Partnership to Reduce Child Labor and Forced Labor in Imported Agricultural Products

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL, or the Department, or we), announces the availability of approximately $4,870,000 total costs for one or more cooperative agreements to fund a technical assistance project(s) to design and pilot test a comprehensive, sustainable program for one or more companies that implements all elements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Guidelines for Eliminating Child and Forced Labor in Agricultural Supply Chains (hereafter referred to as the USDA Guidelines), based on the recommendations of the Consultative Group to Eliminate the Use of Child Labor and Forced Labor in Imported Agricultural Products (hereinafter referred to as the Consultative Group). The objectives of this project will be to: (1) establish and pilot a program for one or more companies to reduce child labor (and forced labor where applicable) in one agricultural supply chain in one country; (2) undertake research, evaluation, and collection of reliable data on child labor (and forced labor if applicable); and (3) document lessons learned and recommendations for future application of the USDA Guidelines. The project must involve a partnership between the applicant and one or more company/ies (subrecipients/contractors). See Section III. Eligibility and Appendix B: Definitions for how “company” is used in this FOA. Applicants may apply for up to $4,870,000 total costs in funding. Projects funded under this solicitation must focus on efforts to reduce child labor in the supply chain of one agricultural product in one country, as well as forced labor if applicable. Applicants must propose agricultural products and geographic areas with known risks of child labor and of forced labor where applicable.