prime sponsors

prime sponsors Sec. 102. (a) The Secretary may make financial assistance available to a prime sponsor to enable it to carry out all or a substantial part of a comprehensive manpower program, A prime sponsor shall be— (1) a State; (2) a unit of general local government which has a population of one hundred thousand or more persons on the basis of the most satisfactory current data available to the Secretary; (3) any combination of units of general local government which includes any unit of general local government qualifying under paragraph ( 2) of this subsection; (4) any unit of general local government or any combination of such units, without regard to population, which, in exceptional circumstances, is determined by the Secretary of Labor— (A) (i) to serve a substantial portion of a functioning labor market area, or (ii) to be a rural area having a high level of unemployment; and (B) to have demonstrated (i) that it has the capability for adequately carrying out programs under this Act, and (ii) that there is a special need for services within the area to be served, and (iii) that it will carry out such programs and services in such area as effectively as the State: or (5) a limited number of existing concentrated employment program grantees serving rural areas having a high level of unemployment which the Secretary determines have demonstrated special capabilities for carrying out programs in such areas and are designated by him for that purpose. (b) (1) A State, shall not qualify as a prime sponsor for any geographical area within the jurisdiction of any prime sponsor described in paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (3) of subsection (a) unless such prime sponsor has not submitted an approvable comprehensive manpower plan for such area. (2) A unit of genera] local government shall not qualify as a prime sponsor with respect to any area within the jurisdiction of another eligible unit of general local government unless such smaller unit has not submitted an approvable comprehensive manpower plan for such area. (c) (1) To be eligible for prime, sponsorship for any fiscal year, an otherwise eligible applicant must submit to the Secretary a notice of intent to apply for prime sponsorship by such date as the Secretary shall prescribe. (2) The Secretary may not, prior to March 1, 1974, designate as a prime sponsor, any State or unit of general local government containing another unit of general local government meeting the requirements of subsection (a)(2) of this section unless such smaller unit has submitted to the Secretary written consent for such designation.