(a) General. An eligible entity must follow the application guidelines issued by the Department. The Department will issue application guidelines announcing the availability of national funds and State funds, whether they are awarded on a competitive or noncompetitive basis. The guidelines will contain application due dates, application instructions, evaluation criteria, and other necessary information.

(b) National grant applicants. All applicants for SCSEP national grant funds, except for applications for grants proposing to serve older Indians and Pacific Island and Asian Americans with funds reserved under OAA § 506(a)(3), must submit their applications to the Governor, or the highest government official, of each State in which projects are proposed so that he or she has a reasonable opportunity to make the recommendations described in § 641.480, before submitting the application to the Department. (OAA § 503(a)(5)).

(c) State applicants. A State that submits a Combined State Plan under sec. 103 of WIOA may include the State's SCSEP grant application in its Combined State Plan. Any State that submits a SCSEP grant application as part of its WIOA Combined State Plan must address all of the application requirements as published in the Department's instructions. Sections 641.300 through 641.370 address State Plans and modifications.