ADMINISTRATIVE CODE

TITLE 14: COMMERCE
SUBTITLE C: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 830 RETURNING RESIDENTS CLEAN JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM

Section 830.10 Purpose

Section 830.20 Definitions

Section 830.30 Funding Source

Section 830.40 Eligible Grant Applicants

Section 830.50 Required Program Activities

Section 830.60 Eligible Grant Expenditures

Section 830.70 Participant Eligibility

Section 830.80 Form of Grant Applications

Section 830.90 Grant Award Selection

Section 830.100 Grant Administration

TITLE 14: COMMERCE
SUBTITLE C: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 830 RETURNING RESIDENTS CLEAN JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM
SECTION 830.10 PURPOSE

Section 830.10 Purpose

Subject to appropriation, the Department shall develop and, in coordination with the Department of Corrections, administer the Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(a)] The Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program will deliver clean energy jobs training in Department of Corrections facilities to participants within 36 months of their scheduled release to prepare them to work in clean energy and related sector jobs upon release. The Program will provide classroom instruction and hands-on learning opportunities, utilizing a standard Clean Jobs Curriculum Framework adapted for returning residents, connect Program graduates with potential employers in the clean energy industry, and address participant needs. The following document is incorporated by reference in this Subpart and does not include any later amendments or editions:

"Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program, Clean Jobs Curriculum Framework for Returning Residents" Published by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity February 16, 2024, which may be obtained from the Department online at https://dceo.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dceo/ceja/documents/clean-jobs-curriculum-framework-for-returning-residents.pdf.

TITLE 14: COMMERCE
SUBTITLE C: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 830 RETURNING RESIDENTS CLEAN JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM
SECTION 830.20 DEFINITIONS

Section 830.20 Definitions

"Accessibility" means when a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as a person without a disability in an equally integrated and equally effective manner, with substantially equivalent ease of use.

"Bridge program" means assistance provided to Program participants with limited academic or limited English skills to bridge the gap between participants' initial skills and the skills necessary to enter and succeed in postsecondary education and career-path employment by obtaining the necessary academic, employability and technical skills through three required components:

Contextualized instruction that integrates basic reading, math and language skills and industry or occupation knowledge;

Career development that includes career exploration, career planning within a career area, and understanding the world of work; and

Transition services that provide participants with the information and assistance needed to successfully navigate the process of moving to credit or occupational programs.

"CEJA" means the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act [P.A. 102-0662].

"Clean energy jobs" means jobs in the solar energy, wind energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, solar thermal, green hydrogen, geothermal, electric vehicle industries, other renewable energy industries, industries achieving emission reductions, and other related sectors including related industries that manufacture, develop, build, maintain, or provide ancillary services to renewable energy resources or energy efficiency products or services, including the manufacture and installation of healthier building materials that contain fewer hazardous chemicals. "Clean energy jobs" includes administrative, sales, and other support functions within these industries and other related sector industries. [20 ILCS 730/5-25(a)]

"Commitment" means a judicially determined placement in the custody of the Department of Corrections on the basis of a conviction. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(b)]

"Committed person" means a person committed to the Department of Corrections. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(b)]

"Community-based organization" means an organization that:

Provides employment, skill development, or related services to members of the community;

Includes community colleges, nonprofits, and local governments; and

Has a history of serving committed persons or justice-involved persons. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(b)]

"Core values" means the values of diversity, inclusion, accessibility and equity.

"Correctional institution or facility" means a Department of Corrections building or part of a Department of Corrections building where committed persons are detained in a secure manner. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(b)]

"Department" or "DCEO" means the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"Department of Corrections" or "DOC" means the Illinois Department of Corrections.

"Discharge" means the end of a sentence or the final termination of a detainee's physical commitment to and confinement in the Department of Corrections. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(b)]

"Diversity" means the representation of people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

"Environmental justice communities" means the definition of that term as defined by the Illinois Power Agency pursuant to the Illinois Power Agency Act [20 ILCS 3855], but excluding racial and ethnic indicators, where residents have historically been subject to disproportionate pollution burdens, including pollution from the energy sector. [20 ILCS 730/5-5] For a map that defines these areas in Illinois, refer to this website: Arcg.is/1Wvv4X.

"Equity" means the state, quality or ideal of being just, impartial and fair.

"Essential Employability Skills" means those general skills that are required to be successful in all sectors of the labor market and are separate from the technical skills attained in career pathways or academic skills such as math and reading. The essential employability skills, developed by various workforce development stakeholders in Illinois, include, but are not limited to, personal ethics, work ethics, communication skills, and teamwork.

"GATA" means the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act. [30 ILCS 708]

"GATA Rule" means the administrative rules of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget found at 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.

"Grantees" means the community-based organizations selected by the Department to provide the services and activities required by the Program.

"Grantee team" means the grantee and any partners with which the grantee will be working to carry out the Program activities.

"Inclusion" means the action or state of including and feeling an empowered sense of belonging within a group or organization.

"Location" means where the returning resident is physically located, such as:

a correctional institution or facility;

a county;

a municipality or town; and

a place of employment. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(b)]

"Nonprofit" means a corporation organized under the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986, in good standing to operate in the State of Illinois, that is representative of a community or a significant segment of a community.

"Program" means the Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program.

"Program administrator" means, for each Program Delivery Area, the administrator selected by the Department pursuant to 20 ILCS 730/5-50(h)(1). [20 ILCS 730/5-50(b)]

"Program delivery area" means the geographic regions in which the selected grantees and the Program Administrators will provide services.

"Regional administrators" means the three administrators selected by DCEO, pursuant to [20 ILCS 730/5-15], to work together to administer the implementation of the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, the Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program, the Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program, and the Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program.

"Returning resident" means any United States resident who is:

17 years of age or older;

in the physical custody of the Department of Corrections, and

scheduled to be re-entering society within 36 months. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(b)]

"State" means the State of Illinois.

"Uniform Guidance" means the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, 2 CFR Part 200.

"Work-based learning" means opportunities for Program participants to practice and enhance the skills and knowledge gained in their program of study or industry training program, as well as to develop employability, and includes an assessment and recognition of acquired knowledge and skills. "Work-based learning" may include career awareness and exploration activities (e.g., guest speakers, job shadowing, mentorship) as well as workplace experience (internships, service learning, paid work experience, on-the-job training, incumbent worker training, transitional jobs, and apprenticeships).

TITLE 14: COMMERCE
SUBTITLE C: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 830 RETURNING RESIDENTS CLEAN JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM
SECTION 830.30 FUNDING SOURCE

Section 830.30 Funding Source

The grant awards described in this Part are contingent upon appropriation of funding from the Energy Transition Assistance Fund. Funding also may be made available from other lawful sources, including donations, grants, and federal incentives. See 20 ILCS 730/5-50(j); 20 ILCS 605/605-1075.

TITLE 14: COMMERCE
SUBTITLE C: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
PART 830 RETURNING RESIDENTS CLEAN JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM
SECTION 830.40 ELIGIBLE GRANT APPLICANTS

Section 830.40 Eligible Grant Applicants

A single organization may propose to deliver all required services, including Program Administrator and training provider elements, or may partner with other entities to provide certain elements of the Program. However, the lead applicant organization alone must meet all the requirements in subsections (a)(1) through (a)(3) and must be able to serve, with assistance from partner organizations as necessary, at least one facility or institution described in subsection (b).

a) To be eligible to receive a grant, at a minimum, applicants must demonstrate the following:

1) Meet the definition of a community-based organization;

2) Have an active GATA registration at the time the application is submitted and be qualified on the GATA Grantee Portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/) by the time the application is reviewed by the Department;

3) Be a regarded entity by the Internal Revenue Service [26 CFR 301.7701-3(b)(ii)] for federal income tax purposes; and

4) Able to satisfy the required activities set forth in Section 830.50.

b) The Department will award grants to serve eligible returning residents at DOC institutions and facilities approved by DOC and designated in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to offer the Program, based on available programming space, staffing, population, facility mission, and security concerns.

c) The Program Administrator identified for each applicant must have:

1) Strong capabilities, experience, and knowledge related to Program development and financial management;

2) Cultural and language competency needed to be effective in the communities to be served;

3) Knowledge and experience working with committed persons or justice-involved persons;

4) Knowledge and experience in working with providers of clean energy jobs; and

5) Awareness of clean energy and related sector trends and activities, workforce development best practices, regional workforce development needs, and community development.

d) A Department of Corrections background check is required prior to being awarded a grant for the following program staff:

1) The Program Administrator;

2) All instructors or staff who will have regular interactions with committed persons or regular access to a Department of Corrections facility; and

3) All staff who will regularly access a committed person's personal identifying information or other data elements.

e) Program staff shall comply with all DOC facility procedures and protocols. A grantee's grant agreement may be terminated if a grantee staff member, subrecipient, or contractor fails to comply with DOC facility procedures or is otherwise found to constitute a safety or security risk and the grantee does not adequately address the safety or security risk posed by that individual within a reasonable time frame.

Section 830.50 Required Program Activities

The Program creates career training programming at select DOC facilities. The main objective of the Program is to increase access to, and opportunities for, education, training, and support services to help returning residents succeed in the labor market, generally, and in the clean energy sector, specifically. After participants complete training at DOC facilities, the Program will continue to provide support to participants after release from custody as they prepare for and transition into employment or to another training program. Grantee teams must:

a) Coordinate with DOC to recruit and assess the eligibility of Program candidates, utilizing application and intake procedures developed by DCEO to enroll and orient participants to the training program.

b) Provide training, certification preparation, job readiness, and skill development to program participants, utilizing the Clean Jobs Curriculum Framework for Returning Residents (described in subsection (j)) to prepare participants for entry-level clean energy jobs. The training will consist of a bridge program (Illinois essential employability skills and clean energy basics) and job-specific training options, selected by each grantee and based on local clean energy workforce needs. Training must lead to certifications or credentials that prepare participants for employment. At a minimum, all successful Program graduates must receive from the grantee team a graduation certificate, plus proof of all certifications or credentials earned during Program participation. Consistent with DOC facility requirements, Program delivery methods must be flexible and interactive to improve accessibility and help participants overcome barriers that stand in the way of their participation or success. The entities providing the Program training must be approved to provide training services by all appropriate accrediting bodies.

c) Work in partnerships with entities that provide clean energy jobs, including businesses, nonprofits, and worker-owned cooperatives, to provide access to employment training, work-based learning, and hiring opportunities.

d) Provide access to wrap-around and other supportive services to mitigate challenges participants may face in completing the training while in DOC custody and in gaining employment upon release from custody. Grantee teams may provide these services themselves, where feasible, or connect participants to other CEJA programs or to other workforce training programs in the State for support services upon release. Following participant release, grantee teams will be responsible for providing participants with assistance in connecting with other workforce support services as needed. Grantee teams must identify at least one economic development region in Illinois (see https://dceo.illinois.gov/smallbizassistance/regionspecificassistance.html) or one subregion in the Northeast Illinois region (Cook County; Southern suburbs: Will and Kankakee County; West and southwest suburbs: DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Grundy, and DeKalb Counties; Northern suburbs: Lake and McHenry County) in which the grantee team will provide supportive services to returning residents once they are released from DOC custody. At a minimum, grantee teams shall provide or refer participants to the following support services as needed:

1) Wrap-around Support Services:

A) Referrals for health care, substance use treatment, housing or other needed assistance;

B) Vital document preparation (e.g., social security card, a State identification card and cost to obtain a driver's license);

C) Transportation and childcare costs incurred to utilize post-release support services or participate in additional CEJA workforce training programs;

D) Emergency bill payments; and

E) Expungement and other legal supports.

2) Student Support Services:

A) Tutoring, including extra help with reading, writing and basic arithmetic;

B) Make-up classes;

C) Re-testing;

D) Educational enrichment, including printed materials that can be reviewed if participants are on lockdown at a correctional institution or facility; and

E) Technology assistance, including digital literacy.

3) Transition Support Services:

A) Mentoring and coaching;

B) Job exploration, search and placement services;

C) Resume writing and mock interviews;

D) Job fairs with clean energy employers;

E) Follow-up support services for at least one year after job placement, as needed;

F) Education or training costs associated with entering an apprenticeship program or employment; and

G) Other wrap-around supportive services needed to obtain or retain employment.

e) Track outcomes and identify participant needs to facilitate job placement and retention. Grantees will be required to provide long-term follow-up to track participant outcomes for at least the duration of each grantee's award. All new grantees will assume all existing Program participant follow-up responsibilities.

f) Ensure that the selected Program Administrator delivers the following Program components:

1) Coordinate with DOC to recruit participants and administer the program. The Program Administrators will be the DOC facility liaisons and will supervise the grantee team's delivery of the Program in the correctional facility. DOC shall ensure that the wardens or superintendents of all correctional institutions and facilities visibly post information on the Program in an accessible manner for committed individuals. Program Administrators will work with other CEJA program grantees and the CEJA regional administrators to ensure that the CEJA programs across the State are consistent and coordinated, and to refer participants to other CEJA programs upon release, as needed. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(h)(2)(ii)]

2) Partner with community-based organizations approved to provide industry-recognized credentials or education institutions to deliver the Program elements.

3) Assist DCEO in creating and publishing a guidebook for implementing the Clean Jobs Curriculum Framework for Returning Residents in correctional facilities, including resources for Program graduates.

4) Assist Program participants in achieving employment and oversee transition services for program graduates, helping them attain and retain employment. To accomplish this goal, the Program Administrator shall organize at least one job fair at the relevant correctional institution or facility; engage in job placement discussions with clean energy employers, including those that have not formerly hired returning residents; establish partnerships with Illinois solar energy businesses and trade associations to identify solar employers that support and hire returning residents; and involve State agencies in finding employment in the clean energy and related sector industries for participants and graduates.

5) Assist DCEO in creating, publishing and updating, as required by DCEO, an employer "Hiring Returning Residents" handbook.

6) Assist the grantee team to engage with potential employers. The focus will be to:

A) promote company policies that support hiring and retaining returning residents; and

B) facilitate job placement.

7) Engage in Program data tracking and reporting to DCEO on performance measures. Program Administrators will also use this data to evaluate the Program and engage in continuous improvement.

g) Collaborate and coordinate with DCEO as well as the grantees and administrators of all programs created by CEJA, including, but not limited to, the following programs created by CEJA:

1) Energy Transition Navigators Program [20 ILCS 730/5-35];

2) Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program [20 ILCS 730/5-40];

3) Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program [20 ILCS 730/5-20];

4) Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program [20 ILCS 730/5-45]; and

5) Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator Program [20 ILCS 730/5-55].

6) Grantee teams may establish a shortened Program training, with prior approval from DCEO, to prepare and place Program graduates in the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program or the Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program following the Program graduate's release from commitment. Returning residents who meet the eligibility criteria, shall be prioritized for placement in a Clean Jobs Workforce Network training program or the Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program in accordance with the requirements of these programs.

h) Coordinate with local and regional workforce entities, regional administrators and organizations delivering other CEJA workforce training to provide services to returning residents, as needed and to address any barriers that participants may encounter.

i) Use a program model that upholds the core values of diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and equity. These core values must inform all aspects of the program, including, but not limited to, recruitment, partnerships, training, transition services, and barrier reducing supportive services.

j) Follow the requirements and guidelines provided in the Clean Jobs Curriculum Framework for Returning Residents (incorporated by reference) ("Curriculum Framework"), developed by DCEO and its partners through a stakeholder process, to identify the career pathways and training curriculum needed for participants to be skilled, work ready, and able to enter clean energy jobs. The Curriculum Framework includes requirements for training and training instructors, certification preparation, job readiness, and skill development, including soft skills, math skills, technical skills, certification test preparation, and other development needed.

k) Work cooperatively with DOC, the entities administering other CEJA training programs and other local workforce training programs to implement a system to collect and track participant data elements required by DCEO and report this information to DCEO quarterly, or as requested by DCEO. Grantee teams shall collect and disaggregate data by race, ethnicity, gender, age, category of crime(s) of conviction, facility location and geographic location of residence returning to in order to evaluate and ensure Program and participant success. DCEO will publish an annual report containing these performance metrics. Published data may be disaggregated by institution, discharge or residence address of Program participants and other factors. The information collected will be shared with other State agencies and will include, but not be limited to, the following:

1) The number of returning residents who enroll in the Program;

2) The number of returning residents who were accepted for enrollment into the Program;

3) The number of returning residents who applied for and were denied enrollment into the Program;

4) The number of returning residents who complete the Program;

5) The number of returning residents who did not complete the Program;

6) The number of returning residents who enrolled in the Program and were removed;

7) The reasons for removal;

8) The total number of returning residents discharged;

9) The demographics of each entering and graduating class (e.g., age, race, ethnicity, gender and geographic residence returning to);

10) The percentage of graduates employed at 6 and 12 months after release;

11) The recidivism rate of Program participants at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 years after release;

12) Program graduates' interview and hiring statuses;

13) Continuing education and certifications gained by Program graduates;

14) Program graduates' employment status, such as hire date, pay rates, whether full-time, part-time, or seasonal, and separation date;

15) The number of returning residents who graduated from the Program and remained employed in the clean energy industry within 1 year and 3 years after release. If practicable, DCEO will consult with the Illinois Department of Employment Security to also provide this data for 5, 7, and 10 years after release;

16) The number of returning residents who graduated from the Program and changed employment in the clean energy industry within 1 year and 3 years after release. If practicable, DCEO will consult with the Illinois Department of Employment Security to also provide this data for 5, 7, and 10 years after release; and

17) The number of returning residents who graduated from the Program and separated from employment in the clean energy industry and received employment in another industry within 1 year and 3 years after release. If practicable, DCEO will consult with the Illinois Department of Employment Security to also provide this data for 5, 7, and 10 years after release.

l) Cooperate with external evaluation efforts, as directed by DCEO.

Section 830.60 Eligible Grant Expenditures

Grant expenditures for Program projects must comply with GATA, the Uniform Guidance and the funding source, be reasonable and necessary, and support the allowable grant project activities set forth in Section 830.50. Eligible budget cost categories for this Program include the following:

a) Personnel;

b) Fringe benefits;

c) Travel;

d) Equipment;

e) Supplies;

f) Contractual services and subawards;

g) Consultant services and expenses;

h) Occupancy;

i) Research and development;

j) Telecommunications;

k) Staff training and education;

l) Direct administrative costs;

m) Miscellaneous costs;

n) Industry-focused training costs;

o) Supportive services (including wrap-around, student support and transition support); and

p) Indirect costs.

Section 830.70 Participant Eligibility

a) DOC shall have sole discretion to determine whether a committed person is eligible to participate in the Program and whether a committed person's participation in the Program poses a safety and security risk for the correctional facility or any person. DECO will request from DOC the reasons for ineligibility of each committed person who meets the requirements for subsections (a)(1) through (a)(3), and is denied participation. Grantee teams will work with DOC to determine eligibility for program participation, including verifying that individuals meet the following criteria after completing an application:

1) Are aged 17 or older;

2) Are in the physical custody of DOC;

3) Are within 36 months of release from a correctional institution or facility;

4) Consent in writing to Program participation;

5) Are willing to follow all Program requirements;

6) Meet all Program and testing requirements, including an initial interview and coaching session;

7) Do not pose a safety or security risk, and undergo and pass drug testing administered by DOC;

8) Achieve a score on the Test for Adult Basic Education (TABE) equivalent to 6th grade proficiency or higher on Reading, Mathematics, and Language; and

9) Participate in and successfully complete a pre-program orientation that ensures the candidates understand and are interested in continuing the Program.

b) DOC shall aim to include Program training in conjunction with other pre-release procedures and moves. Delays in a Program training shall not cause delays in discharge. DOC may remove a committed person enrolled in the Program for violation of institutional rules; failure to participate or meet expectations of the Program; failure of a drug test; disruptive behavior; or for reasons of safety, security, and order of the facility. [20 ILCS 730/5-50(e) and (h)(4)]

Section 830.80 Form of Grant Applications

a) DCEO will post one or more NOFOs on the GATA Grantee Portal (https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/) seeking applications from eligible organizations contingent upon available funds. Applicants shall submit their application materials by the deadlines set by DCEO in the NOFO, which will be at least 30 days after the NOFO posting. DCEO also may accept applications on a rolling basis with no set deadline.

b) Applicants must submit an application package to DCEO, which will include the following:

1) Uniform grant application;

2) Uniform budget template;

3) Conflict of interest disclosure form;

4) Mandatory disclosures form;

5) Budget narrative (e.g., justification of the main budget expense items for the lead applicant and applicant's proposed partners or subcontractors, and an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of the proposed budget expense items);

6) Technical proposal, which describes the program activities and outcomes that the applicant will support if selected and must include the following information:

A) The applicant team's qualifications and capacity (e.g., identifying the correctional facility for the proposed program and the economic development regions where post-release services will be provided, the composition of the applicant team including the Program Administrator, the history and experience of the applicant team's work with incarcerated or justice-impacted individuals and in the clean energy industry that demonstrates the ability to provide all required Program activities).

B) The applicant team's documentation of need (e.g., identification of barriers that returning residents face inside correctional institutions and upon release and the challenges employers may face when hiring returning residents, and a description of the expected impact of the project on returning residents and communities).

C) A description of the applicant's proposed project plan (e.g., the plan for enrollment, the training program and use of a bridge program curriculum and the Curriculum Framework, the plan to provide participants support during and after completion of training, the plan for placement of participants and follow-up support after program completion, the plan to coordinate with DOC and other CEJA program grantees, the anticipated outcomes and how the applicant team will track them, and the plan to integrate core values into the program);

7) Resumes of the Program Administrator and existing key program staff and instructors that demonstrate capacity to complete the work outlined in the application. For key staff and instructor positions that will need to be filled using Program funds, include a job description for each position, including individual qualifications sought for each position;

8) Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) from all partners and subcontractors who are part of the applicant team and who are proposed to receive funding to deliver Program elements;

9) Letters of support from clean energy employers or other organizations that have expressed a willingness to work with the applicant team to support the project; and

10) Any additional information required to demonstrate the applicant's ability to administer a Program or that further supports the information submitted by the applicant for the proposed project.

Section 830.90 Grant Award Selection

Grants will be awarded by DCEO to grantees following a merit review by an evaluation committee designated by DCEO and pursuant to GATA requirements (44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.350). DCEO will award one grant for each facility identified by DOC (see Section 830.40(b)) and set forth in the applicable NOFO. All applications will be sorted by each correctional facility location proposed for services. The highest scoring applications per facility will be prioritized for funding. The final grant awards will be negotiated by DCEO based on the applications' alignment with the requirements of the Program. The purpose of negotiations will be to arrive at acceptable grant terms, including budgetary and scope of work provisions, at which time the final decision to make a grant award will be made. In evaluating applications, DCEO will consider the criteria listed below:

a) Whether the applicant meets the eligibility criteria (Section 830.40).

b) The applicant team's qualifications and capacity, including:

1) The applicant team's history working with incarcerated people or justice-impacted people;

2) The applicant team's experience providing workforce training, certification, job readiness, and skill development, especially to justice-impacted people;

3) The applicant team's experience providing transition and follow-up services to help people, especially returning residents, gain and retain jobs;

4) The applicant team's knowledge and experience within the clean energy industry, including relationships with clean energy employers and qualifications to teach the Curriculum Framework;

5) The applicant team's capacity to provide Program elements in the correctional facility and follow-up services in identified economic development regions as evidenced through the staffing plan; and

6) The Program Administrator's capabilities and experience related to program development, financial management, cultural and language competency, working with committed and justice-involved persons, working with clean energy employers, awareness of clean energy trends, and workforce development best practices.

c) The applicant's documentation of need, including:

1) The quality of the plan to address barriers that returning residents face inside correctional facilities and upon release;

2) The quality of the plan to address the challenges and concerns that employers face when hiring returning residents; and

3) The expected impact of the project on returning residents and communities impacted by incarceration.

d) The quality of the applicant's proposed project plan, including:

1) The plan to provide recruitment, intake, and enrollment services;

2) The plan to deliver training, with clear integration of the Curriculum

Framework, including the bridge program and job-specific training;

3) The plan to provide supportive services (student support services, transition services, and wrap-around support services) to participants before and after release, in coordination with other CEJA programs;

4) The plan to help participants transition to employment in the clean energy industry and provide credible, relevant partnership agreements with employers for job placement and work-based learning opportunities;

5) The plan to create a program culture that incorporates the core values of diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and equity in program design, recruitment, support services, training and transition services; and

6) The plan to track program outcomes, assess the program and use this information to improve program delivery.

e) The cost-effectiveness of the applicant's proposed program, including:

1) The thoroughness, reasonableness and necessity of the applicant's proposed program costs in relation to the planned activities and projected outcomes; and

2) The applicant's ability to leverage existing programs, services and partnerships to improve cost-effectiveness, return on investment, and long-term sustainability of the program.

Section 830.100 Grant Administration

a) Grant Agreements and Payment Disbursements

1) Applicants selected to receive a grant will enter into a grant agreement with DCEO, which specifies the terms and conditions of the award. Grants will be awarded for an initial term between twelve and eighteen months with the option for DCEO to renew the awards for up to two additional years, with additional funding, based on the activities, outcomes and performance of the grantees as well as the availability of funds. The renewals, if granted, would occur after the initial period of programmatic performance and an evaluation of services and outcomes by DCEO and DOC.

2) Grant awards will be administered in a manner that complies with all applicable State and federal requirements including, but not limited to, GATA, the Uniform Guidance, the Program statute and this Part. DCEO reserves the right to suspend or terminate a grant agreement, recoup grant funds received under this Part or withhold any future year funding for non-compliance with the provisions in the grant agreement or non-compliance with applicable State and federal laws and regulations.

3) DCEO will disburse grant funds in accordance with a schedule included in the grant agreement. The Department may disburse funds based on the outcomes outlined in the grant agreement.

b) Grant Performance, Monitoring and Reporting Requirements

Grantees shall comply with all GATA and Department requirements set forth in the grant agreement for grant performance, administration, audits, monitoring and reporting.

1) Grant performance goals and performance and expenditure reporting will be based on the specific grant project activities of each grant award and will follow GATA requirements (44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.410), which include periodic financial and performance reports at least quarterly, and financial and performance close-out reports after the end of the grant term (see 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.440). The deadlines for all required reports will be set forth in the grant agreement.

2) Grant audits shall be based on the standards set forth in the GATA requirements (44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.90).

3) Grantees must monitor their grant activities and those of any subrecipients and contractors to assure compliance with applicable State and federal requirements and to assure their performance expectations are being achieved. DCEO will monitor the activities of grantees to assure compliance with all requirements and performance expectations of the award. Grantees shall timely submit all required reports, and shall supply, upon the Department's request, documents and information relevant to the award. DCEO may monitor activities through site visits.

c) Records Retention

Grantees shall maintain, for the period of time set forth in the GATA rules (44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.430(a) and (b)) adequate books, all financial records and supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the program. If any litigation, claim or audit is started before the expiration of the retention period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims or audit exceptions involving the records have been resolved and final action taken. Grantees shall be responsible for ensuring that contractors and subrecipients comply with the retention requirements.