The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department), announces the availability of approximately $5,000,000 total costs for one cooperative agreement to fund a technical assistance project, in Zambia, to reduce child labor and forced labor in critical mineral producing communities.
ILAB leads the U.S. Government’s (USG) efforts to improve working conditions and fight labor exploitation around the world. ILAB’s mission is to strengthen global labor standards, enforce labor commitments among trading partners, promote racial and gender equity, and combat international child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking. ILAB’s Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking (OCFT) works to eliminate child labor, forced labor and human trafficking through international research, policy engagement, and technical cooperation.
The project will aim to achieve the following outcomes:
Outcome 1: Increased capacity of government to address child labor and forced labor in critical mineral producing communities.
Outcome 2: Increased resiliency of members of vulnerable households in communities producing critical minerals.
Applicants must propose working in mining communities in two of the following provinces: Northwestern, Copperbelt, Central and/or Luapula. Applicants must propose utilizing an integrated area-based approach to address child labor and promote sustainable community solutions to reduce the impact on children in relation to increases in the demand for critical minerals.
Award Information
Funding will be provided in the form of a cooperative agreement. Approximately $5,000,000 total costs are expected to be available to fund approximately 1 (one) award(s). Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $5,000,000 total costs. Awards made under this announcement are subject to the availability of federal funds.
The required period of performance is 54 months from the effective date of the award. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities.
In addition to its normal consultative role as grantor, ILAB’s substantial involvement in program activities may focus on elements that are essential to meet program requirements and ensure achievement of program objectives and outcomes. ILAB’s involvement may include, but not be limited to:
Liaising with in-country USG officials and host country governments on matters related to the project.
Collaborating substantially on the project strategy and implementation, as well as the development of the project document package.
Collaborating substantially on the development and implementation of the monitoring and evaluation plan and all of its components.
Being substantially and actively involved in designing research, service provision, and/or capacity building activities jointly with the recipient.
Reviewing and providing input on project’s planning for sustainability and collaborating to promote sustainability of project efforts, including through replication of good practices.
Eligible Applicants
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
Private Institutions of Higher Education
For-Profit organizations
Non-U.S. organizations:
Non-U.S. Entities, including PIOs
Ineligible
The following types of organizations are not eligible to apply nor to participate as sub recipients/contractors:
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.
