[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 32 (Friday, February 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7679-7680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2740]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Office of Trade and Labor 
Affairs: Questions and Answers for Solicitation for Cooperative 
Agreement Application (SGA) 07-02, Strengthening Labor Compliance in 
the Agricultural Sector in Central America and the Dominican Republic

AGENCY: Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Office of Trade and 
Labor Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In response to the subject solicitation, inquiries have been 
received regarding the requirements of the solicitation. This notice 
publishes the inquiries and the responses to the inquiries. Due to the 
pending closing date of February 23, 2007 no further questions will be 
entertained.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Harvey, Department of Labor,

[[Page 7680]]

Procurement Services Center, Room S-4307, 200 Constitution Ave, NW., 
Washington DC, 20210, Telephone (202) 693-4592, e-mail: [email protected].
    Q: I am aware that this proposal concerns all C.A.F.T.A. countries 
but I am wondering if there are priority countries concerning this 
specific grant. My question is whether or not it is possible to submit 
a proposal for just one of the C.A.F.T.A countries (such as Honduras), 
or perhaps just 3 or 4 of the C.A.F.T.A. countries, or does the grant 
require a regional proposal?
    A: The project must undertake activities in all countries within 
the lifetime of the grant, beginning at a minimum the first year in El 
Salvador and Nicaragua. The applicants experience may be in only one or 
more of the countries, but the proposed activities must eventually roll 
out to all the countries and will be judged on the merits of how it 
plans to do this. Specifically, the SGA states: Applicants should 
submit proposals that are regional in scope and demonstrate the 
organization's capabilities to implement a project in accordance with 
the Statement of Work and the selection criteria. Proposals must 
provide for activities in all countries, and begin the first year at a 
minimum in El Salvador and Nicaragua. Applicants will not be penalized 
for lacking previous experience working on regional projects. For 
example, organizations with experience in only one country will be 
judged based on the success they achieved in that country and their 
proposal for working successfully throughout the rest of the targeted 
region. USDOL encourages applicants to be creative in proposing 
innovative and cost-effective interventions that will produce a 
demonstrable and sustainable impact.
    Q: Would DOL be interested in receiving a proposal that focuses on 
DOL's stated objectives but as related to migrant workers? Such a 
proposal/project could potentially compliment other proposals?
    a. Related question to that, given that migrant populations are 
more significant in some Central American countries than others, could 
IOM propose activities based on the countries with significant 
populations, rather than in all the stated countries?
    b. And finally, if DOL would be interested in migrant focused 
proposal, would they prefer we submit a joint proposal with another 
organization that could take on all the other non-migrant workers?
    A: Please ensure that any proposals submitted respond to the 
objectives outlined in the SGA, which do not specify migrant worker 
rights.
    Q. The solicitation asks that labor law compliance is improved in 
the DR, Nicaragua, and either Guatemala or Honduras. Is there a 
preference one way or the other on Guatemala or Honduras? Would DOL 
like an explanation for why one country is chosen over the other?
    A. DOL does not have a preference between either country. Regarding 
your question as to whether DOL needs an explanation as to why one 
country was chosen over another, the Applicant would be expected to 
demonstrate ``the extent to which the application sets forth a clear 
and supportable course of action to improve labor law compliance'' in 
the particular countries included in their proposal.
    Q. The Award Information explains that the duration of the project 
funded by this solicitation is up to four years. Does DOL place 
additional weight on proposals that are for the full 4 years or are 
projects that run for less time (2 or 3 years) considered on an equal 
playing field as those that propose 4 years? Obviously we would need to 
weight the amount of programming that can get done in 3 countries over 
a considerable amount of time with the amount of funding allocated.
    A. The Applicant will be judged on the merits of their proposed 
strategy to achieve sustainable results. The SGA states ``Applicants 
will be evaluated on the clear identification and description of the 
specific strategy(s) the applicant proposes to use, and the 
effectiveness and attainability of project objectives by the end of the 
grant period''.
    Q. The RFA reads ``an applicant must demonstrate a country 
presence, independently or through a relationship with another 
organization(s) with country presence, which gives it the ability to 
initiate program activities upon award of the Cooperative Agreement''. 
(said organization) currently has a country office in Honduras and has 
worked in Nicaragua and the DR in the past. I read that to mean that we 
would need to identify local partners that would be working with (said 
organization) on implementation in each country and they would be 
prepared and ready to begin implementation upon reception of the award. 
Is this an accurate reading or would (said organization) need to have 
some sort of office open in each country prior to the award?
    A. (Said organization) would not necessarily need to have an office 
open in each country prior to the award, however it would have to 
demonstrate country presence ``independently or through a relationship 
with another organization(s) with country presence, which gives it the 
ability to initiate program activities upon award of the Cooperative 
Agreement.''
    Q. From what I understand, DOL requires that our agreements with 
local organizations be in the form of contracts. Is this an accurate 
representation of DOL requirements everywhere? From our work in 
(country X), local NGOs would not have the capacity to operate under a 
traditional contract mechanism in that they do not have the capital to 
advance funding for work, but would instead require a sub-award to 
implement a project. Would this be acceptable?
    A: The SGA consistently uses the terms ``subaward'' which can be 
either be a sub-contract or a sub-grant.

    Signed this 12th day of February 2007.
Lisa Harvey,
Grant Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-2740 Filed 2-15-07; 8:45 am]
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