549 Office of Vocational Rehabilitation; establishment, expansion or improvement of Community Rehabilitation Programs  

  • DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY

    Office of Vocational Rehabilitation; Establishment, Expansion or Improvement of Community Rehabilitation Programs

    [26 Pa.B. 1602]

       The Department of Labor and Industry, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in 1992, announces that competing applications to establish, expand or improve community rehabilitation programs serving persons with the most severe disabilities will be accepted. This competition is authorized under section 103 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

       Funding for this competition is under the auspice of the Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), which will serve as administrator and fiscal agent for the grant awarded under this competition. Applications will be written to accomplish the following area of emphasis: Establishment, expansion or improvement of community rehabilitation programs which promise to contribute substantially to the rehabilitation of persons with the most severe disabilities. Such programs shall be used to provide services, quickly and effectively, that promote competitive employment in integration of persons with the most severe disabilities into the general workforce.

    Service Information

       The goal of this competition is to establish, expand or improve community-based vocational rehabilitation programs for persons sponsored by OVR, enabling them to maximize their competitive employment potential. Community rehabilitation programs include the range of vocational, psychosocial, medical, educational and economic/employment development programs through which persons sponsored by OVR may receive services. For purposes of this competition, community rehabilitation programs do not include sheltered employment, adult day care, work activity or other segregated facility-based training programs.

       In order to accomplish this, OVR will reinforce the array of community rehabilitation programs available to persons with the most severe disabilities through provision of equipment, minor alterations to existing buildings for purposes of accessibility accommodation, and initial or additional staffing. Funds will be awarded for such purposes based upon OVR's acceptance of 1) the applicant's identified need, 2) the applicant's plan for addressing the need, and, 3) the applicant's projection of expected service outcome for persons with the most severe disabilities.

       Needs identified by the applicant should be consistent with the vocational rehabilitation service needs of persons with the most severe disabilities and those of the OVR District Office in which it operates. Applicant should explore such needs with the appropriate OVR District Office for which the subject service is proposed.

    Application Information

       Applications received by close of business 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 22, 1996, which are complete and conform to established specifications will be accepted for review. Applications submitted after this date and time will be ineligible for consideration.

       Applications will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers convened for that purpose. Applications submitted from within a given OVR District area will compete only against other applications received by that District Office. Awards will be made by OVR through its District Offices which elect to participate in this RFP, using funds apportioned to each Office for such purposes.

       The effective dates for the contract will be September 30, 1996--September 29, 1997. Final awards made through this competition are subject to the approval of the Executive Director, Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.

       Eligible applicants include private not-for-profit and public organizations/institutions. For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply under this RFP. Organizations or individuals demonstrating compliance with the terms of this announcement may apply to participate in this competition.

       A complete application package which includes more detailed information is available by calling Raymond L. Walker at (717) 787-5735 (TDD: 783-8917) or writing to Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Facilities and Grants Management Section, 1320 Labor and Industry Building, Seventh and Forster Streets, Harrisburg, PA 17120, FAX: (717) 783-5221, Attention: Raymond L. Walker.

    Preproposal Conference

       A preproposal conference to deal specifically with technical questions regarding applications will be held for applicants on Thursday, April 18, 1996, starting at 1 p.m. in Room 1404 Labor and Industry Building, 7th and Forster Streets, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

       Copies of the application package will also be available at this conference. Persons expecting to attend should advise Raymond L. Walker, no later than 1 week prior to the conference, of any special accommodations that may be required in order for them to fully participate in the preproposal conference.

    JOHNNY J. BUTLER,   
    Secretary

    [Pa.B. Doc. No. 96-549. Filed for public inspection April 5, 1996, 9:00 a.m.]

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