September 28, 1999

The current subcontractor for both NOVA’s Title IV-C/III funds (currently administered by the County of San Mateo) and NOVA’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration Project (HVRP) grant is Veterans Workshop, Inc. Veterans Workshop can no longer continue providing veterans employment and training services and desires to transfer its responsibility for these programs to Vietnam Veterans of California effective October 1, 1999. It is recommended that council authorize staff to continue to pursue making the necessary changes with the state Employment Development Department as well as the Department of Labor and that the City Manager of his designee be authorized to execute any agreement(s) necessary to effect these changes.

Veterans Workshop, Inc. (VWS) has been the subcontractor providing veterans employment and training services for NOVA for the past 15 years, and has been highly successful. Currently, VWS provides services under JTPA Titles IV-C and III under subcontract with the County of San Mateo, which has agreed to administer both the County’s and NOVA’s IV-C/III funds. VWS is also the subcontractor providing services under NOVA’s HVRP grant.

The proposed activities are consistent with the City of Sunnyvale’s Socio-Economic Goal 5.1F, to provide job training and employment services, within constraints of operative Federal regulations and available Federal funding to address the locally-determined employment and training needs of economically disadvantaged residents and others with special needs.

Veterans Workshop, Inc. is pursuing a reorganization plan and cannot continue overseeing the employment and training activities they have historically provided for veterans (see attached letter from VWS board president). Veterans Workshop, in an effort to assure the continuation of services to veterans in the community, has suggested that consideration be given to Vietnam Veterans of California (VVC) as an alternate grantee. VVC is very similar to Veterans Workshop in the types of grants managed and scope of services provided.

For the Title IV-C/III grants, NOVA is proposing that VVC become the direct grantee effective October 1, 1999. This would provide VVC with much needed administrative dollars, and relieve NOVA and the County of San Mateo from the burden of tracking and reporting on these grants. VVC would, however, provide NOVA and the County with periodic reports relative to services being provided to veterans in the NOVA and San Mateo areas.

VVC has a long relationship with EDD’s Job Training Partnership Division. VVC has been contracting directly with the State since 1984—and has successfully met its contractual goals for over 25 JTPA Title IV-C and Title III agreements. Over that time, VVC has been one of only three private non-profits to contract directly with the State for these programs.

For NOVA’s HVRP grant, which operates through March 31, 2000, NOVA is proposing to continue being the grantee, but to change the subcontractor from VVS to VVC effective October 1, 1999. VVC, which currently has HVRP funding of its own, could apply for any future HVRP grant directly.

At its meeting of August 18, 1999, the NOVA Private Industry Council (PIC) Executive Committee authorized staff to proceed with initial steps to effect these changes, so that the full PIC could take action in September. NOVA staff has sent a preliminary request to EDD regarding the IV-C/III grants. With the approval of the PIC (scheduled for September 22 meeting) and Council, staff will continue to pursue changing the Title IV-C/III grantee from NOVA/County of San Mateo directly to VVC, effective October 1, 1999. NOVA will also request Department of Labor to allow a change of subcontractor for the HVRP grant, while all services would continue as in the original proposal, effective October 1, 1999.

Staff believes that Vietnam Veterans of California has the capability and competence to become the direct grantee for the NOVA grants and continue the tradition of excellent service to veterans in our area. They have the experience to assume grant administration, as well as programmatic, responsibilities. They plan to support the existing staff and program operations to assure a seamless transition for those veterans being served.

Initially, there would be no fiscal impact to the City. After March 31, 2000, if the City no longer directly applies to be an HVRP grantee, there would be a small loss of administrative funds, which are currently used to oversee the grant and provide tracking and monitoring.

PUBLIC CONTACT

It is recommended that council authorize staff to continue to pursue a change in grantee for the City’s Title IV-C/III grants with the state Employment Development Department as well as a change in subgrantee for the City’s HVRP grant with the Department of Labor. It is further recommended that the City Manager of his designee be authorized to execute any agreement(s) necessary to effect these changes.

Prepared by:

Jeanette Langdell
Employment Training Manager

Approved by:

Michael J. Curran, Director
Department of Employment Development

Approved by:

Robert S. LaSala
City Manager

Attachment