Attachment III

 

Statement of Work Guidelines

 

Grantees are required to produce seven deliverables with PY 2004 funding.  Except for deliverables (1) and (2), which are expected to be standard and comparable across states (the core ALMIS Database and Industry and Occupational Projections), all other required deliverables allow flexibility to states to address the relative priority of the products and services while determining the form and content of the deliverable and the level of investment that best meets the state's needs.  States are required to allow the SWIB to provide significant input into the development of plans to execute these deliverables.

 

The plan statement of work will be posted on www.doleta.gov to allow review by the public and the workforce investment system.  For consistency and ease of review, the format of the statement of work must discretely and concisely address each of the planned products and services and include the following information for each:

 

·        A description of the core product, service or other demand activity;

 

·        Customer support for the product or service as indicated in customer satisfaction survey findings or other consultations with customers and users of workforce information;

 

·        How the deliverable supports the goals of the state's WIA/Wagner-Peyser Five Year Strategic Plan;

 

·        The principal customers of the deliverable;

 

·        The outcome(s) and system impact(s) projected for each deliverable;

 

·        Planned milestones for completion of the deliverable; and

 

·        The total estimated cost of each deliverable, including identification of planned equipment purchases of $5,000 or more per unit cost.

 

State Workforce Agency Deliverables

 

1)   Continue to populate the ALMIS Database with state data.

 

The ALMIS Database provides states with a common structure for storing information in a single database in each state.  The database is intended to serve as the cornerstone for information delivery, labor market research and product development.  Using the same version of the database in all states is important for providing interstate access to workforce information.  Therefore, states are required to implement and maintain the most current version of the ALMIS Database and populate all tables designated as core tables in accordance with guidelines issued by the ALMIS Database Workgroup.  Database content must be updated timely in order to be as current as the state’s most recent publications and data releases.  Information and technical support will be provided on the Workgroup’s new Web site at:  http://www.almisdb.org. 

 

States are required to populate the database with the following licensing files: license.dbf and licauth.dbf.  Licensing data must be updated every two years.  States are required to submit licensing data through the National Crosswalk Service Center (NCSC) for inclusion on the America’s Career InfoNet (ACINet) site.  The licensed occupations information on Career InfoNet has been recoded from OES to the O*NET/SOC taxonomy.  The NCSC will assist states in recoding their files to O*NET/SOC for submittal to ACINet, if necessary.  States may access information and support through the NCSC Web site at http://www.xwalkcenter.org or by calling 515-242-5034.

 

Now that the basic building and population of the ALMIS Database has been accomplished in all states, a major emphasis in states should be the full utilization of this resource in meeting national, state, and local customer information needs.  At the national level, the focus will be on providing tools to states to help them realize the full potential of the ALMIS Database and related resources.  More information will be forthcoming from the ALMIS Database Workgroup.

 

New and more effective methods are being developed for providing staff training and information updates.  Many materials will be provided electronically, and on-site training requiring staff travel will be kept to a minimum.  It is important that all states take advantage of the resources and training opportunities provided.  Funds may be used for any costs required to implement and maintain the database, including staff training.

 

2)   Produce and disseminate industry and occupational employment projections.

 

States should continue to produce and disseminate state and sub-state industry and occupational employment projections, using the methodology, software tools and guidelines developed by the Projections Workgroup and the Projections Managing Partnership.  In the case where a state uses other methodology, officials should document the methodology and indicate the reason for using alternative methods.  States should continue focusing on refining their sub-state historical North American Industry Classification System industry database to be used in the projections process.

 

Sub-state projections are to be developed for the 2002 to 2012 period, and statewide for the 2004 to 2006 period.  The primary activity for PY 2004 will be the production of statewide short-term projections and sub-state long-term projections.  An inability to produce area and local projections should be noted in the annual plan.

 

States are required to populate the ALMIS Database with the statewide 2004-2006 short-term and 2002-2012 long-term projections data and submit the data for public dissemination following the procedures established by the Projections Workgroup and the Projections Managing Partnership.  The Workgroup will contact individual states with specific instructions for data submission.

 

States are encouraged to participate in the various training opportunities provided by the Projections Workgroup and the Projections Managing Partnership.

 

State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB)/State Workforce Agency (SWA) Deliverables

 

3)   Provide occupational and career information products for public use.

 

Funds are to be used to produce and disseminate occupational and career information products, incorporating related information such as occupational projections; demand occupations and supply indicators by geographic area; wages and benefits by occupation; career ladder information and skills and education requirements. 

 

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) data and the ETA funded state industry and occupational projections program, benefits surveys, and the Job Vacancy Survey (JVS) system are all sources for producing occupational information.  The ETA-funded Occupational Information Network (O*NET) system is a primary source for information on occupational requirements including typical tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, work activities and work context and should be utilized to its fullest extent.  Grant funds for occupational information products may be used to conduct job vacancy surveys, using the standard methodology developed by BLS.

 

All products must be SOC-based and developed in consultation with intended customers. States will determine the product content and appropriate media for dissemination of occupational and career information.

 

4)   Ensure that workforce information and support required by state and local workforce investment boards are provided.

 

Describe how activities are consistent with the strategic vision of the SWIB and the needs of LWIBs, including WIB planning, analysis, policy development and program operations.  Because of customer choice, this is a critical role for workforce information. 

 

5)   Maintain and enhance electronic state workforce information delivery systems.

 

Funds are provided to support continued improvement and deployment of publicly accessible state workforce information delivery systems.  Grantees are required to provide electronic public access to the information in the state’s ALMIS Database through Internet applications. States are encouraged to develop applications and systems that facilitate customer access to information across multiple states and for interstate labor market areas.

 

Describe what system activities will be undertaken with these funds to improve customer access to workforce information.  Examples include, but are not limited to, upgrading system content and technology; improving formats and usability; providing Web-based or other electronic applications for self-service; developing systems that are compatible with other states’ workforce information systems for interstate functionality; and integrating workforce information systems with other workforce operating systems.

 

Funds may be used for system development, procurement, implementation or other necessary costs.

 

6)   Support state workforce information training activities.

 

Describe the training activities to be undertaken to increase staff and stakeholders’ understanding of workforce information.  The plan must describe the type of training to be provided and its purpose, the intended recipients of the training and the number of training classes planned or alternative methods of training delivery to be used.  Funds may be used to support the costs of curricula development, training materials, training delivery, facility rental, tuition, training related travel expenses and other associated costs necessary to provide workforce information training.