For the purpose of this subpart, the following definitions shall apply, unless the context requires otherwise:

(a) Actions, identified by letter and number, shall refer to those items identified in the process flow chart. (Appendix D);

(b) Affirmative Action Plan means a written positive management tool of a total equal opportunity program indicating the action steps for all organizational levels of a contractor to initiate and measure equal opportunity program progress and effectiveness. (The Special Provisions [23 CFR part 230 A, appendix A] and areawide plans are Affirmative Action Plans.);

(c) Affirmative Actions means the efforts exerted towards achieving equal opportunity through positive, aggressive, and continuous result-oriented measures to correct past and present discriminatory practices and their effects on the conditions and privileges of employment. These measures include, but are not limited to, recruitment, hiring, promotion, upgrading, demotion, transfer, termination, compensation, and training;

(d) Areawide Plan means an Affirmative Action Plan approved by the Department of Labor to increase minority and female utilization in crafts of the construction industry in a specified geographical area pursuant to E.O. 11246, as amended, and taking the form of either a “Hometown” or an “Imposed” Plan.

(1) Hometown Plan means a voluntary areawide agreement usually developed by representatives of labor unions, minority organizations, and contractors, and approved by the OFCCP for the purpose of implementing the equal employment opportunity requirements pursuant to E.O. 11246, as amended;

(2) Imposed Plan means mandatory affirmative action requirements for a specified geographical area issued by OFCCP and, in some areas, by the courts;

(e) Compliance Specialist means a Federal or State employee regularly employed and experienced in civil rights policies, practices, procedures, and equal opportunity compliance review and evaluation functions;

(f) Consolidated Compliance Review means a review and evaluation of all significant construction employment in a specific geographical (target) area;

(g) Construction shall have the meanings set forth in 41 CFR 60-1.3(e) and 23 U.S.C. 101(a). References in both definitions to expenses or functions incidental to construction shall include preliminary engineering work in project development or engineering services performed by or for a SHA;

(h) Corrective Action Plan means a contractor's unequivocal written and signed commitment outlining actions taken or proposed, with time limits and goals, where appropriate to correct, compensate for, and remedy each violation of the equal opportunity requirements as specified in a list of deficiencies. (Sometimes called a conciliation agreement or a letter of commitment.);

(i) Contractor means, any person, corporation, partnership, or unincorporated association that holds a FHWA direct or federally assisted construction contract or subcontract regardless of tier;

(j) Days shall mean calendar days;

(k) Discrimination means a distinction in treatment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin;

(l) Equal Employment Opportunity means the absence of partiality or distinction in employment treatment, so that the right of all persons to work and advance on the basis of merit, ability, and potential is maintained;

(m) Equal Opportunity Compliance Review means an evaluation and determination of a nonexempt direct Federal or Federal-aid contractor's or subcontractor's compliance with equal opportunity requirements based on:

(1) Project work force—employees at the physical location of the construction activity;

(2) Area work force—employees at all Federal-aid, Federal, and non-Federal projects in a specific geographical area as determined under § 230.409 (b)(9); or

(3) Home office work force—employees at the physical location of the corporate, company, or other ownership headquarters or regional managerial, offices, including “white collar” personnel (managers, professionals, technicians, and clericals) and any maintenance or service personnel connected thereto;

(n) Equal Opportunity Requirements is a general term used throughout this document to mean all contract provisions relative to equal employment opportunity (EEO), subcontracting, and training;

(o) Good Faith Effort means affirmative action measures designed to implement the established objectives of an Affirmative Action Plan;

(p) Show Cause Notice means a written notification to a contractor based on the determination of the reviewer (or in appropriate cases by higher level authority) to be in noncompliance with the equal opportunity requirements. The notice informs the contractor of the specific basis for the determination and provides the opportunity, within 30 days from receipt, to present an explanation why sanctions should not be imposed;

(q) State highway agency (SHA) means that department, commission, board, or official of any State charged by its laws with the responsibility for highway construction. The term State should be considered equivalent to State highway agency. With regard to direct Federal contracts, references herein to SHA's shall be considered to refer to FHWA regional offices, as appropriate.