(a) A program sponsor will be eligible to apply for apprenticeship funding through the Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development based on the following:

1. (1) Number of contact hours of related technical instruction as approved in their apprenticeship standards;
2. (2) Number of apprentices;
3. (3) Number of qualified instructors;
4. (4) Length of the apprenticeship program; and
5. (5) Any other factors outlined in the Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development funding guidelines for the fiscal year.

(b)

1. (1) The Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development shall develop application packets which shall be sent to program sponsors seeking funding to support apprenticeship within the State of Arkansas.
2. (2) The Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development shall establish an application deadline in consultation with the Arkansas Apprenticeship Coordination Steering Committee.
3. (3) The Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development will approve or deny all applications based on guidelines approved by the Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development in consultation with the committee.
4. (4) The Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development will approve or deny applications within sixty (60) days following the application deadline.
5. (5) Local education entities and program sponsors that do not submit an application within the specified deadline will not be eligible for Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development funding for the contract year.
6. (6) The Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development shall make every reasonable effort to give statewide notification to potential program sponsors of the amount of funding available to support apprenticeship training programs during the current fiscal year.

(c)

1. (1) The Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development shall establish contact hour reimbursement rates in consultation with the committee.
2. (2) Apprenticeship training programs will be reimbursed up to the contact hour reimbursement rate based off actual qualified instructor expenses incurred.
3. (3) Correspondence courses used to deliver related technical instruction do not have contact hours and are not eligible for funding under this section.
4. (4) The Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development shall include information concerning reimbursement procedures in its funding guidelines.

(d)

1. (1) If the Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development has remaining apprenticeship reimbursement funds at the end of the fiscal year, accepted applicants may submit reimbursement requests for administrative expenses incurred during the fiscal year.
2. (2) An apprenticeship training program will not be eligible to receive more than fifteen percent (15%) of the total amount received for qualified instructor reimbursement as reimbursement for administrative expenses.

3. (3) Administrative expenses eligible for reimbursement include the following:

   1. (A) Payroll costs, including salaries and fringe benefits, for:

(i) Supervisors;

1. (ii) A secretary;

   1. (iii) A clerk; and

      1. (iv) Instructors;

   2. (B)

      1. (i) Contract or service costs.
      2. (ii) Instruction space rentals are eligible for reimbursement under this provision.
      3. (iii) Consulting fees are not eligible for reimbursement; and

   3. (C) Supplies and instructional materials including, but not limited to:

      1. (i) Stationary;
      2. (ii) Pens and pencils;
      3. (iii) Workbooks; and
      4. (iv) Consumable construction and industrial materials used by the apprentice.

(e)

1. (1) All apprenticeship programs approved for funding shall be required to submit apprentice information to the Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development via the Arkansas Apprenticeship Portal.

2. (2) The required apprentice information includes, but is not limited to:

   1. (A) New apprentice;
   2. (B) Suspensions;
   3. (C) Cancellations;
   4. (D) Transfers;
   5. (E) Completion;
   6. (F) Semester hours earned;
   7. (G) The employer list outlined in Arkansas Code § 6-52-208(e)(1); and
   8. (H) All other information outlined in the agreement between the apprenticeship program and the Office of Apprenticeship of the Office of Skills Development.