicant must factored sufficient time into an application submission plans to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of the application.
The Grants.gov website has several tools and documents available online to assist organizations with this process. An Applicant Online User Guide is located under their “Applicant Resources” tab at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html. Applicant FAQs with tools and tips is located at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html.
Grants.gov questions may be direct to their Support Center by email at support@grants.gov, or by telephone at 1-800-518-4726. The Support Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except on federal holidays. To expedite your inquiry, have available the Funding Opportunity Number (FON: SHTG-FY-17-01), the name of agency to which the organization is applying (OSHA), and the specific area of concern.
Applications must be submitted at https://www.Grants.gov (Grants.gov). The grant application package at Grants.gov contains a menu of “Mandatory Documents” that must be completed and submitted online. Through this site, organizations can now use a new feature called Workspace for application completion and submission. Workspace allows a team of registered Grants.gov applicants to use a shared online space for completing individual forms and submitting the final application. These forms can be filled out simultaneously by different users. Information and training is available on using Workspace on the Grants.gov website. Acceptable formats for document attachments submitted as a part of a Grants.gov grant application include Microsoft Office and the Adobe Reader (PDF).
Applications sent by mail or other delivery services, email, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted. Applications that do not meet all of the conditions set forth in this notice may be considered non-viable and may not be given further consideration.
Applicants must submit a viable application at Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m., ET, on Monday, XX, 2017. OSHA strongly encourages organizations to submit the grant application in sufficient time to ensure that the application has been received and successfully validated by Grants.gov prior to the application deadline. Applications received after the submission deadline will not be reviewed.
Confirmation of Grant Application Receipt
An application must be received at Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m., ET, on the due date. Within 24 to 48 hours of the submission, the applicant will receive multiple emails to confirm the application submission in Grants.gov, Grants.gov validation, and transmission to the Department of Labor. Please review the emails carefully to ensure that the application was submitted under the intended announcement. Applicants may track the processing status of their application at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html.
Non-Viable Applications
Applications that fail to satisfy the requirements stated below may be considered non-viable and will not be given further consideration. Examples of why an application may identified as non-viable are:
Application was not submitted through Grants.gov;
Application was not submitted on or before the application deadline;
Application was not validated by Grants.gov;
Application was missing required forms and documents (Appendix A);
Application did not provide current proof of nonprofit status (Institutions of Higher Education are exempt);
Application proposed training that does not align with one of the identified OSHA selected topics; or
Application did not meet the program requirements.
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AUTHORITY: Section 21(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970, (29 U.S.C. 670), Public Laws 111-117 and 112-10.
OMB Approval No.: 1225-0086
Expiration Date: 05/31/2019
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS:
This FOA requests information from applicants. This collection of information is approved under OMB Control No. 1225-0086 (Expires 05/31/2019).
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no person is required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for the grant application is estimated to average 56 hours per response, for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; or by email: DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov. A copy of your comments may be sent electronically to the Susan Harwood Grant Coordinator at HarwoodGrants@dol.gov , or by mail to Susan Harwood Grant Coordinator, 2020 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005.
This information is being collected for the purpose of awarding a grant. Unless otherwise specifically noted in this announcement, information submitted in the respondent’s application is not considered to be confidential.
Billing Code: 4510-26-P
1 OMB Memorandum 07-16 and 06-19. GAO Report 08-536, Privacy: Alternatives Exist for Enhancing Protection of Personally Identifiable Information, May 2008, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08536.pdf.
File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
Author | Robertson, Donna - OSHA |
File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
File Created | 2021-01-22 |