Opportunity Information: Apply for NOI ETA 16 14
The Occupational Licensing Review and Portability opportunity (NOI ETA 16 14) is a U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) discretionary funding notice of intent that solicits Letters of Interest for a sole-source cooperative agreement focused on making occupational licenses easier to use across state lines. The core goal is to improve license portability and reduce unnecessarily burdensome licensing restrictions that can limit worker mobility, slow reemployment, and create barriers for people who move between states for personal or economic reasons. Rather than funding individual states directly, ETA intends to support one or a small number of national or regional organizations that can bring multiple states together and help them design and carry out shared strategies.
ETA indicates it may award up to a total of $7.5 million, with an expectation of around three awards. Funding is tied to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, under the State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Services Operations account, with additional direction reflected in the accompanying explanatory statement in the Congressional Record. The use of a cooperative agreement matters because it typically signals substantial federal involvement during the period of performance, meaning the grantee should expect ongoing coordination with ETA rather than operating completely independently as would be more common under a standard grant.
Eligible applicants are limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a national or regional footprint across multiple states and/or tribal areas. ETA highlights examples such as associations connected to governors offices, associations of state legislatures, associations of state licensing boards or licensing agencies, and workforce intermediaries or technical assistance organizations. The underlying idea is that the awardee needs to have enough reach and credibility to convene state decision-makers and licensing stakeholders, and to support multi-state alignment on reforms that can actually be implemented.
To be competitive, interested organizations must be able to document strong, relevant experience in three main areas. First, they need demonstrated capacity to conduct research and comparative reviews of licensing requirements and policies across multiple states or regions, since understanding differences in scope of practice, education requirements, exams, background checks, and renewal rules is often the starting point for portability solutions. Second, they must show they can coordinate and convene leaders across states (or other relevant entities) to reach agreement on a shared set of goals, an implementation plan, and a process for sustained collaboration, which is typically the hardest part of multi-state licensing work. Third, they need a track record of developing best practices and producing actionable recommendations for state-level reforms, translating research into policy options that states can adopt through legislation, regulation, interstate compacts, reciprocity agreements, model laws, or administrative changes.
The award structure anticipates that the selected organization(s) will establish consortia of states and guide those states through both design and implementation of strategies that improve portability. That can include helping states map existing barriers, identify priority occupations, develop consensus reform packages, and put in place tools that reduce friction for licensed workers who relocate. While the notice does not list specific occupations or mandated approaches, its emphasis on portability and reducing overly burdensome restrictions suggests interest in practical reforms that streamline pathways for qualified workers without unnecessary duplication of fees, training, or exams when moving to a new state.
Partnerships are allowed, and ETA explicitly notes that more than one eligible national or regional organization may team up. However, one organization must be designated as the lead partner. Cooperative agreements would be awarded only to that lead partner, which would serve as the official grantee and hold overall fiscal and administrative responsibility. Importantly, sub-grants are not permitted under this opportunity, meaning the lead organization cannot pass federal funds onward as grants to other entities. The notice leaves room for contracts and other mechanisms, so the lead could potentially procure specialized support (for example, research, facilitation, legal analysis, or communications) through allowable contracting approaches, provided those arrangements comply with the cooperative agreement terms and applicable federal requirements.
Key administrative details include the agency (ETA), the funding instrument type (cooperative agreement), the activity category (Other), and the CFDA number listed as 17.207. The original closing date for submitting a Letter of Interest is July 18, 2016, and the opportunity was created on June 17, 2016. Overall, the opportunity is structured to fund an organization that can operate as a national convenor and technical assistance hub, helping groups of states coordinate and implement real-world licensing portability solutions at scale.Apply for NOI ETA 16 14
- The Employment and Training Administration in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Occupational Licensing Review and Portability" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 17.207.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2016-06-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-07-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $7,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the Occupational Licensing Review and Portability opportunity (NOI ETA 16 14)?
It is a U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) discretionary funding notice of intent that solicits Letters of Interest for a sole-source cooperative agreement focused on improving occupational license portability across state lines and reducing unnecessarily burdensome licensing restrictions.
2. What problem is this opportunity trying to solve?
The opportunity targets licensing-related barriers that can limit worker mobility, slow reemployment, and create obstacles for people who move between states for personal or economic reasons. The intent is to make it easier for qualified workers to use an existing occupational license when relocating to another state, without unnecessary duplication of requirements.
3. Is this a grant to individual states?
No. ETA does not intend to fund individual states directly under this opportunity. Instead, ETA intends to support one or a small number of national or regional organizations that can convene multiple states and help them design and carry out shared, multi-state strategies.
4. What is the funding instrument type, and why does it matter?
The instrument is a cooperative agreement. This matters because a cooperative agreement typically signals substantial federal involvement during the period of performance. In practice, the selected organization should expect ongoing coordination with ETA, rather than operating fully independently as might be more common under a standard grant.
5. How much funding is ETA planning to award?
ETA indicates it may award up to a total of $7.5 million under this notice of intent.
6. How many awards does ETA expect to make?
The notice indicates an expectation of around three awards.
7. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a national or regional footprint across multiple states and/or tribal areas.
8. What kinds of organizations does ETA seem to be looking for?
ETA highlights examples such as associations connected to governors offices, associations of state legislatures, associations of state licensing boards or licensing agencies, and workforce intermediaries or technical assistance organizations. The common theme is having the reach and credibility to convene state decision-makers and licensing stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions.
9. Does an applicant need to work across multiple states?
Yes. The eligibility description and program intent both emphasize a national or regional footprint across multiple states (and/or tribal areas), because the work centers on bringing states together to align on portability reforms.
10. What are the main capability areas an applicant should be able to document?
The notice emphasizes three main areas of documented, relevant experience:
- Multi-state research and comparative review: capacity to review and compare licensing requirements and policies across multiple states or regions (including differences in scope of practice, education requirements, exams, background checks, and renewal rules).
- Multi-state convening and coordination: ability to coordinate and convene leaders across states (or other relevant entities) to reach agreement on shared goals, an implementation plan, and a process for sustained collaboration.
- Best practices and actionable state reform recommendations: track record of developing best practices and producing recommendations that translate research into real policy options states can adopt (through legislation, regulation, compacts, reciprocity agreements, model laws, or administrative changes).
11. What would awardees be expected to do with the funding?
The award structure anticipates that selected organization(s) will establish consortia of states and guide those states through both the design and implementation of strategies to improve license portability. Examples of expected support include mapping existing barriers, identifying priority occupations, building consensus on reform packages, and putting tools in place that reduce friction for licensed workers who relocate.
12. Does the notice require work on specific occupations?
No. The notice does not list specific occupations or mandate particular approaches. It emphasizes portability and reducing overly burdensome restrictions, suggesting interest in practical reforms that streamline pathways for qualified workers moving between states.
13. What kinds of policy or implementation approaches are contemplated?
The notice describes translating research into options that states can adopt through legislation, regulation, interstate compacts, reciprocity agreements, model laws, or administrative changes. The emphasis is on approaches that reduce unnecessary duplication of fees, training, or exams for qualified workers who relocate.
14. Are partnerships allowed under this opportunity?
Yes. ETA explicitly notes that more than one eligible national or regional organization may team up.
15. If multiple organizations partner, who receives the cooperative agreement?
One organization must be designated as the lead partner. Cooperative agreements would be awarded only to that lead partner, which becomes the official grantee and holds overall fiscal and administrative responsibility.
16. Are sub-grants allowed?
No. Sub-grants are not permitted under this opportunity, meaning the lead organization cannot pass federal funds onward as grants to other entities.
17. If sub-grants are not allowed, can the lead organization still bring in outside support?
The notice leaves room for contracts and other mechanisms. The lead organization could potentially procure specialized support (for example, research, facilitation, legal analysis, or communications) through allowable contracting approaches, as long as those arrangements comply with the cooperative agreement terms and applicable federal requirements.
18. What agency is sponsoring this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA).
19. What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 17.207.
20. What is the activity category?
The activity category is listed as "Other."
21. What is the submission deadline mentioned in the notice?
The original closing date for submitting a Letter of Interest is July 18, 2016.
22. When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on June 17, 2016.
23. What is the funding source or appropriations reference for this opportunity?
Funding is tied to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, under the State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Services Operations account, with additional direction reflected in the accompanying explanatory statement in the Congressional Record.
24. What is the overall model ETA appears to be funding?
The opportunity is structured to fund an organization that can function as a national convenor and technical assistance hub, bringing multiple states together to coordinate and implement real-world licensing portability solutions at scale, with ongoing involvement from ETA through the cooperative agreement structure.
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