(a) The local plan serves as 4-year action plan to develop, align, and integrate service delivery strategies and to support the State's vision and strategic and operational goals. The local plan sets forth the strategy to:

(1) Direct investments in economic, education, and workforce training programs to focus on providing relevant education and training to ensure that individuals, including youth and individuals with barriers to employment, have the skills to compete in the job market and that employers have a ready supply of skilled workers;

(2) Apply job-driven strategies in the one-stop delivery system;

(3) Enable economic, education, and workforce partners to build a skilled workforce through innovation in, and alignment of, employment, training, and education programs; and

(4) Incorporate the local plan into the regional plan per § 679.540.

(b) In the case of planning regions, a regional plan is required to meet the purposes described in paragraph (a) of this section and to coordinate resources among multiple WDBs in a region.

(c) The Governor must establish and disseminate to Local WDBs and regional planning areas a policy for the submission of local and regional plans. The policy must set a deadline for the submission of the regional and local plans that accounts for the activities required in plan development outlined in §§ 679.510 and 679.550.

(a) Local WDBs and chief elected officials within an identified planning region (as defined in WIOA secs. 106(a)(2)(B)-(C) and § 679.200) must:

(1) Participate in a regional planning process that results in:

(i) The preparation of a regional plan, as described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section and consistent with any guidance issued by the Department;

(ii) The establishment of regional service strategies, including use of cooperative service delivery agreements;

(iii) The development and implementation of sector initiatives for in-demand industry sectors or occupations for the planning region;

(iv) The collection and analysis of regional labor market data (in conjunction with the State) which must include the local planning requirements at § 679.560(a)(1)(i) and (ii);

(v) The coordination of administrative cost arrangements, including the pooling of funds for administrative costs, as appropriate;

(vi) The coordination of transportation and other supportive services as appropriate;

(vii) The coordination of services with regional economic development services and providers; and

(viii) The establishment of an agreement concerning how the planning region will collectively negotiate and reach agreement with the Governor on local levels of performance for, and report on, the performance accountability measures described in WIOA sec. 116(c) for local areas or the planning region.

(2) Prepare, submit, and obtain approval of a single regional plan that:

(i) Includes a description of the activities described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section; and

(ii) Incorporates local plans for each of the local areas in the planning region, consistent with § 679.540(a).

(b) Consistent with § 679.550(b), the Local WDBs representing each local area in the planning region must provide an opportunity for public comment on the development of the regional plan or subsequent plan modifications before submitting the plan to the Governor. To provide adequate opportunity for public comment, the Local WDBs must:

(1) Make copies of the proposed regional plan available to the public through electronic and other means, such as public hearings and local news media;

(2) Include an opportunity for comment by members of the public, including representatives of business, labor organizations, and education;

(3) Provide no more than a 30-day period for comment on the plan before its submission to the Governor, beginning on the date on which the proposed plan is made available; and

(4) The Local WDBs must submit any comments that express disagreement with the plan to the Governor along with the plan.

(5) Consistent with WIOA sec. 107(e), the Local WDB must make information about the plan available to the public on a regular basis through electronic means and open meetings.

(c) The State must provide technical assistance and labor market data, as requested by local areas, to assist with regional planning and subsequent service delivery efforts.

(d) As they relate to regional areas and regional plans, the terms local area and local plan are defined in WIOA secs. 106(c)(3)(A)-(B).

Consistent with the requirements of § 679.570, the Governor must review completed plans (including a modification to the plan). Such plans will be considered approved 90 days after receipt of the plan unless the Governor determines in writing that:

(a) There are deficiencies in workforce investment activities that have been identified through audits and the local area has not made acceptable progress in implementing plans to address deficiencies; or

(b) The plan does not comply with applicable provisions of WIOA and the WIOA regulations, including the required consultations and public comment provisions, and the nondiscrimination requirements of 29 CFR part 38.

(c) The plan does not align with the State Plan, including with regard to the alignment of the core programs to support the strategy identified in the State Plan in accordance with WIOA sec. 102(b)(1)(E) and § 676.105 of this chapter.

(a) Consistent with § 679.580, the Governor must establish procedures governing the modification of regional plans.

(b) At the end of the first 2-year period of the 4-year local plan, the Local WDBs within a planning region, in partnership with the appropriate chief elected officials, must review the regional plan and prepare and submit modifications to the regional plan to reflect changes:

(1) In regional labor market and economic conditions; and

(2) Other factors affecting the implementation of the local plan, including but not limited to changes in the financing available to support WIOA title I and partner-provided WIOA services.

(a) The regional plan must address the requirements at WIOA secs. 106(c)(1)(A)-(H), and incorporate the local planning requirements identified for local plans at WIOA secs. 108(b)(1)-(22).

(b) The Governor may issue regional planning guidance that allows Local WDBs and chief elected officials in a planning region to address any local plan requirements through the regional plan where there is a shared regional responsibility.

(a) Under WIOA sec. 108, each Local WDB must, in partnership with the appropriate chief elected officials, develop and submit a comprehensive 4-year plan to the Governor.

(1) The plan must identify and describe the policies, procedures, and local activities that are carried out in the local area, consistent with the State Plan.

(2) If the local area is part of a planning region, the Local WDB must comply with WIOA sec. 106(c) and §§ 679.510 through 679.540 in the preparation and submission of a regional plan.

(b) Consistent with § 679.510(b), the Local WDB must provide an opportunity for public comment on the development of the local plan or subsequent plan modifications before submitting the plan to the Governor. To provide adequate opportunity for public comment, the Local WDB must:

(1) Make copies of the proposed local plan available to the public through electronic and other means, such as public hearings and local news media;

(2) Include an opportunity for comment by members of the public, including representatives of business, labor organizations, and education;

(3) Provide no more than a 30-day period for comment on the plan before its submission to the Governor, beginning on the date on which the proposed plan is made available, prior to its submission to the Governor; and

(4) The Local WDB must submit any comments that express disagreement with the plan to the Governor along with the plan.

(5) Consistent WIOA sec. 107(e), the Local WDB must make information about the plan available to the public on a regular basis through electronic means and open meetings.

(a) The local workforce investment plan must describe strategic planning elements, including:

(1) A regional analysis of:

(i) Economic conditions including existing and emerging in-demand industry sectors and occupations; and

(ii) Employment needs of employers in existing and emerging in-demand industry sectors and occupations.

(iii) As appropriate, a local area may use an existing analysis, which is a timely current description of the regional economy, to meet the requirements of paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section;

(2) Knowledge and skills needed to meet the employment needs of the employers in the region, including employment needs in in-demand industry sectors and occupations;

(3) An analysis of the regional workforce, including current labor force employment and unemployment data, information on labor market trends, and educational and skill levels of the workforce, including individuals with barriers to employment;

(4) An analysis of workforce development activities, including education and training, in the region. This analysis must include the strengths and weaknesses of workforce development activities and capacity to provide the workforce development activities to address the education and skill needs of the workforce, including individuals with barriers to employment, and the employment needs of employers;

(5) A description of the Local WDB's strategic vision to support regional economic growth and economic self-sufficiency. This must include goals for preparing an educated and skilled workforce (including youth and individuals with barriers to employment), and goals relating to the performance accountability measures based on performance indicators described in § 677.155(a)(1) of this chapter; and

(6) Taking into account analyses described in paragraphs (a)(1) through (4) of this section, a strategy to work with the entities that carry out the core programs and required partners to align resources available to the local area, to achieve the strategic vision and goals described in paragraph (a)(5) of this section.

(b) The plan must include a description of the following requirements at WIOA secs. 108(b)(2)-(21):

(1) The workforce development system in the local area that identifies:

(i) The programs that are included in the system; and

(ii) How the Local WDB will support the strategy identified in the State Plan under § 676.105 of this chapter and work with the entities carrying out core programs and other workforce development programs, including programs of study authorized under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) to support service alignment;

(2) How the Local WDB will work with entities carrying out core programs to:

(i) Expand access to employment, training, education, and supportive services for eligible individuals, particularly eligible individuals with barriers to employment;

(ii) Facilitate the development of career pathways and co-enrollment, as appropriate, in core programs; and

(iii) Improve access to activities leading to a recognized postsecondary credential (including a credential that is an industry-recognized certificate or certification, portable, and stackable);

(3) The strategies and services that will be used in the local area:

(i) To facilitate engagement of employers in workforce development programs, including small employers and employers in in-demand industry sectors and occupations;

(ii) To support a local workforce development system that meets the needs of businesses in the local area;

(iii) To better coordinate workforce development programs and economic development;

(iv) To strengthen linkages between the one-stop delivery system and unemployment insurance programs; and

(v) That may include the implementation of initiatives such as incumbent worker training programs, on-the-job training programs, customized training programs, industry and sector strategies, career pathways initiatives, utilization of effective business intermediaries, and other business services and strategies designed to meet the needs of regional employers. These initiatives must support the strategy described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section;

(4) An examination of how the Local WDB will coordinate local workforce investment activities with regional economic development activities that are carried out in the local area and how the Local WDB will promote entrepreneurial skills training and microenterprise services;

(5) The one-stop delivery system in the local area, including:

(i) How the Local WDB will ensure the continuous improvement of eligible providers through the system and that such providers will meet the employment needs of local employers, workers, and job seekers;

(ii) How the Local WDB will facilitate access to services provided through the one-stop delivery system, including in remote areas, through the use of technology and other means;

(iii) How entities within the one-stop delivery system, including one-stop operators and the one-stop partners, will comply with WIOA sec. 188, if applicable, and applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) regarding the physical and programmatic accessibility of facilities, programs and services, technology, and materials for individuals with disabilities, including providing staff training and support for addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities; and

(iv) The roles and resource contributions of the one-stop partners;

(6) A description and assessment of the type and availability of adult and dislocated worker employment and training activities in the local area;

(7) A description of how the Local WDB will coordinate workforce investment activities carried out in the local area with statewide rapid response activities;

(8) A description and assessment of the type and availability of youth workforce investment activities in the local area including activities for youth who are individuals with disabilities, which must include an identification of successful models of such activities;

(9) How the Local WDB will coordinate relevant secondary and postsecondary education programs and activities with education and workforce investment activities to coordinate strategies, enhance services, and avoid duplication of services;

(10) How the Local WDB will coordinate WIOA title I workforce investment activities with the provision of transportation and other appropriate supportive services in the local area;

(11) Plans, assurances, and strategies for maximizing coordination, improving service delivery, and avoiding duplication of Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C. 49 et seq.) services and other services provided through the one-stop delivery system;

(12) How the Local WDB will coordinate WIOA title I workforce investment activities with adult education and literacy activities under WIOA title II. This description must include how the Local WDB will carry out the review of local applications submitted under title II consistent with WIOA secs. 107(d)(11)(A) and (B)(i) and WIOA sec. 232;

(13) Copies of executed cooperative agreements which define how all local service providers, including additional providers, will carry out the requirements for integration of and access to the entire set of services available in the local one-stop delivery system. This includes cooperative agreements (as defined in WIOA sec. 107(d)(11)) between the Local WDB or other local entities described in WIOA sec. 101(a)(11)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 721(a)(11)(B)) and the local office of a designated State agency or designated State unit administering programs carried out under title I of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 720 et seq.) (other than sec. 112 or part C of that title (29 U.S.C. 732,741. 121(f)) in accordance with sec. 101(a)(11) of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 721(a)(11)) with respect to efforts that will enhance the provision of services to individuals with disabilities and to other individuals, such as cross training of staff, technical assistance, use and sharing of information, cooperative efforts with employers, and other efforts at cooperation, collaboration, and coordination;

(14) An identification of the entity responsible for the disbursal of grant funds described in WIOA sec. 107(d)(12)(B)(i)(III), as determined by the chief elected official or the Governor under WIOA sec. 107(d)(12)(B)(i);

(15) The competitive process that will be used to award the subgrants and contracts for WIOA title I activities;

(16) The local levels of performance negotiated with the Governor and chief elected official consistent with WIOA sec. 116(c), to be used to measure the performance of the local area and to be used by the Local WDB for measuring the performance of the local fiscal agent (where appropriate), eligible providers under WIOA title I subtitle B, and the one-stop delivery system in the local area;

(17) The actions the Local WDB will take toward becoming or remaining a high-performing WDB, consistent with the factors developed by the State WDB;

(18) How training services outlined in WIOA sec. 134 will be provided through the use of individual training accounts, including, if contracts for training services will be used, how the use of such contracts will be coordinated with the use of individual training accounts under that chapter, and how the Local WDB will ensure informed customer choice in the selection of training programs regardless of how the training services are to be provided;

(19) The process used by the Local WDB, consistent with WIOA sec. 108(d), to provide a 30-day public comment period prior to submission of the plan, including an opportunity to have input into the development of the local plan, particularly for representatives of businesses, education, and labor organizations;

(20) How one-stop centers are implementing and transitioning to an integrated, technology-enabled intake and case management information system for programs carried out under WIOA and by one-stop partners; and

(21) The direction given by the Governor and the Local WDB to the one-stop operator to ensure priority for adult career and training services will be given to recipients of public assistance, other low-income individuals, and individuals who are basic skills deficient consistent with WIOA sec. 134(c)(3)(E) and § 680.600 of this chapter.

(c) The local plan must include any additional information required by the Governor.

(d) The local plan must identify the portions that the Governor has designated as appropriate for common response in the regional plan where there is a shared regional responsibility, as permitted by § 679.540(b).

(e) Comments submitted during the public comment period that represent disagreement with the plan must be submitted with the local plan.

(a) Consistent with the requirements at § 679.520 the Governor must review completed plans (including a modification to the plan). Such plans will be considered approved 90 days after the Governor receives the plan unless the Governor determines in writing that:

(1) There are deficiencies in workforce investment activities that have been identified through audits and the local area has not made acceptable progress in implementing plans to address deficiencies; or

(2) The plan does not comply with applicable provisions of WIOA and the WIOA regulations, including the required consultations and public comment provisions, and the nondiscrimination requirements of 29 CFR part 38.

(3) The plan does not align with the State Plan, including with regard to the alignment of the core programs to support the strategy identified in the State Plan in accordance with WIOA sec. 102(b)(1)(E) and § 676.105 of this chapter.

(b) In cases where the State is a single local area:

(1) The State must incorporate the local plan into the State's Unified or Combined State Plan and submit it to the U.S. Department of Labor in accordance with the procedures described in § 676.105 of this chapter.

(2) The Secretary of Labor performs the roles assigned to the Governor as they relate to local planning activities.

(3) The Secretary of Labor will issue planning guidance for such States.

(a) Consistent with the requirements at § 679.530, the Governor must establish procedures governing the modification of local plans.

(b) At the end of the first 2-year period of the 4-year local plan, each Local WDB, in partnership with the appropriate chief elected officials, must review the local plan and prepare and submit modifications to the local plan to reflect changes:

(1) In labor market and economic conditions; and

(2) Other factors affecting the implementation of the local plan, including but not limited to:

(i) Significant changes in local economic conditions;

(ii) Changes in the financing available to support WIOA title I and partner-provided WIOA services;

(iii) Changes to the Local WDB structure; and

(iv) The need to revise strategies to meet local performance goals.