1. a) the appropriateness of the targeted industries and occupations;
2. b) the appropriateness of the targeted student population;
3. c) the efforts to recruit female and minority students into the project;
4. d) the strength of the local partnership and private sector involvement;
5. e) the related experience and qualifications of the project staff;
6. f) the quality of the project work plan;

7. g) the proposed project costs in relationship to planned outcomes;

   1. h) the relationship of the project to the Department's economic development plans and initiatives;

8. i) the geographic distribution of grant awards throughout the State; and

   1. j) the quality of presentations made to the Department, if the Department requests information. (Section 45 of the Act)

Grant proposals shall be reviewed using the criteria outlined in this Section. Based on the review, applicants shall be selected to enter into negotiations with the Department for a grant. The purpose of negotiations shall be to arrive at mutually acceptable grant provisions, which will be reflected in the Grant Agreement, including general, budgetary, and scope-of-work provisions. The final decision to make a grant award will be made by the Director of the Department. The Department shall use the following criteria when reviewing grant proposals and making awards:

(Source: Amended at 30 Ill. Reg. 7741, effective April 10, 2006)