Section 2: Contractor-Based Goals
Each year, CIV sets an overall agency goal on the number of trainees to be enrolled for the calendar year based on the construction letting for the previous fiscal year. Contractors who have met the minimum totals awarded each year are notified of their annual goal by January 31.
The contractor-based program offers contractors the flexibility in selecting what projects they can place trainees on by removing project-specific based goals. Additional training requirements include:
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- Training must commence on a federal-aid highway construction project which also must contain the applicable OJT special provision. If not, a change order must be generated; and Anchor: #SNDNVLSD
- Training may occur on Department construction, maintenance, and local-administered federal-aid projects, with approval of that local entity.
7.2.1 Goal Methodology
Each year, the ranges will be reviewed to maximize training potential. The formula for assigning annual goals is illustrated in the following table:
Figure 7-1.
Anchor: #i9995917.2.2 Reporting Requirements
Within 60 days of annual notification, at least one trainee must be enrolled into the program. If a trainee has not been enrolled, then the contractor must submit the Contractor OJT Plan form to CIV that specifies how the contractor intends to satisfy its goal.
Should the contractor not have any individuals enrolled or undergoing training as indicated in the Contractor OJT Plan form, the following information must be provided to CIV:
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- An updated Contractor OJT Plan form; Anchor: #VLQBGNXX
- A listing of recruitment sources used for minority, women, and disadvantaged individuals, such as minority, women, and disadvantaged community organizations, faith based organizations, Texas Workforce Commission, associations, and recruitment area newspapers; Anchor: #ENEQDJHU
- A copy of the applicant log that shows name of the applicant, gender, race/ethnicity, and date of application; and Anchor: #TYWXNHMR
- The Metropolitan Statistical Area(s) or other statistical defined area used for outreach and recruitment where each of the contractor’s projects is located. Anchor: #DJJGIDMQ
- The contractor must submit the Federal OJT Program Enrollment Form to CIV within seven business days of its intent to assign trainees to a project and the training classification to be utilized.
The contractor must report on the previous month’s OJT activity by submitting the Federal OJT Program Monthly Reporting Form to each applicable Area Office(s) where training occurred by the 10th of each month. A copy must also be submitted to CIV. If there are no hours worked during the month, zero hours should be reported. The certified payroll must reflect the trainee’s training classification and the actual number of hours training for that payroll period. Upon graduation or termination, include this information on the monthly report. Additionally, reimbursement may be requested utilizing this form.
If a trainee is transferred to another project, the contractor must notify both the Area Engineer on the previous project and the Area Engineer on the project the trainee is being transferred to in advance.
The contractor will utilize the appropriate forms as described herein to notify the Department of the termination of a trainee and the enrollment of a replacement trainee.
Copies of the Contractor OJT Plan form and the OJT reporting forms are located in Appendix C.
Anchor: #i9996517.2.3 Banking Credit
In addition to the goal credit guidelines previously outlined, contractors assigned an annual goal have the opportunity to pursue additional OJT credits once the assigned goal has been met. This is referred to as “banking.” In the event the contractor has additional trainees that have graduated from the OJT program or that have been approved for good faith effort, the contractor may bank the additional credit(s) toward the following year’s goal. Contractors may also bank credits for the following year for graduates hired from TCCA academies (see section Goal Credit Guidelines for more information). However, if the contractor is not assigned an annual goal in the following year, goal credit will be lost.