National Employer Policy, Research, and Technical Assistance Center on the Employment of People with Disabilities | FOA ODEP 19 01

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) to operate the National Employer Policy, Research, and Technical Assistance Center on the Employment of People with Disabilities. The funded organization will run a national center focused on improving how employers recruit, hire, retain, and advance people with disabilities.

2) What is the name of the center under the new award?

The center will keep the name Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion, commonly known as EARN.

3) Is this a new program or a continuation of an existing effort?

It is a re-competition of an existing cooperative agreement and is intended to build directly on earlier work completed under ODEP's EARN initiative.

4) What makes this new iteration of EARN different from the previous cooperative agreement?

The updated EARN places increased emphasis on policy development, research, and compliance assistance. Compared to a model that primarily focused on general outreach and technical support, the new center is expected to produce stronger, evidence-driven outputs that help employers align disability inclusion practices with business needs while also navigating relevant disability-related requirements.

5) Who is the primary audience for EARN's work?

Employers in both the private and public sectors are a central audience, including federal contractors. The center is positioned as a national resource for employer-facing guidance, tools, and training that support disability inclusion.

6) What types of services and products is the center expected to provide?

Based on the description, the center is expected to provide employer-facing guidance, tools, and training related to disability inclusion, alongside expanded work in policy development, research, and compliance assistance that is grounded in evidence and practical employer realities.

7) What does it mean that the award mechanism is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement generally indicates that ODEP anticipates an active partnership role in shaping or guiding the work during the project period, rather than providing funds with minimal involvement.

8) What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number?

The funding opportunity number is FOA ODEP 19 01, and the CFDA number listed is 17.720.

9) When was the opportunity created and what was the application deadline?

The opportunity was created on April 22, 2019, and the original application deadline was June 24, 2019.

10) What is the award ceiling?

The listed award ceiling is $8,000,000, indicating support for a sizable national operation that may include multiple partners, research activities, and broad-based technical assistance and training offerings.

11) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is structured around a required consortium model. Applicants cannot apply as a single entity. The lead applicant must be either:

• A non-profit business school (or a school that includes human resources or labor-focused programs) that is part of a public or private institution of higher education; or
• A non-profit research institution, which may be part of a public or private institution of higher education or may be an independent policy research organization.

12) Is a consortium required, or can an organization apply alone?

A consortium is required. The information provided states that applicants cannot apply as a single entity.

13) What partner pairing is required within the consortium?

The required pairing depends on who the lead applicant is:

• If the lead is a qualifying non-profit business school, the consortium must include a non-profit research institution.
• If the lead is a non-profit research institution, the consortium must include a qualifying non-profit business school (or an academic unit with HR or labor-focused programming).

14) Are business intermediary organizations required consortium members?

Yes. In addition to the required pairing between a business school (or HR/labor academic unit) and a research institution, the lead applicant must also include business intermediary organizations in the consortium to ensure sustained, structured engagement with employer communities.

15) What are "business intermediary organizations" in this solicitation?

Business intermediary organizations are described as associations or membership-based groups that represent clusters of employers. They are intended to help ensure the center's products and recommendations reflect real-world workforce challenges and operational realities.

16) Why does the solicitation emphasize collaboration with the private sector?

A central feature of the new approach is that policy, research, and compliance assistance activities must be developed in collaboration with private sector business entities. This is designed to keep EARN's work practical, feasible for employers to implement, and aligned with business needs and operational realities.

17) Are additional partners allowed beyond the required consortium members?

Yes. The solicitation allows for additional optional partners. These partners may strengthen specialized expertise, expand geographic reach, or deepen capacity in areas such as training delivery, communications, or sector-specific employer engagement.

18) What is the overall purpose of the opportunity?

The opportunity is designed to sustain and modernize EARN as a national hub that connects rigorous research and practical policy development with hands-on employer support. The aim is to translate what works into actionable tools and guidance, maintain close ties to business networks, and improve employment outcomes and career advancement for people with disabilities.

19) How is compliance assistance described in this opportunity?

Compliance assistance is highlighted as an expanded emphasis in the new iteration of EARN, intended to help employers navigate relevant disability-related requirements while aligning inclusion practices with business needs.

20) Does the opportunity specify which sectors EARN should serve?

Yes. It specifies both the private and public sectors, and explicitly includes federal contractors as part of the employer community the center should support.