| (a) There shall be a statewide AEL program delivery
system that provides AEL services on a coordinated basis within each
workforce area.
(b) An eligible grant recipient must apply directly
to the Agency for AEL funding.
(c) Each eligible grant recipient must demonstrate
an ability to:
(1) plan and develop a service delivery strategy that
includes a broad analysis of the educational, economic, and workforce
development trends across the entire workforce area to provide eligible
AEL students with comprehensive and locally responsive services; and
(2) expand, improve, and coordinate delivery of education,
workforce training, workforce development, and support services.
(d) Each eligible grant recipient applying for AEL
funding on behalf of an AEL consortium must:
(1) meet the requirements set forth in subsection (c)(1)
- (2) of this section;
(2) designate an entity to serve as the AEL lead organization
of the consortium; and
(3) designate an entity to serve as AEL fiscal agent
for the AEL consortium. The AEL fiscal agent is responsible for making
and filing all financial reports to the AEL grant recipient that will
review all reports and submit to the Agency on behalf of the consortium.
(e) An AEL grant application must reflect service delivery
strategies for the workforce area. In workforce areas that are heavily
populated or have large service regions, the Agency may elect to contract
with more than one AEL grant recipient within a workforce area.
(f) An AEL grant recipient, awarded AEL funds by the
Agency, shall be responsible for performing all services and activities
required to fully comply with contract performance requirements and
all contract terms and conditions. Responsibilities include, but are
not limited, to the following:
(1) Communication.
(A) The AEL grant recipient shall serve as the point
of contact with the Agency.
(B) For an AEL consortium, on behalf of AEL consortium
members, the AEL grant recipient shall:
(i) transmit questions and grant-related needs for
AEL consortium members to the Agency; and
(ii) carry out the programmatic functions of an AEL
grant by communicating regularly with members of the AEL consortium
and by sharing information, policy or procedural changes, and technical
assistance provided by the Agency to oversee the grant.
(2) Monitoring. The AEL grant recipient shall:
(A) monitor programmatic and fiscal progress against
goals and project deliverables; and
(B) timely notify the Agency of problems related to
achievement of programmatic and fiscal goals of the grant in accordance
with appropriate systems to receive and compile outcome measures and
fiscal reports.
(3) Technical assistance. The AEL grant recipient shall
carry out the programmatic and reporting functions of an AEL grant
by providing or requesting technical assistance for its program, or
in an AEL consortium for AEL consortium members, related to the design,
implementation, and internal evaluation of their AEL services or support
services.
(4) Professional development. The AEL grant recipient
shall plan and coordinate the provision of necessary professional
development opportunities for its program, or in an AEL consortium
to the AEL consortium members.
(5) Reporting. The AEL grant recipient shall:
(A) collect and compile all fiscal and programmatic
information regarding the activities, expenses, and performance outputs
and outcomes of the AEL grant; and
(B) submit this information to the Agency.
(6) Workforce area coverage.
(A) The AEL grant recipient shall ensure that services
are provided to the portion of the workforce area designated in the
AEL grant application, whether through in-person services or distance
learning, or a combination of methods.
(B) For an AEL consortium, the AEL grant recipient
shall ensure that services are provided to the portion of the workforce
area, as designated for the consortium in the AEL grant application,
whether through in-person services or distance learning, or a combination
of methods.
(i) If a consortium member fails to perform in accordance
with the AEL consortium's coordinated service delivery plan, the AEL
grant recipient shall provide technical assistance, as appropriate;
(ii) If a consortium member withdraws from a consortium,
the AEL grant recipient shall ensure that a letter of intent to withdraw
is provided to the Agency's grant contract manager. The AEL grant
recipient shall coordinate with remaining consortium members to develop
an alternative proposal for service delivery and submit it to the
Agency for approval;
(iii) If an AEL lead organization of a consortium withdraws
from a consortium or from its role as the lead organization of the
consortium, the AEL grant recipient must ensure that a letter of intent
to withdraw is provided to the Agency contract manager. The AEL grant
recipient must coordinate with remaining consortium members to identify
an alternative lead organization of the consortium and submit it to
the Agency for approval; and
(iv) If, in a workforce area with multiple consortiums
that cover the entire workforce area, one or more consortiums withdraws,
the AEL grant recipient shall ensure that a letter of intent to withdraw
is provided to the Agency's grant contract manager. The Agency will
coordinate with the remaining consortiums to develop an alternative
proposal for service delivery for the entire workforce area.
(g) For an AEL consortium, the Agency reserves the
right to reevaluate an AEL grant in light of any change in the AEL
consortium membership based on the consortium's continued ability
to meet the terms of the original grant award as demonstrated through
an alternative proposal. The Agency's reevaluation may include termination
of all awards under the AEL consortium if deemed appropriate.
(1) If an AEL consortium or AEL consortium member withdraws,
the funds and activities committed to in the application shall not
be shifted to another AEL consortium, AEL consortium member, or a
new institution without written Agency approval.
(2) The AEL grant recipient shall contact the Agency's
grant contract manager to discuss options for replacement grants within
the AEL consortium.
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