FY 2026 LMI Memo

U.S. Department of Labor U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

4600 Silver Hill Road

Washington, D.C. 20212-0002

DATE: July xx, 2025

LMI Technical Memorandum No. S-25-

MEMORANDUM FOR: STATE WORKFORCE AGENCY ADMINISTRATORS
AND BLS REGIONAL COMMISSIONERS

FROM: URSULA Y. OLIVER
Associate Commissioner
Office of Field Operations

SUBJECT: FY 2026 Labor Market Information (LMI) Cooperative Agreement Application Package

Purpose

The purpose of this memorandum is to transmit the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Labor Market Information (LMI) Cooperative Agreement (CA) application package and to provide information about the application process.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Paperwork Reduction Act Approval

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) received OMB approval of a generic LMI CA application package through June 30, 2027. Under this approval, changes in the work statements will be reviewed every year by the OMB and published in the Federal Register for 30 days if any of the changes are deemed substantive to the information collection burden. The OMB approval number for the LMI CA is 1220‑0079.

Summary of Changes

Along with some routine updates of reference dates, editorial updates, and clarifying changes, we have made other, minor changes to the CA, though none substantively affecting the information collection burden. These changes are described below, organized by Part and Section of the CA.

PART I., ADMINSTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

Updates were made throughout the Administrative Requirements section to various references due to 2 CFR 200 revisions.

Section G., Cost Guidelines

Language was updated to replace “Division of Cost Determination” with “DOL Cost and Price Determination Division”.

Section H., Reporting

Language was updated to add the phrase, “within 120 days after the period of performance” to provide the final FFR due date at closeout.

Section P. Procurement

Language was updated due to 2 CFR 200 revisions to change the threshold from $5,000 to $10,000 when referring to BLS approval prior to the procurement of information technology equipment.

Section T., Data and Communications Safeguards

T.5. Locations

Language was updated to remove the Postal Square Building as a location where components of the BLS network resides.

T.16. Connection Safeguards

Hyperlink was added to the NIST Special Publication 800-171 reference. The hyperlink was updated from revision 2 to revision 3.

T.17. Cloud Service Providers

Language was updated to remove the NIST Special Publication 800-171 hyperlink and preceding sentence. The removed section was a duplicate of a section within T.16, Connection Safeguards.

T.18. Artificial Intelligence

A new section, Artificial Intelligence, was added to provide data and communication safeguards guidance.

Old T. 24-27

The previously separated sections were updated to bullets under the new T.24, Authorizing Official Resolution and Consent to Monitoring.

Instructions for Completing the LMI Obligations and Expenditures (ObEx) Form

Section B – Comparative Data

Language was updated to add the phrase, “to match the current PMS FCO report, which includes only Federal Funds”.

Section C – Remarks

Language was updated to add the sentence, “Any excess expenditures incurred and paid for using state funds should be noted in the remarks section.”

PART II., APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

C.1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

C.1.b. Instructions for SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

C.1.b.5a. Language was updated to replace “Leave blank” with “This section is not editable”.

C.1.b.5b. Language was updated to replace “Leave blank” with “This section is not editable”.

C.1.b.8e. Language was updated to add “Enter appropriate organizational unit” as an option for the Application Information Section e. Organizational Unit field.

C.1.b.9. Language was updated to replace “Enter” with “Select” indicating a selection is made from a drop-down menu.

C.1.b.10. Language was updated to replace “Enter Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics” with “This field is prepopulated by GrantSolutions”.

C.1.b.11. Language was updated to replace “Enter 17.002; CFDA Title: “Labor Force Statistics” with “These fields are prepopulated by GrantSolutions”.

C.1.b.21. Language was updated to indicate that the Authorized Representative’s information must be entered and is not prepopulated.

Language was updated to include checking the “I AGREE” box as a submission requirement.

C.10. Budget Information Form (BIF)

C.10.b. Specific Instructions - Section B (Budget Summary by Activity (Federal Funds only)

C.10.b. Language was updated to change the threshold for equipment and supplies from $5, 000 to $10,000 due to 2 CFR 200 revisions.

PART III., APPLICATION MATERIALS

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS PROGRAM FOR THE 50 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Section D., Quality Assurance Requirements

D.1. Language was updated to include the reference from the LMI Cooperative Agreement in Section T., Data and Communications Safeguards, where standards are outlined regarding non-disclosure of respondent data.

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS PROGRAM FOR PUERTO RICO

Section D., Quality Assurance Requirements

D.1. Language was updated to include the reference from the LMI Cooperative Agreement in Section T., Data and Communications Safeguards, where standards are outlined regarding non-disclosure of respondent data.

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS PROGRAM FOR THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

Section D., Quality Assurance Requirements

D.1. Language was updated to include the reference from the LMI Cooperative Agreement in Section T., Data and Communications Safeguards, where standards are outlined regarding non-disclosure of respondent data.

LOCAL AREA UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS PROGRAM

Section A., Program Information

Language in the first paragraph was updated to remove the sentence, “Estimates for OMB areas in the six New England states are based on the New England City and Town Area (NECTA) concept.”, because it is no longer applicable.

Section B., Deliverables

B.2.a. Language was updated to remove "(NECTA equivalents in New England)”.

OCCUPATIONAL EMPLOYMENT AND WAGE STATISTICS PROGRAM

Section A., Program Information

Language was updated in paragraph four to revise the phrase "with an email address provided”, add the phrase “from prior OEWS reports, or from QCEW.”, and remove the phrase "may use email address that respondents used to report to OEWS in the past, but”.

Language was updated in paragraph five to replace the phrase “all of the autocoder output” with “the codes” and replace “entering” with “saving”.

The dates on the OEWS Deliverables by Panel table were updated for FY 2026.

Section B., Deliverables

B.1. Language was updated to indicate the due date of when the state will publish the BLS-approved OEWS estimates and to specify the publication requirements.

B.2. Language was updated to add the phrase “The state will” and remove “Washington”.

B.3.a Language was updated to replace “Refined” with “Refinement of”.

B.3.b Language was updated in the first sentence to replace “Clean” with the phrase “Collection and coding that results in an”.

Language was updated to replace the phrase “deliverable containing” with “that yields”.

Language was updated to remove “usable” when referring to the response rate, add “reported” when referring to wages, and add “sampled” when referring to the units or employment area.

Language was updated to remove the second sentence.

Language was updated to specify three requirements of the interim master file.

B.3.c Language was updated in the first sentence to replace “Clean” with “Collection and coding that results in”, replace the phrase “file deliverable containing usable responses for” with “files that yield”, add “at least” and “response rate” when referring to the percentage of the three sample areas, and remove “for each of the OEWS panels”.

Language was updated in the last sentence to specify that the requirements are for both panels combined and to specify three requirements of the final master file.

Section E., Exclusions

Language was updated to add the phrase “(excluding estimate review)” at the end of the sentence.

QUARTERLY CENSUS OF EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES

Section B., Deliverables

B.1. The due dates were updated to FY 2026.

B.5. Language was updated to move the old section B.6 and remove the phrase “(formally known as the BLS subset due date),” from the old section B.6.

B.6. Language was updated to move the old section B.5 and simplify the requirements when referring to the request of additional EQUI records.

Section C., Program Performance Requirements

C.5. Language was updated to add “/email blasts" as an option.

Language was updated to replace “or a state can send in a BLS 3023 NCA form to collect this information on a flow basis” with “/email blasts”.

C.6.a. Language was updated to add “All” when referring to the units.

C.11 Language was updated to change “3.0” to “3.5” percent when referring to total employment in county code 995.

C.12 Language was updated to change “1.0” to “1.5” percent when referring to total employment in county code 999.

Section F., Data Sharing Blanket Approval

F.1. Language was updated to remove the phrase “BLS researchers and” to specify with whom the state authorizes the BLS to share the microdata and macrodata.

Language was updated to remove “If box F1 is checked, F4 does not need to be checked”.

Language was updated to add the first sentence from the old section F.4., add the phrase “In effect,” at the beginning of the sentence, and add “microdata”.

Old F.4 was removed except for the first sentence which was combined into F.1.

Section G., Wage Records

A new section, Wage Records, was added to provide guidance in the participation of the BLS Wage Records Program.

Section H., Explanation of Variances

This section, Explanation of Variances, was the old Section G.

Fund Ledger Codes (FLCs)

State agencies are requested to use the following State Employment Security Agency Cost Accounting System like fund ledger codes (FLCs), or their Financial Accounting and Reporting System equivalents, for the programs and activities funded during FY 2026. Where these codes cannot be accommodated in state accounting systems, state agencies will still need to know these FLCs for drawing down funds, since they are used as subaccount numbers within the HHS Payment Management System. Where states must use different FLCs than those that follow, they must inform regional staff of the numbers used to identify the BLS LMI programs.

PROGRAM	FLC	AAMC	FLC
CES	91216	CES	91416
LAUS	91226	LAUS	91426
OEWS	91236	OEWS	91436
QCEW	91246	QCEW	91446

Certification of Staff Time Charging

According to 2 CFR 200, Subpart E (Cost Principles), state staff must accurately reflect their time according to the activity worked.

Furthermore, for any state staff member who reports to a supervisor responsible for more than one Federal award or cost objective, and the employee charges only against one award, the state grantee must certify semi-annually that the work being charged for that employee relates exclusively to that award. See 2 CFR 200, Subpart E (Cost Principles) General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost for further guidance on this requirement. Note that states with time and attendance systems that account for employees’ time at the project code level on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis are already in compliance with this requirement.

Policy on Staff Time Charging

To properly administer BLS programs, the states must adhere to the following BLS policy on staff time charging:

1. When submitting financial reports, the states must certify that the reports are correct and, thus, that time charges are accurately recorded.

2. The states should use the budget variance process as the correct mechanism to balance marginal differences in spending among the programs.

3. Regional staff are required to report any indication of misrepresentation of staff working on their program.

The BLS regional offices are required to review BLS policy on staff time charging and other administrative reporting requirements with state LMI Directors on an annual basis.

Financial Reporting Requirements

By signing the CA, grantees are agreeing to the financial reporting requirements it contains. State agencies are reminded of the requirement in the All Programs work statement concerning financial reporting, “D. Submission of Reports.” Monthly financial reports must be submitted to the BLS regional office within 30 days of the end of the reporting period. As with all other requirements, if a state anticipates that it will be unable to comply with the requirement, it must apply for and receive approval for a variance.

In addition, the FFR must be completed online at HHS-PMS. The FFR must be completed within 30 days of the end of the quarter. In addition, a final FFR must be completed at closeout within 120 days after the period of performance. If the state fails to complete the report within this time frame, a hold will be placed on their HHS-PMS account until the FFR has been filed.

Forms Reminder

Grantees are requested to use only the most up-to-date forms when submitting their CA application, any subsequent CA amendments, and their CA closeout. The most up-to-date forms are included in this CA application. The CA application can be found on GrantSolutions. The CA amendments and closeout forms can be found on StateWeb.

Action Required

State agencies are requested to submit any amendments to their FY 2026 CAs in GrantSolutions.

SCHEDULE

Action	Date
Review and discussion with states on the 2026 CA	July-August 2025
2026 LMI CA Variance Requests due in national office (NO)	July 7-11, 2025
2026 LMI CA applications submitted in GrantSolutions to begin regional office (RO) review	To be set by RO
2025 LMI CA amendments to deobligate funding to be reused by the program submitted in GrantSolutions	July 14, 2025
2025 LMI CA amendments to add funding to the CAs submitted in GrantSolutions	July 31, 2025
ROs complete review of FY 2026 LMI CAs in GrantSolutions	TBD
Final 2025 LMI CA amendments to deobligate funding to be returned to the NO submitted in GrantSolutions	September 12, 2025
Effective date of 2026 CA	October 1, 2025

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to the BLS regional office.

Effective Date

Immediately.

Attachments

Attachment 1: 2026 Labor Market Information Cooperative Agreement