Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

Title 20 - Employees' Benefits last revised: Sep 30, 2024
§ 668.600 - To whom is the INA grantee accountable for the provision of services and the expenditure of INA funds?

(a) The INA grantee is responsible to the Native American community to be served by INA funds.

(b) The INA grantee is also responsible to the Department of Labor, which is charged by law with ensuring that all WIA funds are expended:

(1) According to applicable laws and regulations;

(2) For the benefit of the identified Native American client group; and

(3) For the purposes approved in the grantee's plan and signed grant document.

§ 668.610 - How is this accountability documented and fulfilled?

(a) Each INA grantee must establish its own internal policies and procedures to ensure accountability to the INA grantee's governing body, as the representative of the Native American community(ies) served by the INA program. At a minimum, these policies and procedures must provide a system for governing body review and oversight of program plans and measures and standards for program performance.

(b) Accountability to the Department is accomplished in part through on-site program reviews (monitoring), which strengthen the INA grantee's capability to deliver effective services and protect the integrity of Federal funds.

(c) In addition to audit information, as described at § 668.850 and program reviews, accountability to the Department is documented and fulfilled by the submission of reports. For the purposes of report submission, a postmark or date indicating receipt by a private express delivery service is acceptable proof of timely submission. These report requirements are as follows:

(1) Each INA grantee must submit an annual report on program participants and activities. This report must be received no later than 90 days after the end of the Program Year, and may be combined with the report on program expenditures. The reporting format is developed by DINAP, in consultation with the Native American Advisory Council, and published in the Federal Register.

(2) Each INA grantee must submit an annual report on program expenditures. This report must be received no later than 90 days after the end of the Program Year, and may be combined with the report on program participants and activities.

(3) INA grantees are encouraged, but not required, to submit a descriptive narrative with their annual reports describing the barriers to successful plan implementation they have encountered. This narrative should also discuss program successes and other notable occurrences that effected the INA grantee's overall performance that year.

(4) Each INA grantee may be required to submit interim reports on program participants and activities and/or program expenditures during the Program Year. Interim reports must be received no later than 45 days after the end of the reporting period.

§ 668.620 - What performance measures are in place for the INA program?

Indicators of performance measures and levels of performance in use for INA program will be those indicators and standards proposed in individual grantee plans and approved by us, in accordance with guidelines we will develop in consultation with INA grantees under WIA section 166(h)(2)(A).

§ 668.630 - What are the requirements for preventing fraud and abuse under section 166?

(a) Each INA grantee must implement program and financial management procedures to prevent fraud and abuse. Such procedures must include a process which enables the grantee to take action against contractors or subgrantees to prevent any misuse of funds. (WIA sec. 184.)

(b) Each INA grantee must have rules to prevent conflict of interest by its governing body. These conflict of interest rules must include a rule prohibiting any member of any governing body or council associated with the INA grantee from voting on any matter which would provide a direct financial benefit to that member, or to a member of his or her immediate family, in accordance with 20 CFR 667.200(a)(4) and 29 CFR 97.36(b) or 29 CFR 95.42.

(c) Officers or agents of the INA grantee must not solicit or personally accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from any actual or potential contractor, subgrantee, vendor or participant. This rule must also apply to officers or agents of the grantee's contractors and/or subgrantees. This prohibition does not apply to:

(1) Any rebate, discount or similar incentive provided by a vendor to its customers as a regular feature of its business;

(2) Items of nominal monetary value distributed consistent with the cultural practices of the Native American community served by the grantee.

(d) No person who selects program participants or authorizes the services provided to them may select or authorize services to any participant who is such a person's husband, wife, father, mother, brother, sister, son, or daughter unless:

(1)(i) The participant involved is a low income individual; or

(ii) The community in which the participant resides has a population of less than 1,000 Native American people; and

(2) The INA grantee has adopted and implemented the policy described in the Two Year Plan to prevent favoritism on behalf of such relatives.

(e) INA grantees are subject to the provisions of 41 U.S.C. 53 relating to kickbacks.

(f) No assistance provided under this Act may involve political activities. (WIA sec. 195(6).)

(g) INA grantees may not use funds under this Act for lobbying, as provided in 29 CFR part 93.

(h) The provisions of 18 U.S.C. 665 and 666 prohibiting embezzlement apply to programs under WIA.

(i) Recipients of financial assistance under WIA section 168 are prohibited from discriminatory practices as outlined at WIA section 188, and the regulations implementing WIA section 188, at 29 CFR part 37. However, this does not affect the legal requirement that all INA participants be Native American. Also, INA grantees are not obligated to serve populations other than those for which they were designated.

§ 668.640 - What grievance systems must a section 166 program provide?

INA grantees must establish grievance procedures consistent with the requirements of WIA section 181(c) and 20 CFR 667.600.

§ 668.650 - Can INA grantees exclude segments of the eligible population?

(a) No, INA grantees cannot exclude segments of the eligible population. INA grantees must document in their Two Year Plan that a system is in place to afford all members of the eligible population within the service area for which the grantee was designated an equitable opportunity to receive WIA services and activities.

(b) Nothing in this section restricts the ability of INA grantees to target subgroups of the eligible population (for example, the disabled, substance abusers, TANF recipients, or similar categories), as outlined in an approved Two Year Plan. However, it is unlawful to target services to subgroups on grounds prohibited by WIA section 188 and 29 CFR part 37, including tribal affilitation (which is considered national origin). Outreach efforts, on the other hand, may be targeted to any subgroups.

authority: Secs. 506(c) and 166(h)(2), Pub. L. 105-220; 20 U.S.C. 9276(c); 29 U.S.C. 2911(h)(2)
source: 65 FR 49435, Aug. 11, 2000, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 20 CFR 668.650