[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 100 (Thursday, May 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36244-36260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-12961]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Combating Child Labor in Pakistan Through Education

AGENCY: Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for 
Cooperative Agreement Applications (SGA 02-05).

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    This Notice Contains All of the Necessary Information and Forms 
Needed To Apply for Cooperative Agreement Funding.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor 
Affairs, will award up to U.S. $5 million in funds through a 
cooperative agreement to an organization or organizations to develop 
and implement an education project in Punjab province, Pakistan as a 
means to combat child labor. The education project will work towards 
reducing child labor by increasing school attendance, reducing school 
dropout rates and developing labor skills for older children in areas 
of high prevalence of working children. The program will integrate 
children removed from child labor into educational settings, and 
support improvements in the quality of transitional and non-formal 
education that precedes integration into the formal school system or 
vocational training. The program will build capacity and mobilize 
resources to complement the Government of Pakistan's National Plan to 
Combat Child Labor and Education Sector Reforms Action Plan.

DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications is July 9, 2002. 
Applications must be received by 4:45 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) at 
the address listed below. No exceptions to the mailing and hand-
delivery conditions set forth in this notice will be allowed. 
Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice 
will not be honored. Facsimile (FAX) applications will not be honored.

ADDRESSES: Application forms will not be mailed. They are published in 
this Federal Register Notice, and in the Federal Register which may be 
obtained from your nearest U.S. Government office or public library or 
online at http://www.nara.gov/fedreg/nfpubs.html. Applications must be 
delivered to: U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, 
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5416, Attention: Lisa Harvey, 
References: SGA 02-05, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Harvey. E-mail address: [email protected]. All inquires should reference SGA 02-05. All applicants 
are advised that U.S. mail delivery in the Washington, DC area has been 
slow and erratic due to the recent concerns involving anthrax 
contamination. All applicants must take this into consideration when 
preparing to meet the application deadline. It is recommended that you 
confirm receipt of your application by contacting Lisa Harvey, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-
4570 (this is not a toll-free number), prior to the closing deadline. 
All inquiries should reference SGA 02-05.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of International Labor Affairs 
(ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL or Department), announces the 
availability of funds to be granted by cooperative agreement to expand 
access to education in Punjab province, Pakistan to children engaged in 
child labor or at risk of entering the work force. The cooperative 
agreement will be managed by ILAB's International Child Labor Program 
(ICLP), to assure achievement of the stated goals. Applicants are 
encouraged to be creative in proposing cost-effective interventions 
that will have a demonstrable impact in using education as a means of 
reducing child labor in Pakistan.

I. Background and Program Scope

A. USDOL Support of the Global Elimination of Child Labor

    The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 250 
million working children between the ages of five and 14 in developing 
countries, about half of whom work full-time. Full-time child workers 
are generally unable to attend school, and from an early age part-time 
child laborers must balance economic survival with schooling, often to 
the detriment of their education.

[[Page 36245]]

    The existence of child labor has many implications for a country. 
Education is a key investment that has been linked to the acceleration 
of a nation's productivity and socioeconomic development. Poorly 
educated workers tend to earn less, live in poverty, and may need to 
send their own children to work at a young age.
    Since 1995, as mandated by the U.S. Congress, USDOL has supported a 
worldwide technical assistance program by the International Labor 
Organization's International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor 
(ILO/IPEC). USDOL contributions to date to ILO/IPEC have amounted to 
some $112 million, making the United States the program's largest donor 
and a leader in global efforts to combat child labor. In USDOL's FY 
2001 and FY 2002 appropriations, in addition to $90 million in funds 
earmarked for ILO/IPEC, the Department received $74 million for an 
Education Initiative that will fund programs that increase access to 
quality, basic education in areas with a high incidence of child labor. 
The cooperative agreement awarded under this solicitation will be 
funded by this new initiative.
    USDOL's Child Labor Education Initiative nurtures the development, 
health, safety and enhanced future employability of children around the 
world by increasing access to basic education for children removed from 
child labor or at risk of entering it. Child labor elimination will 
depend in part on improving access to, quality of, and relevance of 
education. Without improving educational quality and relevance, 
children withdrawn from child labor may not have viable alternatives 
and could resort to other forms of hazardous work.
    The Education Initiative has the following four goals:
    1. Raise awareness of the importance of education for all children 
and mobilize a wide array of actors to improve and expand education 
infrastructures;
    2. Strengthen formal and transitional education systems that 
encourage working children and those at risk of working to attend 
school;
    3. Strengthen national institutions and policies on education and 
child labor; and
    4. Ensure the long-term sustainability of these efforts.

B. USDOL Involvement in Combating Child Labor in Pakistan

    USDOL's ICLP has been involved in combating child labor in Pakistan 
since 1997. Appendix C highlights some of the projects that USDOL has 
supported in the country. In June 2001, the ICLP engaged in 
consultations with the Pakistan Ministries of Education and Labor to 
discuss means by which the Department could further support efforts to 
combat child labor with funding from the USDOL's Child Labor Education 
Initiative. These discussions led to an agreement between USDOL and the 
Ministry of Education to finance a U.S. $5 million project to support 
the education of child laborers and children at risk of entering the 
child labor market in the province of Punjab, with interventions 
focusing on districts with a high incidence of child labor.
    The USDOL project will operate within a complex implementing 
environment that is described in Appendix D. Key considerations within 
this implementing environment are the barriers to education that 
working children and those at risk of entering the work force must 
confront. Other significant factors are Government of Pakistan policy 
frameworks including the National Policy and Action Plan to Combat 
Child Labor and the Education Sector Reforms Action Plan, both of which 
identify strategies and support emerging approaches to addressing the 
issues of child labor and barriers to education.
    The objective of USDOL's continued involvement in Pakistan and the 
funding provided under this solicitation is to: (1) Address barriers to 
education faced by working children or those at risk of working; (2) 
complement the Child Labor and Education Sector Reform Action Plans of 
the Government of Pakistan, and (3) build on the achievements and 
lessons learned by child labor and education projects that have already 
been implemented in that country. It is USDOL's intent that Child Labor 
Education Initiative funding be used to support the education component 
of child labor projects of organizations already combating child labor 
in Punjab province. It is also USDOL's intent to encourage innovative 
ideas from other organizations that would bring more of the targeted 
children into educational settings and prevent them from reentering the 
labor force.

C. Barriers to Quality Education for Working Children in Pakistan

    Within the context of the implementing environment described in 
Appendix D, there are a number of obstacles and barriers that affect 
the decisions or ability of Pakistani families, and in particular 
families of working children, to send their children to school. The 
barriers have an impact on the high rate of dropout from school and 
entry of children into the labor force at an early age also described 
in Appendix D. The applicant needs to consider these barriers in the 
development of responses to this solicitation. Some of the major 
barriers to education in Pakistan include:
1. Lack of Knowledge and Awareness
    There are a number of factors in this category that act as 
impediments for working children to gain access to school. These 
include:
     Parents' illiteracy and resignation
    Parents of working children in Pakistan are often themselves 
uneducated or illiterate. Because of the multiple economic and social 
constraints that they and their children face, they are often reluctant 
to send their children to school rather than to work. Furthermore, they 
may also feel powerless to changing conditions that have reproduced 
themselves for generations, and that promote child labor. Given few 
other social or economic options, some families, including children 
themselves, may also highly value the contribution that children make 
to family survival.
     Lack of awareness by social partners of their potential 
role in reducing child labor and promoting school attendance
    Many social partners including NGOs, the media, the military, the 
corporate sector, faith-based organizations and religious leaders, 
local authorities, Pakistani expatriates, and even private individuals 
may be generally aware of child labor or the lack of access of these 
children to school, but certain partners may not understand or have 
enough information on the effects of child labor on society, and on the 
specific deficiencies that manifest themselves in individual 
communities. They may also not know how they could contribute to 
concrete actions to reduce child labor and promote school attendance in 
those communities. Often more knowledge of specific needs may be a 
catalyst that enables social partners to act and to mobilize their 
respective networks to combat the problem and propose viable solutions.
     Lack of awareness of new child labor and education 
policies and strategies
    National Child Labor and Education policies and action plans, and 
those of the President Musharraf's Task Force on Human Development 
(TFHD), are relatively new and may not be well known or understood by 
individuals, local leaders and communities. This knowledge includes the 
practical aspects of decentralization promoted in education sector 
reform, and the targets

[[Page 36246]]

and strategies that the government has chosen to reduce child labor and 
achieve Education for All Targets (to which the Government of Pakistan 
committed as part of the 2000 World Education Forum's Dakar Framework 
for Action). This lack of knowledge may inhibit effective 
implementation at the local level of national policies and plans.
2. Education System Constraints
    There are a number of barriers of the education system that lead 
children to drop out of school and join the work force. These include:
     Lack of knowledge on children's education needs
    Children have different learning styles and abilities. If these 
differences are not understood, teachers and the school system may not 
be able to improve and maximize learning outcomes. For example, 
preliminary research by UNICEF in Punjab indicates that some children 
may drop out early and enter the labor force because of learning 
disabilities. Girls and boys, particularly those who work or who have 
been removed from work, may need specific approaches to ensure their 
more effective attendance and participation in school. Yet many 
teachers and school administrators in Pakistan may not fully understand 
these factors that would lead to a more successful integration or 
reintegration of children into school settings.
     Irrelevant curriculum
    A recent study in Pakistan indicated that irrelevant curriculum and 
harsh conditions of learning contribute to a low completion rate and a 
high drop out rate (SPARC, The State of Pakistan's Children, 1999, 
Islamabad, January, 2000, p. 19). A common method of teaching in 
Pakistan is based on the rote memorization of lessons with little or no 
attention given to the student's cognitive development and skills 
associated with reading, writing, math and science, and their eventual 
practical application to life and work. With school having such little 
relevance to the improvement of their lives, many parents may feel that 
it is unnecessary to send their children to school because the 
education they are receiving is not preparing them for a productive 
future. The children are then removed from school and enter the work 
force.
     Inadequately trained teachers with low motivation
    Teachers in government-sponsored schools (where many working 
children or children at risk of working attend) are largely untrained, 
under-paid and have little or no previous classroom experience before 
being hired. In Pakistan, hiring of teachers and school administrators 
may be based on favoritism rather than skills. Many teachers are not 
familiar with curriculum development or basic classroom instruction. 
Even teachers working for NGOs involved in child labor projects have 
had relatively little training. Furthermore, many rural teachers face 
difficult working conditions with large class sizes in one room 
requiring the teacher to be involved in multi-grade instruction. At the 
same time lack of supervision, training and motivation by school 
administrators exacerbates high teacher absenteeism. Under these 
conditions, it is not surprising that child labor may appear to be a 
better option for families.
     Limited access to quality vocational education
    The parents of many older children and the children themselves 
often realize that they cannot or will not finish primary school and 
continue onto secondary or university education. Often technical or 
vocational education is a preferred option. In Pakistan there are many 
challenges to obtaining good vocational education. Government programs 
are not sufficient relative to need, are not necessarily of high 
quality, nor do they lead to employment in leading sectors. They also 
tend to focus on preparing boys. Programs run by the private sector or 
employers associations, such as the Skills Development Council of 
Punjab, tend to be of higher quality and lead to better employment 
after completion. This is in part because of the labor market research 
done by the private sector before launching skills training programs. 
Yet working children may not be able to gain access to these programs 
because they are unaffordable, or because they do not meet minimum 
literacy and numeracy requirements. If they are school dropouts, they 
likely do not meet the minimum age or prerequisite academic standards. 
Ill prepared academically and unable to obtain more desirable and 
marketable skills, older children, although still below legal working 
age, may have little recourse than to enter into less attractive 
apprenticeships or employment that may be exploitative and abusive.
3. Institutional and Policy Challenges
     Lack of data on educational access and performance to 
inform policy
    There are many challenges to estimating the number of children 
engaged in child labor, and even less is known about their education 
needs, and the correlations among school attendance and performance, 
drop out and child labor. This is one reason why Government of Pakistan 
action plans on child labor and education identify database and 
information collection as areas of need. Lack of data is a major gap to 
developing improved policies and programs.
     Limited coordination among social actors
    Pakistan's National Policy and Action Plan to Combat Child Labor 
highlights the importance of coordination among social actors. The 
experience of the National Steering Committee formed as part of ILO/
IPEC efforts to address child labor show that it is a continuing 
challenge to achieve and sustain coordination, particularly at both 
national and provincial levels, among different government agencies, 
non-governmental organizations and employers.
     Limited local government capacity to implement devolution 
and decentralization of education
    Although decentralization of education has begun as part of the 
sector's reform, it will test the abilities of local government 
structures. These organizations may not have experience or capacity in 
many areas such as educational planning, resource allocation, 
monitoring, and accountability to communities for educational quality.
     Limited community capacity to implement decentralization 
and improve monitoring and performance of education
    The education reform counts on community structures and 
organizations to improve educational quality and performance. For 
example, the Local Government Ordinance of 2001 calls for the 
establishment of Citizen Community Boards and Monitoring Committees in 
order to ensure effective community participation. Other community 
organizations include School Management Committees (SMCs), School 
Councils, Community Public Partnerships (CPPs), Parent Teacher 
Associations (PTAs) and mother's groups. Yet in many communities in 
Punjab province these organizations are non-existent, embryonic or 
weak.
    The level of inequality found in the rural areas of Punjab also 
affects community capacity to monitor the quality of education. The 
rural population tends to be marginalized from the county's mainstream 
economy and political influence. A majority of children in rural areas 
in Punjab enroll in government-sponsored schools, many of which are not 
suited to deliver quality education. Those at the bottom of the social 
ladder may also feel powerless to influence the quality of the 
education received by their children. This phenomenon explains the

[[Page 36247]]

emphasis that Child Labor and Education Sector Reform Action Plans give 
to community mobilization and empowerment.
4. Resource Constraints
     Poverty and the inability to pay fees associated with 
school attendance
    One reason for the high school dropout rate is that parents with 
low wages are unable to cover the fees associated with paying for 
textbooks, supplies and other school costs. In Pakistan these direct 
costs can reach up to 20 percent of a family's income, making education 
unaffordable to many families. When these fees are compounded with the 
lost wages of the child removed from labor, the costs are prohibitive 
and are a disincentive to school attendance.
     Nonexistent or poor school infrastructure
    The abject condition of Pakistan's physical school infrastructure 
due to misappropriation or lack of resources has also seriously 
weakened the county's education system. According to the U.S. Embassy 
in Islamabad (U.S. Embassy, Pakistan, ``The Dismal State of Education 
in Pakistan,'' p. 3), it is estimated that in Pakistan there are 19,000 
schools that do not have any type of formal structure and are simply 
known as ``shelter-less'' schools. Furthermore, in some places there 
are no schools or ``ghost schools'' that should have been constructed 
but were not because of misappropriation of resources. The Embassy also 
reports that approximately 93,000 schools have no electricity, 68 
percent lack running water, and 70 percent lack latrines. The lack of 
proper hygienic facilities has played a key role in parents not 
allowing their daughters to attend school.
    In the case of child workers or children removed from labor, there 
may not be alternative schools or infrastructure to support non-formal 
or transitional education that precedes their integration into formal 
or vocational school. For these children the Ministry of Education has 
encouraged the use of government school facilities. The infrastructure 
at these facilities is often deficient. Also, since classes are often 
held outside of normal school hours children may be too tired after 
work to fully concentrate. Children may thus not even complete non-
formal and transitional programs and return to child labor.
     Limited resources for education
    Although the public sector resources devoted to education have 
dramatically increased under the education sector reform plan, they are 
still insufficient relative to need and the Government of Pakistan has 
admitted that the public sector cannot do it alone. In the case of 
resources devoted to the education of child laborers, these resources 
have also been limited when compared to needs. Schools that have opened 
under child labor projects have tended to generate demand for education 
by families of children not included in the project. For example, many 
of the beneficiaries of the schools for child carpet weavers are girls. 
Although parents have enthusiastically enrolled them in project-
sponsored schools, they also complain that there are no similar 
facilities for their boys who may not be able to go to school at all. 
Because of resource constraints the government has encouraged other 
alternatives that mobilize resources for education. These include those 
that bring in the private sector and civil society as detailed in 
Appendix D.
    All of the above-cited barriers to school attendance manifest 
themselves acutely in the province of Punjab where this project will be 
implemented. Punjab has one of the largest populations in Pakistan and 
one of its most widespread problems is illiteracy. A 1998 government 
census reported the total literacy rate for rural areas in Punjab to be 
just above 40 percent, while the literacy rate in urban areas of the 
province is nearly 65 percent. The recent National Literacy Campaign, 
which is being sponsored by the government and will run from 2001-2004, 
is aimed at increasing literacy and granting access to quality 
education.

II. Authority

    ILAB is authorized to award and administer this program as set 
forth in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-554, 
114 Stat. 2763A-10 (2000).

III. Application Process

A. Eligible Applicants

    Any commercial, international, or non-profit organization capable 
of successfully developing and implementing education programs for 
child labor is eligible for this cooperative agreement. Although only 
one cooperative agreement will be awarded, partnerships of more than 
one organization are also eligible, and applicants are strongly 
encouraged to consider working with organizations already in Pakistan 
(See Appendix E). In the case of partnerships, a lead organization must 
be identified. The capability of an applicant or applicants to perform 
necessary aspects of this solicitation will be determined under the 
Rating Criteria.
    Please note that eligible cooperative agreement applicants must not 
be classified under the Internal Revenue Code as a 501(c)(4) Entity. 
See 26 U.S.C. 501 (c)(4). According to section 18 of the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act of 1995, an organization, as described in section 
501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that engages in 
lobbying activities will not be eligible for the receipt of federal 
funds constituting an award, grant, or loan.

B. Submission of Applications

    One (1) ink-signed original, complete application in English plus 
two (2) copies of the application, must be submitted to the U.S. 
Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room N-5416, Washington, DC 20210, not later than 4:45 
p.m. Eastern Time, July 9, 2002. Accompanying documents must also be in 
English. To aid with review of applications, USDOL also encourages 
applicants to submit two additional paper copies of the application 
(five total). Applicants who do not provide additional copies will not 
be penalized.
    The application must consist of two (2) separate parts. Part I of 
the application must contain the Standard Form (SF) 424, ``Application 
for Federal Assistance'' (Appendix A) (The entry on SF 424 for the 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA) is 17.700) and 
sections A-F of the Budget Information Forms SF 424A (Appendix B). Part 
II must contain a technical proposal that demonstrates capabilities in 
accordance with the Statement of Work and the selection criteria.
    To be considered responsive to this solicitation, the application 
must consist of the above-mentioned separate parts, not to exceed 30 
single-sided (8 \1/2\# x 11#), double-spaced, 10-12 pitch typed pages. 
ANY APPLICATIONS THAT DO NOT CONFORM TO THESE STANDARDS MAY BE DEEMED 
NON-RESPONSIVE TO THIS SOLICITATION AND MAY NOT BE EVALUATED. Standard 
forms and attachments are not included in the page limit. Each 
application must include a table of contents and an abstract 
summarizing the proposal in not more than two (2) pages. These pages 
are also not included in the page limits.
    Upon completion of negotiations, the individual signing the SF 424 
on behalf of the applicant must be authorized to bind the applicant.

C. Acceptable Methods of Submission

    The grant application package must be received at the designated 
place by

[[Page 36248]]

the date and time specified or it will not be considered. Any 
application received at the Office of Procurement Services at 4:45 pm 
Eastern Time, July 9, 2002, will not be considered unless it is 
received before the award is made and:
    1. it was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the 
fifth calendar day before July 9, 2002;
    2. it is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due 
solely to mishandling by the Government after receipt at the U.S. 
Department of Labor at the address indicated; or
    3. it was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service-Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5 pm at the place of 
mailing two (2) working days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays, 
prior to July 9, 2002.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a 
late application sent by registered or certified mail is the U.S. 
Postal Service postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on the original 
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. If the postmark is not legible, 
an application received after the above closing time and date shall be 
processed as if mailed late. ``Postmark'' means a printed, stamped or 
otherwise placed impression (not a postage meter machine impression) 
that is readily identifiable without further action as having been 
applied and affixed by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service on the 
date of mailing. Therefore applicants should request that the postal 
clerk place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's-eye'' postmark on both 
the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a 
late application sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service-Post Office to Addressee is the date entered by the Post Office 
receiving clerk on the ``Express Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to 
Addressee'' label and the postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on 
the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. ``Postmark'' has the 
same meaning as defined above. Therefore, applicants should request 
that the postal clerk place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's-eye'' 
postmark on both the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at 
the U.S. Department of Labor is the date/time stamp of the Procurement 
Services Center on the application wrapper or other documentary 
evidence or receipt maintained by that office.
    Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not 
be accepted. Applications sent by other delivery services, such as 
Federal Express, UPS, etc., will be accepted, however, the applicant 
bears the responsibility for timely submission. Because of delay in the 
receipt of mail in the Washington, DC area, it is recommended that you 
confirm receipt of your application by contacting Lisa Harvey, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-
4570 (this is not a toll-free number), prior to the closing deadline. 
All inquiries should reference SGA 02-05.

D. Funding Levels

    Up to US $5 million is available for this program. Although USDOL 
will award only one cooperative agreement (hereafter referred to as 
``grant''), a partnership of more than one organization may apply to 
implement the program. (See Section III.B, Submission of Applications).

E. Program Duration

    The duration of the activities funded by this SGA is four (4) 
years. The start date of activities will be negotiated upon awarding of 
grant.

IV. Requirements

A. Statement of Work

    The applicant will propose creative and innovative approaches aimed 
at reducing child labor in Pakistan by increasing school attendance and 
developing youth labor skills in areas of high prevalence of 
economically active children. In proposing approaches the applicant 
should explain how the activities or services provided under this grant 
will address the barriers to education cited in Section I.C above and, 
where relevant, suggest ways to use emerging approaches to address 
these barriers (see Appendix D). The project's geographical target area 
is the province of Punjab, which has a high incidence of child labor 
and low educational access. The project may include the districts of 
Faisalabad, Kasur, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and other districts to be 
determined with the Ministries of Education and Labor during the first 
three months of the project. The exact number of communities and 
children to benefit from this Education Initiative project will be 
identified in collaboration with local authorities, and will support 
Pakistan's decentralization and devolution strategies, the federal 
Ministry of Education's Education Sector Reforms Action Plan, and the 
Ministry of Labor's Action Plan on Child Labor. The number of 
communities and beneficiaries chosen should correspond to the budget 
proposed for the major activities deemed essential to desired project 
outcomes.
    In developing a proposal, the applicant should take into account 
the challenges to preventing child labor, reintegrating working 
children into educational settings, promoting school attendance, 
addressing the high dropout rate, and improving school relevance. They 
should also consider the implementing environment in Pakistan outlined 
in Appendix D of this solicitation, and background information (See 
Appendix F) available from Lisa Harvey, U.S. Department of Labor, 
Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-4570 (this is not a 
toll-free number), e-mail address: [email protected]. All inquires 
should reference SGA 02-05.
    The applicant will propose approaches that will meet the education 
needs of the identified target beneficiaries in Pakistan: (1) Children 
of primary school age (ages five-ten) through grade 5 at risk of 
dropping out of school and entering child labor, (2) children under age 
10 not attending school and already engaged in child labor, and (3) 
older youth (ages 10-18) requiring pre-vocational and vocational 
education to enhance job and self-employment skills. The approach 
suggested by the applicant will include actions that promote an 
enabling environment at the national and provincial levels, and 
specific interventions at the local level in support of the education 
of target children. The expected outcomes of the project will be to: 
(1) Decrease school dropout of primary school aged children who are at 
risk of entering the labor force by increasing the quality of 
education; (2) increase educational opportunities (including 
mainstreaming into the formal school or vocational system) for primary 
school age children who have dropped out of school and have entered the 
labor force; and (3) increase access of older children (above age ten) 
to skills and vocational education leading to improved employment at 
legal working age. Within these groups, special attention should be 
given to children in the worst forms of child labor. The applicant is 
also encouraged to include as project beneficiaries children in areas 
where USDOL-funded IPEC project are operating. (See Appendix C).
    The project shall support the goals of USDOL's Child Labor 
Education Initiative: (1) Raise awareness of the importance of 
education for all children and mobilize a wide array of actors to 
improve and expand education infrastructures; (2) Strengthen formal and 
transitional education systems that

[[Page 36249]]

encourage working children and those at risk of working to attend 
schools; (3) Strengthen national institutions and policies on education 
and child labor; and (4) Ensure the long-term sustainability of these 
efforts.
    In order to avoid duplication, enhance collaboration, expand 
impact, and develop synergies, the organization(s) awarded the 
cooperative agreement (hereafter referred to as ``Grantee'') will 
consult with Pakistani stakeholders in developing project 
interventions. The Federal Ministry of Education is the lead ministry 
for this initiative, but close coordination and consultation will also 
be required with the federal Ministry of Labor, Secretary of Labor and 
Manpower-Punjab, Punjab Commission for Child Welfare and Development, 
the village, local and District Coordination Officer, non-governmental 
organizations, national steering/advisory committees on child labor and 
education, and child laborers, those at risk and their families.
    Below is a summary of specific requirements to guide applicants in 
the development of responses to this solicitation. Although the USDOL 
is open to all proposals for innovative solutions to address the 
challenges of providing access to education to the target population, 
the applicant must at the minimum propose approaches to address 
barriers to education in the following areas of implementation:
    1. Awareness raising to reduce child labor and promote school 
attendance
    This component aims to use awareness raising campaigns to inform 
and mobilize strong local and national commitment to support concrete 
actions that reduce child labor and promote school attendance.
    a. Development of communication strategy. The applicant should 
propose an approach to develop a communication strategy to raise 
awareness and influence behavior of multiple key actors to promote 
school attendance and reduce child labor. On the basis of the strategy, 
the applicant should propose key audiences for awareness raising 
campaigns.
    b. Approaches to community mobilization. The applicant should 
suggest approaches to mobilize local communities to increase parental 
participation and encourage the establishing and strengthening of 
community structures. The approach can include ideas to promote the 
development of working and task-oriented multi-sectoral or public-
private partnerships at the community and regional levels to combat 
child labor, promote school attendance, and improve education 
infrastructure in areas of high incidence of child labor. The suggested 
approach should support Pakistan's decentralization and devolution 
process, and Local Government Ordinance of 2001.
    c. Mobilization of Pakistani expatriates. The applicant should 
propose how to support the Ministry of Education's newly developed 
initiative aimed at facilitating support to education in target areas 
of project intervention by Pakistani expatriates. The applicant should 
propose how to coordinate this strategy with the Ministry of Labor and 
Overseas Pakistanis.
    2. Strengthening of education systems to reduce child labor, 
promote school attendance, and reintegrate child laborers into 
education settings
    Strategies to strengthen the education systems to address needs of 
target children should focus on: (1) Younger children still within the 
formal education system to prevent their dropout into child labor and 
increase their completion of primary school; (2) out-of-school children 
of primary school age who are working, and (3) older children (above 
age 10) to either reintegrate them into school, or improve their job 
and self-employment skills once they reach legal working age. The 
latter approach may have to vary depending on the age of the children 
and their former experience in the education system. As part of its 
proposed strategies the applicant should suggest activities in the 
areas listed below and, if deemed important, alternate innovative areas 
not identified in this solicitation.
    a. Identification of beneficiaries. The applicant should propose an 
approach to identify the number and location of target communities, 
interventions and the numbers of children to be targeted. The applicant 
should propose an approach to collect baseline data on these 
beneficiaries.
    b. Professional development for teachers and administrators. The 
applicant should identify how to improve the knowledge, skills, morale 
and professionalism of teachers and education administrators so that 
they may better address the education needs of the target population, 
especially children who have dropped out to work or have never been to 
school. To encourage sustainability, suggested approaches to teacher 
training should indicate what links might be forged with existing 
teacher training institutions in Pakistan.
    c. Methods to assess learning, aptitudes and skills. The applicant 
should suggest a simple, yet effective approach to assess the learning, 
aptitudes and skills of children to be targeted by the project. In 
developing the approach, the applicant should indicate how it would 
design the program so that it relates to the goals of Pakistan's 
National Education Assessment System (NEAS). The applicant should also 
identify what instruments it might use for data collection, how the 
data would be synthesized, and how it would be fed back to educators 
and planners working in the areas of education and child labor.
    d. Development of targeted vocational education programs. The 
applicant should suggest approaches to develop and implement pre-
vocational and vocational training skills for employment and self-
employment that lead to enhanced future employability of youth. The 
applicant should also suggest what approaches might be used for job 
placement or self-employment after training.
    e. Development of school enrichment programs. The applicant should 
suggest means to develop school enrichment programs or other programs 
that would motivate parents to send their children to school. The 
approaches suggested should be innovative and can include public-
private partnerships, development of volunteer programs, or other 
incentives.
    3. Strengthening of institutions and policies to reduce child 
labor, promote school attendance, and reintegrate child laborers into 
education settings.
    This component should promote approaches to create accountability 
mechanisms to document the problem and monitor (in partnerships with 
civil society organizations) the progress in reaching target 
communities in the prevention of child labor through school retention, 
and reintegration of children into education settings in lieu of work. 
The purpose of institutional strengthening would be to develop 
responsive, participatory and accountable systems of educational 
governance and management that directly impact the education of target 
children. Specifically the applicant should propose approaches to 
implementation in the following areas:
    a. Data Collection and Policy Analysis. The applicant should 
suggest an approach to improve the capacity of governmental and non-
governmental organizations to collect data to inform policy on 
education and child labor and allocate government resources to further 
increase the quality of education. These data could include 
correlations among school attendance, performance, dropout and child 
labor. The approach should take into consideration data

[[Page 36250]]

collection systems of the Ministries of Education and Labor.
    b. Strengthening Capacity to Implement Decentralization. The 
applicant should suggest which major institutions and individuals could 
be targeted, and what types of capacity building activities could be 
undertaken to enable them to engage in actions that benefit target 
children and their families and support the Ministry of Education's 
decentralization strategy. As part of this approach the applicant 
should propose how the project could provide assistance to strengthen 
the capacity of community organizations or form new ones that would 
effectively advocate for quality education for target children.
    c. Strengthening of Monitoring Capacity. The applicant should 
suggest approaches to strengthen the capacity of government and key 
civil society and community organizations to monitor and follow up on 
the education of child laborers and children at risk of being recruited 
into the work force. The applicant should suggest how community 
monitoring would complement and strengthen government monitoring, and 
how this capacity would be developed.
    d. Facilitation of Inter-Institutional Coordination. The applicant 
should suggest what approaches could be used to facilitate and enhance 
inter-institutional coordination capacity of major actors working in 
education and child labor. These would include governmental and non-
governmental organizations. Specifically, the applicant will identify 
what would be the expected outcome of the improved coordination (e.g., 
improved implementation of existing policies and laws on school 
attendance and child labor in target areas of project intervention; 
coordinated planning, etc.).
    4. Resource Mobilization.
    This component will build capacity to mobilize resources for public 
or other schools in areas of high child labor where project 
interventions are located.
    a. Internal Resource Mobilization. The applicant should suggest 
ways to mobilize resources for education within Pakistan such as 
through public-private partnerships like the Adopt-a-School programs 
(see Appendix D), corporate and private sector contributions and 
philanthropy, volunteer programs, and resource mobilization by 
community and faith-based organizations. These resources would be used 
specifically to address the education needs of child laborers and 
children at risk of entering child labor. The approach suggested should 
include ways in which gaps and barriers to the education of target 
children would be identified; how education infrastructure might be 
built and/or repaired; what incentives would be provided for training 
and professional development of school staff members, and how schools 
supported by these efforts would make education relevant and inclusive 
of those children who have been traditionally excluded from quality 
education.
    b. Cost of Schooling. Since the direct cost of schooling is a major 
problem for families of working children in Pakistan, the applicant 
will propose approaches to address this impediment.
    c. Mobilizing Resources from Overseas Pakistanis. The applicant 
should propose a mechanism to support and implement the Ministry of 
Education's newly developed initiative aimed at facilitating support to 
education by Pakistani expatriates. The applicant should show how the 
proposed approach would be linked to the awareness-raising strategy 
previously proposed, and how it would be targeted specifically to 
schools benefiting from the project interventions.
    In implementing the proposed scope of work, the applicant should 
design approaches that encourage sustainability of impact on 
individuals, organizations and system-wide.
    In addition to meeting these requirements, the Grantee also will be 
expected to monitor the implementation of the program, report to USDOL 
on a quarterly basis, and evaluate program results. The grant will 
include funds to plan, implement and evaluate programs and activities, 
conduct various studies pertinent to project implementation, and to 
establish education baselines to measure program results. The Grantee 
must develop annual work plans that will be approved by USDOL. 
Corresponding indicators of performance will also be developed by the 
Grantee and approved by USDOL.

B. Deliverables

    Unless otherwise indicated, the Grantee must submit copies of all 
required reports to ILAB by the specified due dates. Other documents, 
such as project design documents, are to be submitted by mutually 
agreed upon deadlines.
    1. Project Design. A project document to be established by ILAB in 
the logical framework format will be used, and will include a 
background/justification section, project strategy (objectives, 
outputs, activities, indicators, means of verification), project 
implementation timetable and project budget. The project design will be 
drawn from the proposal written in response to this solicitation and 
negotiations with ILAB on final design. The document will also include 
sections that address coordination strategies, project management and 
sustainability. The time for delivery of this document will be 
negotiated at the time of the award.
    2. Technical and Financial Progress Reports. The Grantee must 
furnish a typed technical report to ILAB on a quarterly basis by 31 
March, 30 June, 30 September, and 31 December. The Grantee must also 
furnish a separate financial report (SF 272) to ILAB on the quarterly 
basis mentioned above. The format for the technical progress report 
will be the format developed by ILAB and must contain the following 
information:
    a. For each project objective, an accurate account of activities 
carried out under that objective during the reporting period;
    b. An accounting of staff and any subcontractor hours expended;
    c. An accounting of travel performed under the cooperative 
agreement during the reporting period, including purpose of trip, 
persons or organizations contacted, and benefits derived;
    d. A description of current problems that may impede performance, 
and proposed corrective action;
    e. Future actions planned in support of each project objective;
    f. Aggregate amount of costs incurred during the reporting period; 
and
    g. Progress on indicators (to be reported annually).
    3. Annual Work Plan. An annual work plan will be developed within 
two months of project award and approved by ILAB so as to ensure 
coordination with other relevant actors in Pakistan. Subsequent annual 
work plans will be delivered no later than one year after the previous 
one.
    4. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. A monitoring and evaluation plan 
will be developed, in collaboration with ILAB, including beginning and 
ending dates for the project, planned and actual dates for mid-term 
review, and final end of project evaluations. The plan will identify 
indicators of performance to be reported annually. The monitoring plan 
will be prepared after completion of baseline surveys, including 
revision of indicators provided in project document, targets, and means 
of verification.
    5. Evaluation Reports. The Grantee and the Grant Officer's 
Technical Representative (GOTR) will determine on a case-by-case basis 
whether mid-term evaluations will be conducted by an internal or 
external evaluation team. All final evaluations will be external in 
nature. The Grantee must respond to any comments and recommendations

[[Page 36251]]

resulting from the review of the mid-term report.

C. Production of Deliverables

    1. Materials Prepared Under the Cooperative Agreement. The Grantee 
must submit to ILAB all media-related and educational materials 
developed by it or its sub-contractors before they are reproduced, 
published, or used. ILAB considers that educational materials include 
brochures, pamphlets, videotapes, slide-tape shows, curricula, and any 
other training materials used in the program. ILAB will review 
materials for technical accuracy. The Grantee must obtain prior 
approval from the Grant Officer from all materials developed or 
purchased under this cooperative agreement. All materials produced by 
Grantee must be provided to ILAB in a digital format for possible 
publication by ILAB.
    2. Acknowledgement of USDOL Funding. In all circumstances the 
following must be displayed on printed materials:
    ``Preparation of this item was funded by the United States 
Department of Labor under Cooperative Agreement No. E-9-X-X-XXXX.''
    When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, 
bid solicitations, and other documents describing projects or programs 
funded in whole or in part with Federal money, all Grantees receiving 
Federal funds, including State and local governments and recipients of 
Federal research grants, must clearly state:
    1. The percentage of the total costs of the program of project 
which will be financed with Federal money;
    2. The dollar amount of Federal funds for the project or program; 
and
    3.The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the 
project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.
    In consultation with ILAB, USDOL's role will be identified as one 
of the following:
    a. The USDOL logo may be applied to USDOL-funded material prepared 
for world-wide distribution, including posters, videos, pamphlets, 
research documents, national survey results, impact evaluations, best 
practice reports, and other publications of global interest. The 
Grantee will consult with USDOL on whether the logo should be used on 
any such items prior to final draft or final preparation for 
distribution. In no event will the USDOL logo be placed on any item 
until USDOL has given the grantee written permission to use the logo, 
after obtaining appropriate internal USDOL approval for use of the logo 
on the item.
    b. If ILAB determines the use of the logo is not appropriate and 
does not give written permission, the following notice must appear on 
the document:
    ``The document does not necessarily reflect the views or policies 
of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, 
commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. 
Government.''

D. Administrative Requirements

    1. General. Grantee organizations are subject to applicable Federal 
laws (including provisions of appropriations law) and the applicable 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars. Determinations of 
allowable costs will be made in accordance with the applicable Federal 
cost principles. The cooperative agreement awarded under the SGA is 
subject to the following administrative standards and provision, if 
applicable:
    29 CFR Part 36--Federal Standards for Nondiscrimination on the 
Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal 
Financial Assistance.
    29 CFR Part 93--New Restrictions on Lobbying.
    29 CFR Part 95--Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and 
Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other 
Non-Profit Organizations, and with Commercial Organizations, Foreign 
Governments, Organizations Under the Jurisdiction of Foreign 
Governments and International Organizations.
    29 CFR Part 96--Federal Standards for Audit of Federally Funded 
Grants, Contracts and Agreements.
    29 CFR Part 98--Federal Standards for Government-wide Debarment and 
Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Government-wide Requirements for Drug-
Free Workplace (Grants).
    29 CFR Part 99--Federal Standards for Audits of States, Local 
Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.
    2. Sub-contracts. Sub-contracts must be awarded in accordance with 
29 CFR 95.40-48. In compliance with Executive Orders 12876 as amended, 
13230, 12928 and 13021 as amended, the Grantee is strongly encouraged 
to provide sub-contracting opportunities to Historically Black Colleges 
and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and 
Universities.
    3. Key Personnel. The applicant shall list individual(s) who has 
(have) been designated by the Grantee as having primary responsibility 
for the conduct and completion of all project work. The applicant will 
submit written proof that key personnel will be available to begin work 
on the project no later than three weeks after award. The Grantee 
agrees to inform the GOTR whenever it appears impossible for these 
individual(s) to continue work on the project as planned. The Grantee 
may nominate substitute personnel and submit the nominations to the 
GOTR; however, the Grantee must obtain prior approval from the Grant 
Officer for all key personnel. If the Grant Officer is unable to 
approve the personnel change, he/she reserves the right to terminate 
the cooperative agreement.
    4. Encumbrance of Cooperative Agreement Funds. Cooperative 
agreement funds may not be encumbered/obligated by the Grantee before 
or after the cooperative agreement obligations period may be liquidated 
(paid out) after the end of the cooperative agreement period. Such 
encumbrances/obligations shall involve only specified commitments for 
which a need existed during the grant period and which are supported by 
approved contracts, purchase orders, requisitions, invoices, bills, or 
other evidence of liability consistent with the Grantee's purchasing 
procedures and incurred within the cooperative agreement period. All 
encumbrances/obligations incurred during the cooperative agreement 
period shall be liquidated within 90 days after the end of the grant 
period, if practicable.
    5. Site Visits. USDOL, through its authorized representatives, has 
the right at all reasonable times, to make site visits to review 
project accomplishments and management control systems and to provide 
such technical assistance as may be required. If USDOL makes any site 
visit on the premises of a Grantee or sub-contractor(s) under this 
grant, the Grantee shall provide and shall require its sub-contractors 
to provide all reasonable facilities and assistance for the safety and 
convenience of the Government representatives in the performance of 
their duties. All site visits and evaluations shall be performed in a 
manner that will not unduly delay the work.

V. Review and Selection of Applications for Grant Award

A. The Review Process

    USDOL will screen all applications to determine whether all 
required elements are present and clearly identifiable. Each complete 
application will be objectively rated by a technical panel against the 
criteria described in this announcement. Applications are advised that 
the panel recommendations to the Grant Officer are advisory in nature. 
The Grant Officer may elect to select a Grantee(s) on the basis of the

[[Page 36252]]

initial proposal submission; or, the Grant Officer may establish a 
competitive or technically acceptable range for the purpose of 
selecting qualified applicants. If deemed appropriate, following the 
Grant Officer's call for the preparation and receipt of final revisions 
of proposals, the evaluation process described above will be repeated 
to consider such revisions. The Grant Officer will make final selection 
determination based on what is most advantageous to the Government, 
considering factors such as: panel findings and the availability of 
funds, and other factors. The Grant Officer's determination for award 
under this SGA 02-05 is final.


    Note: Selection of an organization as a cooperative agreement 
recipient does not constitute approval of the cooperative agreement 
application as submitted. Before the actual cooperative agreement is 
awarded, USDOL may enter into negotiations about such items as 
program components, funding levels, and administrative systems. If 
the negotiations do not result in an acceptable submission, the 
Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiation and 
decline to fund the proposal.


B. Rating Criteria and Selection

    The technical panel will review applications against the various 
criteria on the basis of 100 points with an additional five points 
available for non-federal or leveraged resources.
    The factors are presented in the order of emphasis that they will 
receive.
    1. Approach, Understanding of the Issue, and Budget Plan (40 
points).

    a. Overview. This section of the proposal must explain:
    (1) The applicant's proposed innovative method for performing all 
the specific areas of work requirements presented in this solicitation.
    (2) The expected outcomes over the period of performance for each 
of the tasks; and
    (3) The approach for producing the expected outcomes.
    The applicant must describe in detail the proposed approach to 
comply with each requirement in Section IV.A of this solicitation, 
including all tasks and methods to be utilized to implement the 
project. Also, the applicant must explain the rationale for using the 
approach. In addition, this section of the application must demonstrate 
the applicant's thorough knowledge and understanding of the issues 
involved in providing education to children engaged in child labor or 
those at risk of being recruited into the labor force; best-practice 
solutions to address their needs; and the implementing environment in 
Pakistan.
    b. Implementation Plan. The applicant must submit an implementation 
plan, preferably with a visual such as a Gantt chart for the project in 
Pakistan. The implementation plan should list the outcomes, objectives 
and activities during the life of the project, and scheduling of time 
and staff starting with the execution of the grant and ending with the 
final report. In describing the implementation plan, the applicant must 
address the following points:
    (1) Describe the use of existing or potential infrastructure and 
use of qualified personnel, including qualified nationals, to implement 
the project. The applicant also must include a project organizational 
chart, demonstrating management structure, key personnel positions, and 
indicating proposed links with Government, civil society leaders, 
educators, and other significant local actors.
    (2) Develop a list of activities and explain how each relates to 
the overall development objective of reducing child labor in Pakistan 
through education.
    (3) Explain how appropriate awareness raising, training and 
pedagogic materials will be developed.
    (4) Demonstrate how the organization will strengthen national 
institutions and policies on education and to combat child labor.
    (5) Demonstrate how the organization would systematically report on 
project performance to measure the achievement of the project 
objective(s).
    (6) Demonstrate how the organization would build national and local 
capacity to ensure project efforts to reduce child labor and the 
effects of child labor through the provision of education are sustained 
after completion of the project.
    c. Budget Plan. Develop a country-specific budget of up to US $5 
million for the implementation of the project in Pakistan. This section 
of the proposal must explain the costs for performing all of the 
requirements presented in this solicitation and for producing all 
required reports and other deliverables presented in this solicitation; 
costs must include labor, equipment, travel, and other related costs. 
Preference may be given to applicants with lower administrative costs.
    d. Management and Staff Loading Plan. This section also must 
include a management and staff loading plan. The management plan is to 
include the following:
    (1) A project organization chart and accompanying narrative which 
differentiates between elements of the applicant's staff and sub-
contractors or consultants who will be retained;
    (2) A description of the functional relationship between elements 
of the project's organization; and
    (3) The identity of the individual responsible for project 
management and the lines of authority between this individual and other 
elements of the project.
    The staff loading plan must identify all key tasks and the person-
days required to complete each task. Labor estimates for each task must 
be broken down by individuals assigned to the task, including sub-
contractors and consultants. All key tasks must be charted to show time 
required to perform them by months or weeks.
    This section will be evaluated in accordance with applicable 
Federal laws and regulations. The budget must comply with Federal cost 
principles (which can be found in the applicable OMB Circulars) and 
with ILAB budget requirements contained in the application instructions 
in Section III of this solicitation.
    2. Experience and Qualifications of the Organization (35 points).
    The evaluation criteria is this category are as follows:
    a. The organization applying for the award has experience in basic, 
non-formal and vocational education programs that address issues of 
access, quality and policy reform for working children.
    b. The organization has a field presence in Pakistan, or could 
rapidly establish an office that gives it the capability to work 
directly with government ministries, educators, civil society leaders, 
and other local organizations, e.g., community-based or faith-based 
groups; the organization can document that it has already established 
relations of this nature in Pakistan or can show that it has the 
capacity to readily establish such relations.
    The proposal must include information about previous grants or 
contracts relevant to this solicitation including:
    a. The organization for which the work was done;
    b. A contact person in that organization with their current phone 
number;
    c. The dollar value of the grant, contract, or cooperative 
agreement for the project;
    d. The time frame and professional effort involved in the project;
    e. A brief summary of the work performed; and
    f. A brief summary of accomplishments.
    This information on previous grants and contracts shall be provided 
in

[[Page 36253]]

appendices and will not count in the 30-page maximum page requirement.
    3. Experience and Qualifications of Key Personnel (25 points).
    This section of the application must include sufficient information 
to judge the quality and competence of staff proposed to be assigned to 
the project to assure that they meet the required qualifications of the 
individuals committed to the project. Accordingly, in its evaluation of 
the applicant's application, USDOL will place emphasis on the 
applicant's commitment to personnel qualified for the work involved in 
accomplishing the assigned tasks. Information provided on the 
experience and educational background of personnel must indicate the 
following:
    a. The identity of Key Personnel assigned to the project. ``Key 
Personnel'' are staff who are essential to the successful operation of 
the project and completion of the proposed work and, therefore, may not 
be replaced or have their hours reduced without the approval of the 
Grant Officer.
    b. The educational background and experience of all staff to be 
assigned to the project.
    c. The special capabilities of staff that demonstrate prior 
experience in organizing, managing and performing similar efforts.
    d. The current employment status of staff and availability for this 
project. The applicant must also indicate whether the proposed work 
will be performed by persons currently employed or is dependent upon 
planned recruitment or subcontracting. Key Personnel must sign letters 
of agreement to serve on the project, and indicate availability to 
commence work within three weeks of grant award.
    The following information must be furnished:
    a. The applicant must designate a Project Director (Key Personnel) 
to oversee the project and be responsible for implementation of the 
requirements of the cooperative agreement. The Project Director must 
have a minimum of three years of professional experience in a 
leadership role in implementation of complex basic education programs 
in developing countries in areas such as education policy; approaches 
to decentralization of education; improving educational quality and 
access; teacher training and materials development; education 
assessment of disadvantaged students; development of community 
participation in the improvement of basic education; and monitoring and 
evaluation of basic education projects. Points will be given for 
candidates with additional years of experience. Preferred candidates 
will also have knowledge of child labor issues and experience in the 
development of non-formal, formal, and vocational education of children 
removed from child labor.
    b. The applicant must designate an Education Specialist (Key 
Personnel) who will provide leadership in developing the technical 
aspects of this project in collaboration with the Project Director. 
This person shall have at least three years experience in basic 
education projects in developing countries in areas including student 
assessment, teacher training, educational materials development, 
educational management, and educational monitoring and information 
systems. This person shall have experience in working successfully with 
ministries of education, networks of educators, employers' 
organizations and trade union representatives or comparable entities. 
Additional experience with child labor, psychosocial counseling, 
education statistics, vocational education of child removed from child 
labor, and education monitoring and evaluation is an asset.
    c. The applicant must specify other personnel proposed to carry out 
the requirements of this solicitation.
    d. The applicant must include a description of the roles and 
responsibilities of all personnel proposed for this project and a 
resume for each professional person to be assigned to the program. 
Resumes will be attached in an appendix. At a minimum, each resume must 
include: The individual's current employment status and previous work 
experience, including position title, duties performed, dates in 
position, and employing organizations and educational background. 
Duties must be clearly defined in terms of role performed, i.e., 
manager, team leader, consultant, etc. Indicate whether the individual 
is currently employed by the applicant, and (if so) for how long.
    e. The applicant must indicate whether proposed personnel are 
currently employed by the organization or are dependent upon planned 
recruitment or sub-contracting. Note that management and professional 
technical staff members comprising the applicant's proposed team should 
be individuals who have prior experience with organizations working in 
similar efforts, and are fully qualified to perform work specified in 
the Statement of Work. Where sub-contractors or outside assistance are 
proposed, organizational control must be clearly delineated to ensure 
responsiveness to the needs of USDOL.
    4. Leverage of Federal Funding (5 points).
    The Department will give up to five (5) additional rating points to 
applications that include non-Federal resources that significantly 
expand the dollar amount, size and scope of the proposal. Of special 
interest is organizations' ability to provide income-generation and/or 
credit programs or other material incentives to benefit families of 
target children, or for older children who complete education programs 
and are ready for self-employment. These programs will not be financed 
by the project, but can supplement and enhance project objectives. The 
applicant may include any leveraging or co-funding anticipated. To be 
eligible for the additional points in the criterion, the applicant must 
list the source(s) of funds, the nature, and possible activities 
anticipated with these funds under this cooperative agreement and any 
partnerships, linkages or coordination of activities, cooperative 
funding, etc.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 17th day of May 2002.
Lawrence J. Kuss,
Grant Officer.

List of Appendices

Appendix A. SF 424--Application Form.
Appendix B. SF 424A--Budget Information Form.
Appendix C. Background Information on USDOL-Funded Projects in 
Pakistan.
Appendix D. Implementing Environment in Pakistan.
Appendix E. Organizations Involved in Education and/or Child Labor in 
Pakistan.
Appendix F. List of Background Materials Available Upon Request.
BILLING CODE 4510-28-P

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Instructions for Part II--Budget Information

Section A--Budget Summary by Categories

    1. Personnel: Show salaries to be paid for project personnel which 
you are required to provide with W2 forms.
    2. Fringe Benefits: Indicate the rate and amount of fringe 
benefits.
    3. Travel: Indicate the amount requested for staff travel. Include 
funds to cover at least on trip to Washington, DC for project director 
of designee.
    4. Equipment: Indicate the cost of non-expanded personal property 
that has a useful life of more than one year with a per unit cost of 
$5,000 or more. Also include a detailed description of equipment to be 
purchased including price information.
    5. Supplies: Include the cost of consumable supplies and materials 
to be used during the project period.
    6. Contractual: Show the amount to be used for (1) procurement 
contracts (except those which belong on other lines such as supplies 
and equipment); and (2) sub contracts/grants.
    7. Other: Indicate all direct costs not clearly covered by line 1 
through 6 above, including consultants.
    8. Total, Direct Costs: Add lines 1 through 7.
    9. Indirect Costs: Indicate the rate and amount of indirect costs. 
Please include a copy of your negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement.
    10. Training/Stipend Cost: (If allowable)
    11. Total Federal Funds Requested: Show total of lines 8 through 
10.

Section B--Cost Sharing/Matching Summary

    Indicate the actual rate and amount of cost sharing/matching when 
there is a cost sharing/matching requirement. Also include percentage 
of total project cost and indicate source of cost sharing/matching 
funds, i.e., other Federal source or other Non-Federal source.


    Note: Please include a detailed cost analysis of each line item.

Appendix C: Background Information on USDOL-Funded Projects in Pakistan

    The United States Department of Labor has funded several child 
labor projects in Pakistan, which are detailed below.
    Elimination of Child Labor in the Soccer Ball Industry in 
Sialkot (US $1.8 million, 1997). The primary objective of the 
project is to prevent and eliminate child labor in the production of 
soccer balls in Sialkot through workplace monitoring and provision 
of alternatives to children and their families. The project, which 
is a result of an agreement between the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce 
and Industry (SCCI), ILO and UNICEF, has achieved several important 
results. Manufacturers who participate in the project have shifted 
their production of soccer balls from homes to stitching centers 
that are registered and monitored by the ILO/IPEC. Over 90 percent 
of the soccer ball export production is being monitored through this 
program. IPEC monitors conduct unannounced inspections of the 
centers to ensure that children are not stitching soccer balls.
    The project has succeeded in removing more than 6,000 children 
from soccer ball stitching and providing them with non-formal 
education and/or skills training. Over 1,900 of these children have 
been mainstreamed into the formal education system. The project, 
currently in its second phase, continues to provide education to 
former child laborers, as well as any new children found working in 
the industry. In addition, 2,000 parents of former child stitchers 
will benefit from income generating activities. One of the 
objectives of the second phase of the project is to plan for a 
sustainable phase out strategy for IPEC. To that end, the project 
will work to establish a local independent monitoring body to 
succeed the current IPEC monitoring system. This project has 
benefited from the continued support and active participation of the 
SCCI in addressing the issue of child labor in the soccer ball 
industry. The industry has contributed about US $400,000 to project 
activities. They have also established the Child and Social 
Development Program within SCCI to ensure that child labor and other 
social issues are addressed effectively in the industry.
    Combating Child Labor in the Carpet Industry (US $2 million, 
1999). This three-year project seeks to reduce the incidence of 
child labor in the carpet sector in Punjab. Working in partnership 
with the Pakistan Carpet Manufactures and Exporters Association 
(PCMEA), the project has established a monitoring system to identify 
working children and ensure their gradual withdrawal from carpet 
weaving. Approximately 8,000 carpet-weaving children aged 14 and 
below and 2,000 of their younger siblings are targeted for non-
formal education. Children will also benefit from other support 
services including health, recreation, and counseling. In addition, 
2,000-3,000 parents of carpet-weaving children will receive training 
and access to micro-credit to start their own income-generating 
enterprises.
    To date the project has managed to provide nearly 8,000 children 
with non-formal education and prevented about 1,000 younger siblings 
from entering work. More than 100 children have been mainstreamed 
into the formal education system. Based on surveys conducted in the 
two districts, the number of carpet weaving children far exceeds the 
project's target group. USDOL is exploring funding a second phase to 
the project, which would expand services provided to include 
additional carpet weaving children in the two current districts of 
Sheikhupura and Gujranwala, as well as expanded program activities 
to cover additional areas in Punjab where carpet-weaving takes 
place.

Appendix D: Implementing Environment in Pakistan

    Although Pakistan's Employment of Children Act of 1991 prohibits 
the employment of children less than 14 years of age in occupations 
deemed to be hazardous to their health, according to Pakistan's 
National Policy and Action Plan to Combat Child Labor a National 
Child Labor Survey conducted in 1996 found about 3 million children 
aged five to 14 engaged in child labor in Pakistan (see Government 
of Pakistan, The Child Labour Unit of the Ministry of Labor, 
Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis, National Policy and Action Plan to 
Combat Child Labor, Islamabad, n.d., p. 10). Punjab province alone 
accounts for about 59 percent of the total child labor in Pakistan. 
Most of these children worked on a full-time basis. In 1999, the ILO 
estimated that 16 percent of children between the ages of 10 to 14 
in Pakistan were working.
    In Pakistan, children are most commonly found working in the 
agricultural and manufacturing sectors, in the manufacture of soccer 
balls, surgical instruments, textiles and bricks. They also work in 
automobile workshops, and tanneries. There are reports that some 
children and their families are part of a system of debt bondage in 
the brick kilns. Children also engage in garbage scavenging and 
carpet weaving, and are used in the smuggling of contraband and 
drugs.
    In the province of Punjab, where this project will be 
implemented, a survey by the Punjab Labor and Manpower found that 54 
percent of children enter the workforce to assist household 
enterprises; 27 percent enter to supplement household income; and 14 
percent are the family's sole income earners. The majority of 
children have been employed in the surgical instruments industry, 
football-manufacturing sector, steel furnace and spare parts sector, 
as well as in auto repair workshops and brick kilns. At home, girls 
are generally employed in work such as carpet weaving. About 80 
percent of Pakistan's carpet production takes place in the province 
of Punjab. Since poverty is so widespread in the rural areas there 
is little opportunity for children to attend school and a majority 
must turn to carpet weaving as a source of income. The children, 
mostly young girls, work an average of six to 10 hours per day and 
earn less than a dollar a day.
    The extent of child labor in Pakistan has engaged Pakistani and 
international organizations to take action to reduce and/or 
eliminate it. In March 1998, the Government of Pakistan established 
a Task Force on Child Labor to formulate policies on the elimination 
of child and bonded labor. Following task force recommendations, the 
Federal Cabinet approved a National Policy and Action Plan to Combat 
Child Labor. This action plan targets children in the age group five 
to 14, who are economically active and part of the labor force, and 
who generally are not in school.
    Pakistan's National Action Plan for the elimination of child 
labor focuses on the following components: awareness raising; 
withdrawal of child engaged in the worst

[[Page 36258]]

forms of child labor; community mobilization; situational analysis 
and development of a database on child labor; law enforcement; 
capacity building of relevant ministries/departments; enhancing 
education and skills training opportunities for children; 
empowerment of poor families, and promoting coordination with 
functional and social partners (National Policy and Action Plan to 
Combat Child Labor, p. 11).
    Members of the international community such as the ILO have also 
been involved on the child labor issue in Pakistan. In 1994, the 
Government of Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the 
ILO that allowed ILO/IPEC to launch child labor eradication 
activities in collaboration with several government ministries, 
NGOs, employers, trade unions and a National Steering Committee. 
IPEC child labor programs, including USDOL-funded projects (see 
Appendix C), can be found throughout the country and cover multiple 
sectors including soccer ball manufacturing, domestic work, leather 
tanning, automobile work, and occupations in the informal sector. 
The ILO is in the process of designating Timebound status to 
Pakistan. A Timebound program is a set of integrated approaches and 
policies to prevent and eliminate a country's worst forms of child 
labor within a defined period of time. These programs place emphasis 
on social mobilization, and economic and social policies to combat 
poverty and promote universal basic education.
    Although no single intervention can eradicate child labor, one 
critical component of a comprehensive strategy is to make education 
accessible to working children as is emphasized in Pakistan's 
National Plan to Combat Child Labor. Unfortunately, the education 
system in Pakistan is in a poor state with current indicators for 
literacy, enrollment, and retention rates far below those found in 
much of the developing world. A survey of Pakistan's education 
system conducted by the Social Policy and Development Center 
reported the following alarming statistics (Social Policy and 
Development Center, Social Development in Pakistan, Annual Report, 
Karachi, 1999 as cited in SPARC, The State of Pakistan's Children, 
1999, Islamabad, January 2000, pp. 31-38). The nation's literacy 
rate is 45 percent, with a 50 percent literacy rate for males and 24 
percent for females. Currently, Pakistan accounts for nearly 27 
percent of the dropout rate in South Asia and it is estimated that 
by the year 2005, Pakistan will account for nearly 40 percent of the 
dropout rate in the entire region. Furthermore, 37 percent of boys 
and 55 percent of girls of primary age are not in school. More 
seriously, 70 percent of students drop out in the first five years 
of school. Dropping out of school makes them prime candidates to 
enter the labor market, which they often do. Overall, the average 
number of years of schooling in Pakistan is 1.9, compared to 3.9 
years in developing countries. In Punjab the mean number of years of 
schooling is 2.3 (3.4 years for boys, and 1.1 years for girls). The 
primary enrollment ratio in Punjab is 69.4 for males, and 58.1 for 
females.

Emerging Approaches To Address Barriers to Education in Pakistan

    A number of potential solutions have emerged to address the 
challenge of the education sector in Pakistan including the 
emergence of private schools, public-private partnerships, community 
and religious schools. Through existing child labor projects, NGOs 
and employers have also developed models for non-formal and formal 
schools for children engaged in child labor. Among the models that 
are currently being used or may be further developed to address the 
education needs of working children or those at risk of dropping out 
of school and entering the labor force are the following:
    Public-private partnerships (Adopt-a-School). Capacity building 
and the strengthening of education institutions are integral to the 
emergence of public-private partnerships. In Pakistan, members of 
the private sector have taken the responsibility of overseeing the 
daily operations of several government schools. This initiative has 
led to the active participation of the private sector in the Adopt-
a-School program that is implemented mainly in the rural areas of 
the nation. The adoption of schools by the private sector has 
relieved pressure on the government by developing sustainable 
education options, building and repairing infrastructure, improving 
transparency and accountability as well as providing incentives, 
training and professional development for staff members. The 
proposed package of incentives for the private sector, particularly 
in rural areas and also urban slums include provisions of land free 
of cost and or at concessional rates. Private sector institutions, 
which are involved in educational partnerships, will also receive 
exemption of custom duties on import of educational equipment and 
exemption of 50 percent income tax for faculty, support and 
administrative staff. Government reports estimate that the private 
sector supplements 40 percent of the nation's education.
    Community-based schools. Community-based schools have also been 
established by members of NGOs or Community Based Organizations. 
Many of the schools have been successful in raising the literacy 
rate in the northern rural areas of the country by establishing a 
community-based social and economic approach. This method includes 
improvement in physical infrastructure, adult education classes, and 
skills training. A majority of NGO-sponsored schools have 
concentrated their efforts on expanding the availability of 
universal primary education (UPE), which includes increasing access, 
quality, sustainability, research, and policy advocacy. Many of the 
community-based schools also implement and promote interventions in 
maternal and child health, nutrition, microcredit finance, and 
skills training.
    Non-formal school programs. These programs have been implemented 
by NGOs or employers as part of an ILO or other donor child labor 
project. They often run on the premises of government schools at 
times when formal school is not in session, or they may also hold 
classes in separate locales. They vary in instructional quality, the 
level of training provided to teachers and other incentives provided 
to children and families to promote school attendance. Some 
employer-sponsored schools such as in the carpet sector allow 
children to combine work with school. Employer sponsored schools 
include those of the SCCI (soccer ball production), Carpet 
Manufacturer's and Exporters Association, and Surgical Instruments 
Manufacturer Association of Pakistan.
    Religious schools (madrassas). Madrassas are religious schools 
where a body of knowledge is passed down from teacher to student 
encouraging the memorization of religious text. While the curriculum 
in the school may be limited, its attraction is that students 
receive an education while being provided housing, food, and 
clothing. There are 8,000 madrassas registered with the government 
and some have tended to foster a conservative education that has 
sometimes resulted in religious extremism across parts of Pakistan 
and Afghanistan.
    Private schools. The demand for private schools has increased in 
the last few years because of the quality of education they are able 
to provide. Students who attend private schools are usually from 
Pakistan's social elite. Most private schools are not supervised by 
any government agency and therefore free to establish their own 
curriculum, teaching methods and hiring practices. Education experts 
feel that involvement by the government would stifle the progress 
made by private schools and the institutions would lose their 
advantage of being able to provide quality education.
    The development of these different approaches to improve school 
access and quality support Pakistan's Ministry of Education's 
education reform that has been in development since 1999. In 
November 2001, the Minister of Education announced the educational 
policies and reforms through which, for the first time in the 
history of Pakistan, the education budget would be increased by 150 
percent. The bulk of the budget will be spent on literacy in formal 
and non-formal schools, technical and skills training, teacher 
training, development of school infrastructure and the establishment 
of public-private partnerships.
    In January 2002, the Government of Pakistan Ministry of 
Education published Education Sector Reforms. Action Plan 2002-2004 
(Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Education, Education Sector 
Reforms. Action Plan 2002-2004, Jan. 2002, p. 75). As part of the 
strategy the government will make educational programs available for 
children above age 10 who are at risk of dropping out of school, 
involved in child labor or living in remote areas of the country. To 
address weak education indicators, the Government of Pakistan is 
giving priority to UPE and has recently passed a regulation making 
primary education compulsory. Content areas of the reform include 
literacy in formal and non-formal schools, technical and skills 
training, teacher training, development of school infrastructure and 
the establishment of public-private partnerships.
    This plan specifically addresses the education needs of child 
laborers. Its strategies are similar to those of the Child

[[Page 36259]]

Labor Action Plan and include awareness-raising, development and 
dissemination of information, community mobilization, situation 
analysis, establishment of monitoring and evaluation system, 
withdrawal of children from exploitative labor on a priority basis, 
and special protection to the most vulnerable groups of child labor 
(Education Sector Reforms. Action Plan 2002-2004, Jan. 2002, p. 75).
    As part of its educational reform plan, the Government of 
Pakistan has attached special importance to decentralization of the 
education sector. Through devolution of administrative authority, 
local government will undertake educational development. The 
devolution plan was launched in 2001 and actions are being developed 
to ensure that the process is successful.
    As part of the decentralization and devolution process all 
provinces will become more active in education planning and 
implementation. Under Local Government Ordinance 2001, the province 
of Punjab has been assigned the responsibility of establishing 
Citizen Community Boards (CCBs). The function of the CCB is to 
ensure effective participation at the community level. The boards 
can form stakeholders associations such as Parent-Teacher 
Associations or Community Public Partnerships for community 
involvement in the improvement and maintenance of educational 
programs. Under this plan the local community will be involved in 
such issues as hiring of local teachers, involvement in the schools' 
annual development plan, and management and operation of school-
related funds. The government ordinance also calls for the 
establishment of School Management or Monitoring Committees, which 
will ensure accountability and transparency at the district level.
    The education reform plan also aims to encourage Pakistani 
expatriates to support the education sector in needy areas of 
Pakistan. Many overseas Pakistanis are economically prosperous and 
are a source of remittances that improve the social and economic 
conditions in their country of origin. Since the portfolio of the 
Ministry of Labor also includes Overseas Pakistanis, this approach 
could lead to interesting synergies between the Ministries of 
Education and Labor.
    President Musharraf has also been instrumental in initiating 
educational reforms and poverty alleviation programs. This 
commitment to implement social change led to the creation of a Task 
Force on Human Development in June 2001. The task force is comprised 
of representatives from civil society, NGOs, academics, government, 
and field practitioners who are working to complete the reforms 
initiated by the government in various social sectors. The vision of 
the task force is to enable the people of Pakistan to reach their 
maximum potential by approaching development issues through a 
holistic approach. In January 2002, the Government of Pakistan and 
international donors including USDOL met at the Human Development 
Forum that included participation by President Musharraf and U.N. 
Secretary General Kofi Annan. At this forum practitioners presented 
innovative approaches to education and human resource development in 
Pakistan including many of the models cited above.

Appendix E: Organizations Working on Education and Child Labor in 
Pakistan

    A number of organizations work on education and child labor 
programs in Pakistan. If partnerships are envisioned, the Applicant 
should not limit consideration to what is listed below.

The Aga Khan Foundation

    The Aga Khan Foundation is a private, non-denominational 
development agency. Its mission is to promote creative and effective 
solutions to problems that impact social development. As part of the 
government curriculum reform initiative, the Aga Khan Foundation has 
started a Teacher Resource Center, which is focused on early 
childhood education that works with public and government schools.

The Ali Institute of Education

    The Ali Institute was established in 1992 with a grant from the 
UNDP to improve quality education. The Institute is currently 
involved in the Adopt-a-School program, and is working to raise 
educational standards through teacher training for underprivileged 
communities at nine Training and Resource Centers.

The Asia Foundation

    The Asia Foundation is a private, nonprofit, nongovernmental 
organization dedicated to advancing the mutual interest of the 
United States and the Asia Pacific region and has been operating in 
Pakistan since 1954. Working in close partnerships with Pakistani 
NGOs and individuals, the Foundation has sought to develop 
sustainable models of community participation for a wide variety of 
services and contribute to an agenda for institutional reform and 
long-term good governance. The Foundation focuses on five key issues 
related to universal primary education: quality, access, 
sustainability, research and policy advocacy. In December 2000, the 
Asia Foundation co-sponsored a policy dialogue to present research 
findings and suggest policy initiatives on basic education. The Asia 
Foundation has also been instrumental in conducting comparative 
analysis of government, private and NGO schools to identify policy 
lessons.

International Labor Organization (ILO)

    The ILO brings together governments, workers, and employers in a 
common endeavor to improve social protection and conditions of life 
and work throughout the world. The ILO, through the work done by the 
International Program to Eliminate Child Labor (IPEC), has 
implemented a large number of programs and activities aimed at 
combating child labor by creating awareness, promoting education and 
integrating social and economic development policies.

Save the Children-UK

    Save the Children-UK is the leading charity in the United 
Kingdom working to create a better world for children. Save the 
Children works in over 70 countries helping the children in the most 
impoverished communities. In Pakistan, Save the Children is involved 
in alternative education projects such as night schools for working 
children and credit and savings programs for the parents of working 
children. It has been the lead agency in combating child labor in 
the carpet industry in the Tharparkar district of southern Pakistan.

Skill Development Council of Punjab

    The Council was established in June 1995 because of the lack of 
highly trained employees needed to run technical and skilled 
manpower projects. One of its first initiatives was to create 
advocacy groups that would lobby organizations to provide funds to 
support basic skills training. The Council is a tripartite 
organization with employers taking the lead and members of the 
government and council taking active roles. Currently, the Council 
supports 30 Non-Formal Education (NFE) and Skill Training Centers. 
The Skill Training Centers allow older youth to be better equipped 
and have the knowledge necessary to find employment in more 
technically advanced labor sectors. Members of the Council are also 
active in conducting seminars and raising awareness on the child 
labor situation in Pakistan.

Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC)

    SPARC is a Pakistani NGO working for the rights of the child and 
for the worldwide promotion of human rights. SPARC is instrumental 
in raising public awareness and producing research on child laborers 
in Pakistan through books, newsletters, brochures, and reports.

SUDHARR

    SUDHARR is a Pakistani NGO that established NFE programs in 
1995. Since then the organization has had great success 
mainstreaming urban children into formal school settings. SUDHARR 
cites grassroots mobilization as its foundation for success using 
the concept of Family Education and Village Education Committees. 
Through its approach, the school becomes the center of community 
life. Current programs also focus on training and motivating 
teachers and district school administrators.

Technical Training Institute-Lahore

    The Technical Training Institute is focused on improving 
training for those in the industrial sector. The institute has two 
areas of focus, which include technical training and apprenticeship 
training. Students interested in pursuing careers as electricians or 
other science/math-based careers must have matriculated before being 
accepted into the institute. Currently there are 11,000 students in 
the full-time training program (two years) and nearly 3,000 in the 
apprenticeship program a three-year program. The institute has 
initiated short courses, which are between six months to one year. 
Recent additions to the curriculum include graphic/fine arts, 
medical assistant and computer training.

[[Page 36260]]

UNESCO

    UNESCO action in education strategy is shaped by three 
objectives which include promoting education as a fundamental human 
right; improving the quality of education for all children; and 
promoting experimentation, innovation and the diffusion and sharing 
of information and best practices as well as policy dialogue in 
education. The Government of Pakistan has responded favorably to 
UNESCO's Education For All commitment. Current UNESCO projects in 
Pakistan focus on street and working children as well as children 
working in the carpet industry in Lahore. UNESCO has also undertaken 
a teacher-training program that incorporates using the resources and 
infrastructure of national and regional teacher training colleges 
and has also been involved in the development and improvement of 
student assessment tools.

UNICEF

    UNICEF operates in over 161 countries, areas and territories on 
solutions to problems facing children and their families and on ways 
to realize their rights. Work is carried out in partnership with 
governments, civil society organizations and communities to offer 
children the best possible start in life. Programs focus on 
policies, legislation and programmatic support to protect children 
in vulnerable situations. Their work reaches out to those who have 
been traditionally forgotten, including child laborers. In the last 
three years, UNICEF has worked with the Department of Education, 
Government of the Punjab to implement the Universal Primary 
Education Project. This project has worked in several districts and 
has fully involved communities and teachers in combating child labor 
and increasing enrollment. The project's major objectives have been: 
(1) To enroll every child in the age group of five to seven years 
and retain them for the entire primary cycle; (2) to provide quality 
education, and (3) to bring attitudinal change among communities to 
make them supportive of UPE. In Pakistan, UNICEF is interested in 
vocational skills training for older youth involved in work.

Appendix F: List of Background Materials Available Upon Request

    The following additional background materials are available from 
USDOL upon request.
    Government of Pakistan. Education Sector Reforms: Action Plan 
2001-2004.
    Government of Pakistan. National Policy and Action Plan to 
Combat Child Labor.

[FR Doc. 02-12961 Filed 5-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-28-P