366.15—What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate applications for new awards for training and technical assistance:

(a) Meeting the purposes of the program (30 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine how well the project will be able to meet the purpose of the program of providing training and technical assistance to eligible agencies, centers, and SILCs with respect to planning, developing, conducting, administering, and evaluating centers, including consideration of—

(1) The objectives of the project; and

(2) How the objectives further training and technical assistance with respect to planning, developing, conducting, administering, and evaluating centers.

(b) Extent of need for the project (20 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project meets specific needs recognized in title VII of the Act, including consideration of—

(1) The needs addressed by the project;

(2) How the applicant identified those needs;

(3) How those needs will be met by the project; and

(4) The benefits to be gained by meeting those needs.

(c) Plan of operation (15 points). The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the quality of the plan of operation for the project, including—

(1) The quality of the design of the project;

(2) The extent to which the plan of management ensures proper and efficient administration of the project;

(3) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of the program;

(4) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; and

(5) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.

(d) Quality of key personnel (7 points). (1) The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the qualifications of the key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including—

(i) The qualifications of the project director, if one is to be used;

(ii) The qualifications of each of the other management and decision-making personnel to be used in the project;

(iii) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (d)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section will commit to the project;

(iv) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability; and

(v) The extent to which the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have been traditionally under-represented, including members of racial or ethnic minority groups, women, persons with disabilities, and elderly individuals.

(2) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs (d)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, the Secretary considers—

(i) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of the project; and

(ii) Any other qualifications that pertain to the objectives of the project.

(e) Budget and cost effectiveness (5 points). The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows the extent to which—

(1) The budget is adequate to support the project; and

(2) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project.

(f) Evaluation plan (5 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation—

(1) Are appropriate to the project;

(2) Will determine how successful the project is in meeting its goals and objectives; and

(3) Are objective and produce data that are quantifiable.

(4) Cross-reference: See 34 CFR 75.590.

(g) Adequacy of resources (3 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the applicant plans to devote to the project, including facilities, equipment, and supplies.

(h) Extent of prior experience (15 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent of experience the applicant has in the operation of centers and with providing training and technical assistance to centers, including—

(1) Training and technical assistance with planning, developing, and administering centers;

(2) The scope of training and technical assistance provided, including methods used to conduct training and technical assistance for centers;

(3) Knowledge of techniques and approaches for evaluating centers; and

(4) The capacity for providing training and technical assistance as demonstrated by previous experience in these areas.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1820-0018)

Code of Federal Regulations

(Authority: 29 U.S.C. 711(c) and 796f(b) )