The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department), announces the grant for one cooperative agreement to fund a technical assistance project in support of Ecuador to improve adherence to international labor standards, specifically related to child labor, forced labor, and the promotion of labor rights, within the agricultural sector, particularly in the banana and cut flower supply chains.
This project seeks to address evidence regarding the prevalence of child labor in the banana and cut flower sectors, as well as to build awareness and capacity to mitigate the risk of other labor rights abuses, including forced labor, and to support efforts to address occupational safety and health issues.
In support of the project objective, the project will use an area-based approach to achieve the following:
Outcome 1: Increased capacity of government officials to enforce labor laws specifically related to child labor, forced labor, occupational safety and health and other labor rights in the agricultural sector.
Outcome 2: Increased worker knowledge about child labor, forced labor, occupational safety and health and other labor rights in the agricultural sector.
Outcome 3: Increased worker access to remediation of labor law violations within the agricultural sector.
Funding Information
Funding will be provided in the form of a cooperative agreement. Approximately $4,740,000 total costs is expected to be available to fund approximately 1 (one) award(s). Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $4,740,000 total costs. Awards made under this announcement are subject to the availability of federal funds.
The required period of performance is 48 months from the effective date of the award. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities.
Eligibility Criteria
The following organizations are eligible to apply:
U.S. organizations:
Nonprofits, including any faith-based organizations or community-based organizations
Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education o Private Institutions of Higher Education
For-Profit organizations
Non-U.S. organizations:
Non-U.S. Entities, including PIOs
Applicants do not need previous experience managing federal awards, but they must speak persuasively about their ability to leverage other previous experience and bring it to scale in support of a large federal investment.
Ineligibility Criteria
Organizations designated by the U.S. Government to be associated with terrorism.
Organizations designated by the U.S. Government to have been debarred or suspended.
Organizations planning to charge a fee (profit) associated with a project funded by a USDOL award.
Foreign governments and entities that are agencies of, or operated by or for, a foreign state or government are not eligible to apply. However, they may be eligible to participate as a subrecipient in certain instances, subject to USDOL approval. NOTE: If an exception to this subrecipient eligibility criterion might be appropriate, the application must include a detailed justification for the possible exception. USDOL funds are not intended to duplicate existing foreign government efforts or substitute for activities for which such governments have already assumed responsibility. USDOL will make eligibility decisions on a case-by-case basis after receiving the application.
