DIRECTIVE	:	TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 29-98
TO	:	All WELFARE-TO-WORK STATE LIAISONS ALL STATE JTPA LIAISONS ALL ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER SYSTEM LEADS ALL STATE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY AGENCIES
FROM	:	DAVID HENSON Director Office of Regional Management
SUBJECT	:	Welfare-to-Work Census 2000 Employment Project

1. Purpose. To alert the Welfare-to-Work (WtW) delivery system to the new WtW Census 2000 Employment project linking local WtW programs to Census 2000 temporary job opportunities, and to advise the system of the consultation requirements for project applicants.

2. References. Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33) (amending Title IV-A of the Social Security Act); the Welfare-to-Work Interim Final Rule, 20 CFR Part 645 (Published at 62 FR 61588 (Nov. 18, 1997)); and WtW Census 2000 Employment Project Solicitation for Grant Applications (Published at 64 FR 26440 (May 14, 1999)).

3. Background. Census 2000 presents a unique opportunity for long-term welfare recipients to benefit from services provided through local WtW programs while gaining work experience and credentials through temporary jobs as Census 2000 enumerators. The primary goals of the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project are to ensure that 1) WtW participants, who are successfully identified and recruited by the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project grantee, are part of a viable pool from which Census 2000 recruiters can hire and train enumerators; and 2) WtW Census 2000 hires receive the intensive community-based support they need to remain in the workforce after their Census 2000 jobs end.

   Any private entity with a nationwide network of community-based local providers or affiliates may apply for this project. The grantee will serve as an intermediary between local Census Bureau offices across the country and the WtW local level formula and competitive grantees.

   In order to be eligible for the grant, applicants must apply in consultation with every State that has received WtW formula funds and "in conjunction with" the Private Industry Council (or its successor organization) or political subdivision in every local area across the country in which the applicant proposes to operate. Certification of consultation is required to document that the applicant has consulted with State and local WtW entities during the development of the application and that the activities proposed in the application are consistent with, and will be coordinated with, the WtW efforts of the certifying entity.

   Because of the nationwide scope of the Census 2000 Employment project, in all likelihood, every WtW formula grantee will be asked to provide certification of consultation to several different applicants for this Census project.

4. Certification Form. Attached is a sample Certification form which may be used to document that applicants have consulted with States, PICs and political subdivisions. The sample format was included in the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project Solicitation for Grant Applications (SGA) and has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget for use in facilitating consultation for this project.

   WtW programs should be aware that they may be asked to certify consultation with a number of applicants. The Certification Format was developed to decrease the burden on WtW programs in responding to such requests from applicants for this WtW Census project.

5. Action. The Employment and Training Administration encourages State and local WtW grantees to cooperate with applicants for the WtW Census 2000 Employment project. States are encouraged to disseminate this Training and Employment Information Notice (TEIN) to PICs and other local entities who are administering WtW programs.

6. Inquiries. For more information on the application requirements for the WtW Census 2000 Employment Project, visit the website where the SGA is posted: http://wtw.doleta.gov/documents/census. Questions concerning this directive may be directed to Willie Harris in the Office of Grants and Contracts Management at (202) 219-7300 ext. 119 or Cheryl Turner in the Office of WtW at (202) 219-0180 ext. 160.

7. Attachment. Sample Certification Form for WtW Census 2000 Employment Project