National Veterans Technical Assistance Center (NVTAC)
SUMMARY The U.S. Department Of Labor (USDOL), Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), announces a cooperative agreement competition under 38 U.S.C. Section 2021, which provides that “Secretary of Labor [the Secretary] shall conduct, directly or through grant or contract, such programs as the Secretary determines appropriate to provide job training, counseling, and placement services (including job readiness, literacy, and skills training) to expedite the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force.” In order to assist the VETS in carrying out 38 United States Code (U.S.C.) 2021, VETS is announcing the availability of funds for cooperative agreement(s) to assist in maintaining and improving upon the National Veterans Technical Assistance Center (NVTAC) for the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) to include, the Homeless Female Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Families Program (HFVVWF), the Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program (IVTP) and the Stand Down Grants Program (SD). The primary objective of the HVRP NVTAC is to provide a broad range of technical assistance on veterans’ homelessness programs and issues to existing and potential HVRP, HFVVWF, IVTP, and SD grantees and applicants, employers, Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), federal, state, and local agency partners including state and local workforce investment boards, non-profit organizations including faith-based and community organizations, the general public, and other interested stakeholders. Successful applicant(s) under this solicitation will assist VETS by providing a broad range of technical assistance and guidance to eligible entities to improve their programs that help homeless veterans. Successful applicants under this solicitation will also be responsible for developing, conducting, and documenting extensive outreach efforts to national, state, and local employers to increase their awareness of the HVRP, HFVVWF, IVTP, and SD in order to increase employment and training opportunities for homeless veterans and veterans “at risk” of homelessness. Successful applicants under this solicitation will also be responsible for contacting current grantees to identify, extract, document, and share at least twenty (20) “best practices” or other case-study oriented overviews, as defined and directed by VETS. Finally, successful applicants under this solicitation will assist VETS by suggesting and conducting research and program improvement based studies, as ultimately defined and directed by VETS. Entities that are interested in assisting VETS in providing technical assistance should be aware that the VETS has historically received thousands of nationwide inquiries about HVRP via telephone, written correspondence, and e-mail concerning homeless veterans annually. Under the direction and supervision of VETS, the awardee(s) will be responsible for providing advice for a large number of these technical assistance inquiries and/or suggesting strategies for the VETS to effectively address the issues and concerns contained within these inquiries. In addition, under the cooperative agreement(s), the awardee(s) may also be required to provide conference planning and management support and/or video or teleconferencing services via a web-based process to facilitate the distribution of information to grantees, potential grantees, and other interested parties. Successful applicants are to be aware of and will be required to assist VETS and their grantees in implementing the following primary objectives: (1) Providing services to assist in reintegrating homeless veterans into meaningful employment, and (2) Stimulating the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans and veterans “at risk” of homelessness. Under this solicitation for cooperative agreement(s) covering PY2014, VETS anticipates that up to $850,000 will be available for awarding cooperative agreement award(s) with a $500,000 maximum for any one award. Depending on the quality and content of the applications received, VETS anticipates awarding two (2) cooperative agreement(s). This notice contains all of the necessary information and forms to apply for funding. The period of performance for the PY2014 cooperative agreement(s) will be January 13, 2014 through January 12, 2015. An additional three years of funding may be available, depending upon Congressional appropriations and availability, the agency's decision to exercise the additional year(s) of funding, and the awardee(s) satisfactory technical and financial performance. At the time of this notice, funding for HVRP is provided under a continuing resolution from Congress, expiring on January 15, 2014. At this time, VETS does not know whether Congress will further extend HVRP. The issuance of any cooperative agreement awards under this notice is contingent upon Congressional appropriations for HVRP and the availability of funds. There may be future addendums to this solicitation published on www.grants.gov and www.dol.gov/vets. All applicants are responsible for checking back to www.grants.gov and www.dol.gov/vets regularly to ensure they have all of the latest information regarding any updates to this solicitation.
Office: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management
Grants Management Specialist
Phone 202-693-4570
