WIA Implementation Team

Report of July 8^th

1. Noteworthy Accomplishments Since the Last Report

   
   
   1. State Plan Status is as follows:
      
      
      
      1. Nine States have begun implementing Title I and Wagner-Peyser Act plans: Florida; Indiana; Kentucky; Louisiana; New Jersey; Texas; Utah; Vermont; and Wisconsin. The only State plan receiving full five-year authorization was that of Vermont, notwithstanding that issues remain to be resolved in its local plan.
      2. Five State plans remain under review: Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon (Portland only), Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Responses to issues raised during plan review have been received from Pennsylvania.
      3. Two plans were received during the week: Puerto Rico and Massachusetts.
      
      
      
   2. Work on the Unified Planning model application/guidance is progressing. The Federal Partners workgroup established seven subcommittees, focused upon major facets of the model application outline, to complete development of the draft document by the July 30 target date. Staff from OMB and NPR are participating in subcommittee activities. Publication of the final document is projected for December 1999.
      
      
   3. On July 1^st, Assistant Secretary Bramucci testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Employment, Safety and Training about implementation activities to date. With Deputy Assistant Secretary Uhalde, he fielded questions related to the number of States that had submitted WIA plans, and the number that were authorized to begin on July 1, 1999. State and local officials testified in favor of a hold harmless provision for the initial two years. They also raised youth eligibility concerns. The comments were positive, overall, with commendations to the Department for the interim final regulations, training, and plan review activities to date.
      
      
   4. Secretary Herman's participation at JETT*CON '99, in a special session scheduled from 11:30 to noon on July 15^th, has been confirmed.
      
      
   5. JETT*CON '99 workshops have all been finalized. About 2,500 individual and corporate registrations are anticipated.
      
      
   6. The JETT*CON '99 Awards Reception will be held on Tuesday evening July 13^th from 5:30 - 7:30 at the Caucus Room in the Cannon House Office Building. More than 200 people are expected to honor the 13 JETT*CON showcase and Job Service award winners. All Congressional members have been invited. Seventeen have accepted so far.
      
      
   7. On July 2^nd, an accounting firm under contract to the OIG, engaged through an ETA task order, began the planned test of the definition of Local Administrative Cost Limitation. The findings, which are expected by September, will be incorporated in the preparation of the final regulations.
      
      
   8. On July 6^th, the Workforce Investment Policy Council met to consider the America's Jobs Network technical assistance strategy. The Council established a subcommittee, to oversee the development and implementation of the agency's Technical Assistance strategy.