Labor Needs To Better Manage Migrant Grants in Virginia and Improve the Process for Selecting Grantees

The Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers Association, Inc. operates employment and training programs to help migrant and other seasonal farmworkers become self-sufficient. GAO reported on the Association's 1979 performance in Virginia and the Department of Labor's selection process for 1980 awards to grantees for services to migrant and other seasonal farmworkers.

Based on reported data, the Association met or exceeded 42 percent of 36 program goals included in its grant agreement for employment, training, and such supportive services as medical assistance and child care. Achievement rates for the other 21 goals ranged from 12 to 68 percent below the established goals. The Association met 7 of 17 performance standards in these areas. Achievement rates for the 10 standards not met ranged from 8 to 65 percent below standards. These data, however, were reported in a manner which made it difficult to evaluate the adequacy of the Association's overall performance. Labor did not enforce compliance with performance standards and provided little monitoring of the Association's activities. It has not applied existing performance standards to migrant grantees because of reservations about the reasonableness of the standards. The failure to require compliance with the standards was not unique to the Virginia grantee, but pertained to migrant grantees nationwide. The Labor representative was unable to tell GAO how effective the Association's program was in Virginia. Despite the mixed performance results and the limitations on program assessment, Labor officials and an accounting firm which has audited many migrant grantees nationwide told GAO that the Association is one of the better program performers. Shortcomings in the process Labor used to select the fiscal year 1980 grantee for Virginia could have limited Labor's ability to select the organization most qualified to deliver program services.

Recommendations

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