25 CAR § 5-105. Scoring of proposals

(a)(1) Though the following factors shall be qualitatively considered in the disposition of all proposals for funding, quantified scoring according to these factors shall only be required of Skills Gap and Grow Our Own grant categories. (2) Though none are singularly determinative, these factors affect prioritization of proposals and award of Office of Skills Development funds. (3) Some factors may be repetitive as relevant to multiple scoring considerations. (b) Need and impact. (1) The extent to which the proposed solution addresses an impactful, strategic, quantifiable need, as evidenced by data and information presented in the proposal. (2) Priority will be placed on solutions and training programs that: (A) Will result in credits toward or issuance of a degree in and/or the most industry-valued certifications and licenses for the subject occupation, or significant progress towards such issuance; (B) Have the most return on investment (ROI) to the state economy, such as by increasing wages and creating new jobs, as indicated in the proposal, including for the underemployed and unemployed; (C) Satisfy a quantifiable need as indicated in the proposal by performance metrics, such as a quality metric, actual and projected; (D) Are replicable, transferable, and sustainable; (E) Increase the capacity of organizations located in Arkansas, such as secondary and postsecondary institutions, to meet similar, ongoing training needs in the field of interest throughout the state and region; (F) Address skills that are career building and enhancing and that are durable and transferable, such as from employer to employer and industry sector to industry sector, and improve a worker’s overall career path; (G) Address an unmet need in the region; and (H) Support increased sales and exports of products outside Arkansas. (c) Plan. (1) The extent to which the proposal addresses goals, details activities, benchmarks best practices, acknowledges analogous programs and eliminates duplication of effort, and identifies measurable outcomes that comport with the spirit and purpose of the office grants program and demonstrate ROI. (2) Priority will be placed on plans that: (A) Create or enhance career pathways, to the extent each pathway clearly indicates a continuous pathway for the student, including milestones, income levels, and exit and reentry points, from K-12 through: (i) Certifications; (ii) Apprenticeship; (iii) Licenses; (iv) Degree credits; (v) Associate’s degree; (vi) Bachelor’s degree; and (vii) Employment and subsequent professional advancements; (B) Demonstrate that available certifications and licenses are those most recognized by the relevant industry sector, and that credits and skills are transferable; (C) Maximize real-world, work, and/or hands-on experience during the course of the education/training program, such as via: (i) Internships; (ii) Part-time employment; (iii) Cooperative education; (iv) Field trips; (v) Tours; (vi) Shadowing; and (vii) Apprenticeship; (D) Emulate best practices already existing in Arkansas and elsewhere, that leverage, enhance, build capacities, and invest in talent and expertise already existing in Arkansas, such as at Arkansas educational, technical, and governmental institutions, in order to maximize reliance on resources located in Arkansas for recurring support and sustainability, thus minimizing costs and “recreation of the wheel” for each programmatic and training need; (E) Demonstrate that the specific need and request framed in the proposal aligns with broader, quantified workforce, economic, regional, state, national, and employer needs; (F) Include a marketing, messaging, and/or promotional component that enhances the image and appeal of opportunities in the industry sector or sectors and occupations of interest, such as by targeting the general public, parents, and/or students; and (G) Maximize leverage of free and cost-effective social and digital media tools, including videos and publications. (d) Partnerships. (1) The extent to which partner roles and contributions are defined that: (A) Bridge gaps, such as those existing because of: (i) Tradition; (ii) Policies; (iii) Competition; or (iv) Geography; and (B) Maximize impact, as well as effective and efficient use of resources across a region, industry, or workforce segment. (2) For the sake of maximizing funding leverage, priority will be placed on applicants possessing partnership arrangements as demonstrated by letters of intent, organizational diagrams, articulation agreements, memorandums of understanding, and the like, that: (A) Include representation from and integration of organizations representing the continuum of educational and skill level attainment, from secondary schools to apprenticeship programs, two-year colleges, four-year colleges, employers, and to other relevant partners; (B)(i) Result in co-investments from multiple funding sources, such as from private, corporate, foundation, and public entities, including other government sources. (ii) E.g., WIOA, Division of Workforce Services, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Division of Higher Education, and Department of Education; and (C) Maximize the number of trainees, such as by including multiple employers and/or inviting nonemployee students or other prospective employees to participate in and benefit from the training. (e) Budget. The extent to which the budget provides details tied to project activities and makes most efficient use of resources to maximize impact for the workforce and ROI to the state economy, such as by: (1) Investing in, building, leveraging, and utilizing resources, best practices, and expertise already existing in Arkansas; (2) Maximizing the number of trainees per training dollar invested, such as by including multiple employers and/or inviting nonemployee students or other prospective employees to participate in and benefit from the training; (3) Minimizing “recreation of the wheel”; and (4) Maximizing sustainability and long-term efficiencies.