Section 680.110  Administrative Requirements

Grant opportunities and awards will be administered in a manner that complies with all State requirements applicable to each funding opportunity, including, but not limited to, GATA and all applicable State laws. Grant applicants and grant recipients shall review all application materials and grant award documents which will include the specific applicable requirements for the grant opportunity.  The Department reserves the right to suspend or terminate a grant agreement or withhold any future year funding for non-compliance with these provisions.

a)         Application Process

1)         The Department will post one or more NOFO on the GATA Grantee Portal seeking applications contingent upon available funds. Applicants shall submit their application materials by the deadlines set forth by DCEO in the NOFO which will be at least 30 days after posting the NOFO.

2)         The applicants will be required to submit an application package, which will include the following:

A)        a description of the how the applicant will design, develop, and implement a high-quality preapprenticeship program that will increase apprenticeship opportunities for underrepresented populations;

B)        a description of the plan to provide stipends;

C)        a description of the plan to provide wrap-around services;

D)        a description of the plan to provide student support services;

E)        a narrative description of how the applicant will articulate their understanding of how race, ethnicity and gender may impact individuals' access to and experience within the context of construction and building trade apprenticeships;

F)         a description of the plan for marketing, outreach, wraparound supports, and accommodations;

G)        a description of how the applicant plans to coordinate with local workforce areas and local and regional apprenticeship navigators and intermediaries focused on construction and building trades, union groups, community colleges, employers, employer associations, community-based organizations and secondary schools;

H)        A description of the outcome measures, including but not limited to:

i)          a description of the applicant's recruitment, screening, and training efforts;

ii)         the number of individuals who apply to, participate in, and complete the applicant's program, broken down by race, gender, age and veteran status, and

iii)        the number of individuals referenced in subsection (a)(2)(H)(ii) who are initially accepted and placed into apprenticeship programs in the construction and building trades;

I)         a description of how applicant will coordinate education and learning, necessary support and retention services, coaching from other partner institutions;

J)         a proposed curriculum;

K)        a description of proposed opportunities for preapprentices to do construction work at job sites while taking instruction or immediately after completing instruction or a description of alternative options if on-site instruction is not feasible;

L)        a description of the plan for applicants to assist students in transitioning to registered apprenticeship programs, including connecting them to employers and unions;

M)       a description of the plan to refer program applicants who do not have the minimum program requirements to educational services in their communities, such as free literacy, GED, ESL classes, among others; and

N)        a description of the plan to support and track participants who do not immediately apply to enroll in a DOL-registered apprenticeship program.

b)         Grant Award Selection

1)         Grants will be awarded by DCEO to grantees following a merit review by DCEO pursuant to GATA requirements (44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.350).  In evaluating applications, the Department will consider all requirements as set forth in the NOFO, including some or all of the following criteria and any additional criteria set forth in the NOFO:

A)        The application indicates the project will serve individuals who are within underrepresented populations;

B)        The applicant's grant performance history, including meeting the goals of any previous grants and the level of success in achieving employment, wage, and retention goals, if applicable;

C)        The experience of the applicant in serving individuals who are in the underrepresented populations of the outcomes achieved with past programs;

D)        The level of participation of local employers or industry associations in the training partnership and the proposed work plan;

E)        The amount of matching and/or leveraged funds provided (either cash or in-kind);

F)         The likelihood that training will result in the placement of individuals who are in the underrepresented population into the specific occupations within the target industries and the average wage at placement;

G)        The credentials, licenses or certifications training participants will earn;

H)        The career pathways facilitating long-term advancement with the employer or within the industry sector a participant will gain.

I)         The qualifications of personnel assigned to the proposed project; and

J)         The quality of the proposed curricula and related materials.

2)         Applicants shall work with local partners, including, but not limited to, local employers, unions, and/or industry associations to design programs with maximum benefits to individuals in the underrepresented populations.

c)         Grant Disbursements

Disbursement of Grant funds from the Department will be made in accordance with a schedule included in the grant agreement. The Department may disburse funds based on the outcomes outlined in the grant agreement.

d)         Grant Performance, Monitoring and Reporting Requirements

Grant recipient shall comply with all GATA and Department requirements for Grant performance, administration, monitoring and reporting, including monitoring any subrecipients.

e)         Grant Extensions

Contingent upon the availability of funds and consistent with GATA as applicable, the Department may negotiate Grant extensions and add funds for grant projects that were originally competitively procured and performed successfully. 

f)         Records Retention

A grant recipient shall maintain, for the period of time set forth in the GATA rules (44 Ill. Adm. Code 430(a), (b)), adequate books, all financial records and supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the Program. If any litigation, claim or audit is started before the expiration of the retention period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims or audit exceptions involving the records have been resolved and final action taken. Grant recipients shall be responsible for ensuring that contractors and subrecipients comply with the retention requirements.

(Source:  Added at 46 Ill. Reg. 17668, effective October 18, 2022)