Section 493 - Employment opportunities incentive grant program(a) The Department of Labor and Industry is hereby authorized to make grants to vocational schools, institutions of higher learning, and commercial and nonprofit enterprises for the implementation of projects to provide for employment opportunities for welfare recipients. These grants shall: (1) support training programs necessary for structurally unemployed persons to obtain and retain bona fide employment;(2) develop and implement programs to reduce welfare dependency and chronic unemployment;(3) improve and diversify the economic base of communities to increase the number of unsubsidized jobs for the chronically unemployed; and(4) support and encourage employment opportunities programs for low-income community residents and provide them the opportunity to become self-sustaining.(b) The Department of Labor and Industry may contract with grantees after:(1) Establishing bid requirements and a specific request for proposal.(2) Advertising the request for proposal in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and circulating the request for proposal through interested eligible groups.(3) Bids shall be opened in a public meeting with all potential vendors notified.(4) Bids shall be evaluated by the department.(c) Prior to the awarding of a grant the Department of Labor and Industry shall submit a copy of the request for a proposal and the bid application of the prospective grantee or prospective grantees to the Chairman of the Health and Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Public Health and Welfare Committee of the Senate.(d) Projects receiving grants under this section shall demonstrate the following: (1) Linkage with and participation of the county boards of assistance.(2) Provisions for support services such as remedial and career education, academic education, counseling, in-service training and job-based curriculums.(3) Demonstrate that funding would result in the creation of permanent private job opportunities.(4) Demonstrate previous capability to administer programs of this nature.(e) The Department of Labor and Industry, in order to effectuate and enforce the provisions of this section, shall promulgate necessary rules and regulations and prescribe conditions and procedures in order to assure compliance with this section.(f) Grants under this section will be available through December 31, 1985, unless reenacted by the General Assembly. The Department of Labor and Industry shall report to the General Assembly on the effectiveness of the Employment Opportunities Incentive Grant Program annually. The annual report shall include, but not be limited to, the cost incurred by the department to administer the program, the number and the type of unsubsidized jobs made available as a result of the program, the number of welfare recipients removed from the welfare rolls as a result of the program and the projected savings to the Department of Public Welfare as a result of the program.1967, June 13, P.L. 31, No. 21, art. 4, § 493, added 1982, April 8, P.L. 231, No. 75, § 23, effective in 60 days.