261—23.9 (15) Requirements for the career link program. Projects funded through the career link program assist the unemployed and underemployed to obtain the training and skills necessary to move into available higher-skill, higher-paying jobs.
	 23.9(1) Restrictions on applicants.
	  a.   	 Identified positions shall pay an average starting wage that meets or exceeds the lower of 100 percent of the average county wage or 100 percent of the average regional wage.
	  b.   	 Applications shall include evidence of business participation in the curriculum design and evidence that a number of positions are available equal to or greater than the number of persons to be trained.
	  c.   	 The project length shall not exceed 24 months.
	  d.   	 Applicants may use awarded funds for training, transportation and child care costs. Up to 5 percent of funds may be used for administration.
	  e.   	 Rescinded IAB 1/19/05, effective 2/23/05.
	 23.9(2) Application procedure. Application forms and instructions shall be available upon request from IDED, Community Development Division, 200 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50309; telephone (515)242-4783. An original and five copies of completed applications shall be submitted to the same address. IDED shall accept career link applications at any time and shall review applications on a continuous basis until all program funds are obligated or the program is discontinued.
	 23.9(3) Review criteria. IDED shall review applications and make funding decisions based on the following criteria:
	  1. 	 Quality of the jobs available and business participation.
	  2. 	 Merit of the proposed training plan.
	  3. 	 Degree to which career link funds are leveraged by other funding sources.
	  4. 	 Merit of the recruitment/job matching plan.
	  5. 	 Scope of project benefit relative to the amount of funds invested.