[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 119 (Thursday, June 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34279-34299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12011]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Research on Children Working in the Carpet Industry of India, 
Nepal and Pakistan

AGENCY: Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor.
    Announcement Type: New. Notice of Availability of Funds and 
Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement Applications.
    Funding Opportunity Number: SGA 07-11.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: Not 
applicable.
    Key Dates: Deadline for Submission of Application is August 3, 
2007.
    Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of 
International Labor Affairs, will award up to USD 3.5 million through a 
Cooperative Agreement to a qualifying organization or Association to 
carry out research on children working in the carpet industry in India, 
Nepal, and Pakistan. Research funded under this Cooperative Agreement 
will involve gathering and analyzing data in order to answer the 
research questions outlined in this solicitation. Applicants must 
respond to the entire Scope of Work for this award.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Bureau of International Labor 
Affairs (ILAB), announces the availability of funds to be awarded by a 
Cooperative Agreement to a qualifying organization or Association 
(hereinafter referred to as ``Applicant'') to carry out research on 
children working in the carpet industry in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. 
Research funded under this Cooperative Agreement will involve gathering 
and analyzing data in order to answer the research questions outlined 
in this solicitation. Research funded as a result of this solicitation 
will build and expand upon existing research on child labor in the 
carpet industry in the three countries.
    ILAB is authorized to award and administer a Cooperative Agreement 
for this purpose by Section 20607 of the Revised Continuing 
Appropriations Resolution 2007, Pub L. 110-05, 121 Stat 8 (2007). The 
Cooperative Agreement awarded under this solicitation will be managed 
by ILAB's Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking 
(OCFT). The duration of the research project funded by this 
solicitation will be up to three years. The start date of project 
activities will be negotiated upon award of the Cooperative Agreement, 
but will be no later than September 30, 2007.
    Please note that Appendix A provides USDOL's definitions for all 
key terms denoted in italics throughout the text of this solicitation. 
(For ease of reference, the term ``child(ren)'' has not been denoted in 
italics, though its definition is included in Appendix A. Child(ren) 
are defined by USDOL as individuals under the age of 18 years.)

1. Background

A. USDOL Support for the Global Elimination of Exploitive Child Labor
    ILAB conducts research and commissions studies to inform and 
formulate international economic, trade, immigration and labor policies 
in collaboration with other U.S. Government agencies and provides 
technical assistance to countries abroad in support of U.S. foreign 
labor policy objectives. OCFT, formerly the International Child Labor 
Program (ICLP), was created at the request of Congress in 1993 to 
specifically research and report on child labor around the world. More 
recently Congress, through the Trafficking Victims Protection 
Reauthorization Act of 2005, directed ILAB to include, among its 
responsibilities, monitoring and combating forced labor and human 
trafficking. Today, OCFT develops policy, conducts research, and 
implements technical cooperation projects to eradicate exploitive child 
labor, trafficking in persons, and forced labor worldwide.
    Since 1994, ILAB has published over 20 congressionally-mandated 
reports and has funded various research initiatives on international 
child labor, which have been widely distributed in the United States 
and abroad. The congressionally-mandated reports appear in ILAB's By 
the Sweat and Toil of Children and Advancing the Campaign Against Child 
Labor report series. Beginning in 2001, the USDOL's Findings on the 
Worst Forms of Child Labor annual report has focused on child labor in 
trade beneficiary countries and countries with which the United States 
has negotiated free trade agreements. In 2006, ILAB hosted a research 
symposium, Linking Theory and Practice to Eliminate the Worst Forms of 
Child Labor, to further advance the knowledge base on child labor, and 
provide a forum to promote dialogue between researchers and 
practitioners on the barriers to education for working children. All of 
these research products can be found at the USDOL Web site, http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/programs/iclp/.
    In addition to ILAB's research activities, USDOL funds technical 
cooperation projects that include direct action to prevent and withdraw 
children from exploitive child labor, particularly the worst forms of 
child labor, and carry out various research activities to inform policy 
and program design. Since 1995, the U.S. Congress has appropriated $595 
million to USDOL for efforts to combat exploitive child labor 
internationally. This funding has been used to support

[[Page 34280]]

technical cooperation projects to combat exploitive child labor in more 
than 75 countries around the world. Technical cooperation projects 
funded by USDOL range from targeted action programs in specific sectors 
of work to more comprehensive programs that support national efforts to 
eliminate the worst forms of child labor, as defined by International 
Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 182 (Worst Forms of Child Labor 
Convention, 1999). USDOL places a high level of emphasis on the use of 
accurate and reliable data and information for the purposes of program 
planning, policy design and impact measurement. Accordingly, technical 
cooperation projects have included funding of national child labor 
surveys and the development of creative and innovative methodologies to 
collect data on working children. Survey instruments and research 
methodologies continue to be refined in order to gather data on 
children in the worst forms of child labor who would otherwise be 
excluded from traditional survey instruments.
B. Factors Contributing to Exploitive Child Labor and Barriers to 
Education
    The ILO estimated that 218 million children ages 5 to 17 were 
engaged in child labor around the world in 2004. Children engaged in 
exploitive child labor on a full-time basis are generally unable to 
attend school, and children engaged in exploitive child labor on a 
part-time basis balance economic survival with schooling from an early 
age, often to the detriment of their education.
    Complex factors contribute to children's involvement in exploitive 
labor, including hazardous work, as well as barriers to education for 
children who are engaged in or at-risk of entering exploitive child 
labor. These include poverty; education system barriers; infrastructure 
barriers; legal and policy barriers; resource gaps; institutional 
barriers; informational gaps; demographic characteristics of children 
and/or families; cultural and traditional practices; tenuous labor 
markets; and weak child labor law enforcement. While these factors and 
barriers tend to exist throughout the world in areas with a high 
incidence of exploitive child labor, they manifest themselves in 
specific ways in the countries of interest in this solicitation.
    Some factors unrelated to education that contribute to children 
entering exploitive labor include their families' need for extra 
income, children's need to provide a livelihood for themselves and/or 
their siblings, lack of parent(s) or caregiver(s), cultural practices, 
and lack of awareness of the hazards associated with exploitive child 
labor, including the worst forms of child labor. In addition, children 
have a variety of educational needs and encounter different barriers 
depending on their work status (e.g., children withdrawn from 
exploitive labor, underage children at risk of dropping out of school 
and joining the labor force, children engaged in exploitive labor in a 
particular sector).
C. Children Working in the South Asia Carpet Industry
    The carpet manufacturing industry in South Asia--particularly 
concentrated in India, Nepal, and Pakistan--has been under 
international scrutiny for many years for its use of child labor. 
Carpets and rugs are important export products from these countries, 
sold primarily within the European and U.S. markets. Manufacturing of 
carpets provides jobs and livelihoods to many families in the region, 
but also poses health and safety risks to adults and children, and 
impedes children's education. However, reliable estimates on the 
magnitude of children currently work in the carpet industry in these 
three countries is unknown.
    Various types of carpets are manufactured in the region, and as 
consumer tastes change, suppliers and manufacturers adjust to meet that 
demand. In the past few years, the industry has trended away from the 
most labor-intensive, hand-knotted carpets, in favor of hand-hooked or 
hand-tufted varieties that are quicker to produce, less durable and 
less expensive for the consumer. However, the impact of these shifts on 
the use of child labor in the industry is unclear. The use of child 
labor has been documented both in the production of the complex, hand-
knotted varieties, as well as in the production of the less expensive, 
more modern types of carpets.
    In Pakistan and India, carpet exporters typically engage 
contractors or middlemen, who place orders with weavers working in 
small weaving centers or in private homes. This arrangement is often 
referred to as the ``cottage'' industry. The hidden nature of the 
``cottage'' industry in Pakistan and India can lead to greater 
involvement of children, with children working either directly with 
their families or as hired labor. In Nepal, carpets are typically 
produced in factories and the use of child labor within these factories 
has been documented.
    Throughout the South Asia region, children migrate along known 
patterns, unaccompanied or with their families, from poorer and more 
rural regions to villages or cities to work in the carpet industry. 
Some migrate across national borders. Children enter into the industry 
in a variety of ways, including working alongside family members in 
family workshops or in situations of parental debt bondage; being sent 
by their families to other areas to work in the carpet industry; being 
recruited by brokers or trafficked into the industry; or working as 
apprentices to master weavers.
    Many children begin work in the carpet industry at an early age, 
some as early as 6 or 7 years of age. They work long hours, for little 
pay, and are vulnerable to a variety of workplace hazards such as 
injuries from sharp tools, eye disease and strain due to insufficient 
light, respiratory disease due to inhaling wool fibers, 
gastrointestinal and skin problems, and skeletal deformation and pain 
due to cramped working conditions. Indeed, Pakistan's Child Labor 
Survey (1996) found that of all industries in which children were 
working in Pakistan, the carpet industry had the highest rate of 
illness and injuries.
    Some children work in the industry under conditions of bondage, 
working to pay back debts owed by themselves or their families to an 
employer. In some cases, children accrue debts to their employers for 
their initial transportation to a work site and for food and lodging at 
the work site, which their wages are not adequate to cover. Many suffer 
physical and psychological abuse, including being beaten and denied 
food. Many also lack access to education or medical care.
    All three countries have laws in place prohibiting forced labor and 
child labor, but the problems persist. In response to growing concern 
over the use of child labor, various governmental and non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs), as well as industry groups, have implemented 
initiatives to combat child labor in the carpet industry. These have 
focused on improved law enforcement; provision of educational 
opportunities for former child carpet-weavers; and labeling initiatives 
that provide guarantees to consumers that carpets were produced without 
child labor. These efforts have clearly led to a reduction in child 
labor in the industry, but the overall magnitude of their impact is 
unclear.
    i. India. In 2000, approximately 4.1 percent of children ages 5-14 
were counted as working in India. However, accurate estimates of the 
number of children working in carpet-weaving are unavailable. Bonded 
child labor is

[[Page 34281]]

known to occur in the carpet industry in India. Some children are 
trafficked into these situations of bondage; both Indian children 
trafficked from other parts of the country and Nepali children 
trafficked across the border.
    Over the past decade, the industry has increasingly shifted toward 
home-based production, making enforcement and monitoring still more 
difficult. In addition, the concentration of the industry in the 
``carpet belt'' in the eastern part of the State of Uttar Pradesh has 
given way to more spread-out production, with pockets in the States of 
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Jaipur, and 
others. There are indications that some of the newer carpet-producing 
zones are areas from which children formerly migrated to work in the 
``carpet belt.''
    ii. Nepal. In 1999, approximately 39.6 percent of children ages 5-
14 were counted as working in Nepal. However, accurate estimates of the 
number of children working in carpet-weaving are unavailable. Children 
work in both carpet factories and in informal, ``cottage,'' carpet 
production in Nepal. The proportion of children working in factory 
settings compared with cottage settings is reportedly much higher in 
Nepal than in India or Pakistan. Some children work in the industry 
under conditions of bondage, but the incidence of child bonded labor in 
carpet-weaving is reportedly less in Nepal than in the other two 
countries. A large percentage of children working in carpet factories 
are members of ethnic minority groups, and many have sisters, brothers, 
or close relatives already working in carpet-weaving. Some are 
reportedly trafficked to work in the industry, or brought to employers 
by employment ``brokers.''
    Reports suggest that recent political unrest and armed conflict in 
Nepal have led to greater migration of children, often unaccompanied, 
from conflict-affected districts to cities to find work. The majority 
of carpet factories in Nepal are concentrated in the Kathmandu valley, 
an attractive location for child migrants. However, the entire industry 
has experienced a decline in production since its high point in the 
early 1990s. The impact of the industry decline on the use of child 
labor in the industry is not clear.
    iii. Pakistan. In 1999-2000, approximately 16.4 percent of children 
ages 10-14 were counted as working in Pakistan. The number working in 
the carpet industry is unknown, although a Rapid Assessment carried out 
by the ILO in 2004 found that children under 15 made up about 40 
percent of the sample carpet-weaving population covered by the study. 
The sample included both adults and children. Carpet-weaving is an 
important export industry for Pakistan, providing employment for many 
families; however, the nature of the industry also is likely to 
increase the risk of exploitive child labor. Children are paid very low 
wages and are sometimes physically or verbally abused at the work site. 
Many work under conditions of debt bondage, and are confined to the 
employer's premises until their debts are fully paid. Parents sometimes 
take advance payments from employers in exchange for their children's 
labor.
    Children work in carpet-weaving throughout Pakistan, and many 
belong to ethnic minority groups. For instance, in the North-West 
Frontier Province, carpet-weaving is concentrated among Afghan 
refugees; in parts of Sindh Province, Bihari and Burmese communities 
are primarily involved in carpet-weaving; and in Balochistan, Hazara 
tribes are primarily involved in the industry.

2. Scope of Work

A. General Research Requirements
    i. Research Objective. USDOL seeks a qualified organization and/or 
Association to carry out research and data collection on children 
working in the carpet industry in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Given the 
public attention paid to child labor in the carpet industry, the study 
should be designed to provide the U.S. Government with reliable and 
accurate data and information on the incidence and nature of children 
working in the carpet industry. Research should include all aspects of 
the supply chain leading up to the production of carpets (i.e., yarn 
manufacturing and yarn-dyeing), as well as the weaving itself. To the 
extent that families play a role in determining the work situation of 
children (i.e., children under parental debt bondage), research should 
also be conducted on the impact of family characteristics and the role 
of parents in children's work status. The results of this study will be 
used to increase the knowledge base on child labor and inform policy 
and project considerations.
    ii. Research Concepts and Definitions. Applicants must be familiar 
with how international standards on and definitions of child labor 
translate into statistical terms. Data analysis on working children 
should be disaggregated to the extent possible between children working 
in acceptable work and exploitive child labor.
    iii. Research Questions. Applicants must seek to answer the 
following primary and secondary questions.
     How prevalent is the use of children in the carpet 
industry in India, Nepal, and Pakistan?
     What is the incidence of working children in the carpet 
industry in India, Nepal, and Pakistan?
     What are the demographic characteristics of children and 
families working in the carpet industry?
    a. What are the individual characteristics of children working in 
the carpet industry (i.e., age, sex)?
    b. What is the educational status of children working in the carpet 
industry, and what is the educational status of their families?
    c. What are the household demographics, working status, and 
socioeconomic status of working children's families?
     What is the relationship between a child's working status 
and educational opportunities?
    a. Are there particular educational barriers that make children 
more vulnerable to working the carpet industry?
     To what extent do children and families migrate to work in 
the carpet industry?
    a. What role does the family play in children's migration?
     To what extent are children working in the carpet industry 
working under forced and/or bonded labor conditions?
    a. To what extent are children trafficked into these situations?
     What particular aspects of the carpet industry encourage 
or discourage the use of children? Are there aspects of the carpet 
industry that lead to greater exploitation of children?
    a. How do children enter into the carpet industry?
    b. What percentage of children work for their families vs. work as 
hired labor?
    c. Are there wage/payment systems that lead to exploitation of 
child workers?
    d. Is more or less child labor anticipated in the carpet industry 
in each country in the future?
     What are children's working conditions in the carpet 
industry?
    a. In what specific activities are children engaged?
    b. What are the occupational safety and health hazards to which 
children are exposed?
    c. What are the typical hours of work?
    d. How are children paid (piece rate, by time period, etc.), and 
how does this relate to their overall conditions of work?

[[Page 34282]]

    e. How does children's work affect their participation in 
education?
    f. To what extent are children abused in the workplace, and by 
whom? And what is the nature of that abuse?
     In what regions of each country is the carpet industry 
concentrated, and are there concentrated areas where children are most 
likely to be working?
     How are market demands and consequent shifts in the carpet 
industry affecting the use of child labor?
    a. What changes are occurring in supply and demand in the carpet 
industry in the South Asian region?
    b. To what extent are children working in the carpet sector 
involved in producing carpets for export?
    c. Is the use of child labor increasing or decreasing in certain 
areas due to changes in the industry?
     What have been the best practices to eliminate child labor 
in the carpet industry (e.g., government, industry, employer, and other 
nongovernmental efforts)?
    iv. Research Knowledge-Base. Applicants should demonstrate a 
thorough knowledge of previous research on child labor in the carpet 
industry for each target country and seek to build upon past research 
efforts. Currently-available research includes, but is not limited to:
     Global Research and Consultancy Services (2006). Child 
Labour in Carpet Industry in India: Recent Developments. International 
Labor Rights Fund;
     Srivastava, Ravi K. (2005). Bonded labour in India: its 
incidence and pattern. ILO/Special Action Programme on Forced Labour;
     Mueen Nasir, Zafar (2004). A rapid assessment of bonded 
labour in the carpet industry of Pakistan. ILO/Special Action Programme 
on Forced Labour;
     ILO/IPEC (2002). A rapid assessment of child labour in the 
Nepalese carpet sector; and
     ILO/Special Action Programme on Forced Labour (2002). 
Annotated bibliography on forced/bonded labour in India.
    Applicants must make every effort not to duplicate existing 
research or survey methodologies on child labor. Instead, applicants 
must use, improve, and/or refine existing methodologies, or propose new 
methodologies for collecting data on child labor in the carpet 
industry. Applicants should be familiar with ILO-IPEC statistical tools 
developed by the Statistical Information and Monitoring Program on 
Child Labor (SIMPOC) for collecting information on exploitive child 
labor, http://www.ilo.org. These tools include survey methodologies and 
data collection instruments.
B. Research Methodology Requirements
    Applicants must develop creative and innovative research 
methodologies to gather information in order to answer the research 
questions outlined in this solicitation. Applicants are expected to 
consider the social, economic, and cultural contexts of the target 
countries when formulating research methodologies. However, 
methodologies should be designed to allow for the aggregation of data 
among the three countries and relevant cross-country comparisons. 
Applicants must take into account country-specific issues that could 
affect project results, and meaningfully incorporate those into the 
proposed methodology to reduce threats to successful research 
implementation.
    While Applicants may rely on secondary resources, the main purpose 
of this study is to conduct primary data collection. The research 
methodology should include definitions of key concepts and variables; 
explain the proposed sampling designs; describe the survey 
instrument(s) that will be used to carry out the data collection 
activities; develop a data processing plan; and provide a plan for 
pilot-testing the methodology in the field. In developing the research 
methodology, Applicants must include the elements listed below.
    i. Research Questions. Applicants must answer the research 
questions outlined in Section I. 2.A.iii. of this solicitation. 
Applicants may propose to USDOL additional research questions that lay 
out clear, concise hypotheses.
    ii. Research Design. The research design must be suitable for 
responding to the research questions, and must involve quantitative 
research. As appropriate, Applicants should propose to use a 
combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches. The 
quantitative research should be carried out through a cross-sectional 
survey research design. To the extent possible, applicants should 
propose a research design that results in statistically-valid 
information at the national, regional, and/or local level on the 
prevalence and incidence of child labor in the carpet industry of each 
country.
    iii. Survey Design. Applicants should propose a detailed survey 
design plan that will guide primary data collection. Applicants should 
use existing data where applicable, and research and survey 
questionnaires to help inform primary data collection. Applicants 
should provide a detailed description of the data collection process 
including the timing of the data collection taking into account 
relevant school calendars; development of the survey questionnaires; 
and pilot-testing the data collection instrument(s) to refine the 
research methodology. Applicants must develop survey instrument(s) that 
will most appropriately and accurately capture the information needed 
to answer the research questions listed above. The survey design may 
include a variety of data collection methods as appropriate, including 
household surveys, establishment surveys, key informant interviews, 
school surveys, capture-recapture methods, and others to most 
accurately measure child labor in the carpet industry. Applicants must 
explain why the proposed data collection instrument is the most 
appropriate method to answer the research questions and carry out 
primary data collection. Applicants must also describe the subjects 
from whom data will be collected (e.g., children, parents, employers).
    iv. Population and Sample. Applicants must provide a detailed 
sampling plan. The sampling plan should describe how the sample will be 
selected, how many subjects will be surveyed and to what extent the 
sample will be representative of the number of children working in the 
carpet industry in each of the countries. Applicants should also 
include a map showing the regions in the three countries where the 
carpet industry is concentrated, and those that will be targeted for 
research.
    v. Data Coding and Management. Applicants must describe how the 
data will be inputted, coded and managed, and how a data dictionary and 
codebook will be developed to identify the variables included in the 
data set. Applicants must also include in the proposal an explanation 
of how data quality will be assured, including a discussion of how 
missing data will be handled.
    vi. Data Analysis. Applicants must include a detailed data analysis 
plan. Data analysis on working children should be disaggregated to the 
extent possible between children working in acceptable work and 
exploitive child labor. The data analysis plan should propose ways in 
which the data collected will be analyzed in order to appropriately 
address all of the research questions listed in Section I.2.A.iii, and 
differentiate among the categories of working children. The data 
analysis plan must carry out descriptive analysis of the data 
collected. In instances where Applicants propose to carry out 
multivariate analyses, the rationale must include a justification, and 
explanatory and outcome variables of interest must be clearly 
specified. For descriptive or multivariate analysis of the data, 
Applicants should describe the computer programs and must specify

[[Page 34283]]

the statistical procedures for analyzing the data. In addition, 
Applicants must propose an outline for the final report in which the 
final results will be presented. The outline must demonstrate how this 
format will answer the research questions based on the different 
categories of working children. The analysis should include a 
comparison of the study findings with those of other studies or 
anecdotal evidence.
    vii. Dissemination. Applicants should propose ways in which 
research findings will be disseminated to stakeholders in the target 
countries. As part of data collection, Applicants should organize and 
execute consultative meetings with key stakeholders in each of the 
three countries, as well as an additional consultative meeting near the 
end of the research in Washington, DC, with USDOL and other U.S. 
Government officials, to discuss the findings of all research conducted 
under this Cooperative Agreement. The number of key stakeholders for 
each country should not exceed 30 participants, and should be 
determined, after award, in consultation with USDOL.
    viii. Limitations to Study. Applicants should describe the factors 
that are anticipated to be limitations to the study.
    ix. Human Subjects and Confidentiality Considerations. Applicants 
must describe a plan for ensuring the protection of human subjects and 
the confidentiality of the respondents.

II. Award Information

    Type of assistance instrument for projects to be awarded under this 
solicitation: Cooperative Agreement. USDOL's involvement in project 
implementation and oversight is outlined in Section VI.2. The duration 
of the project funded by this solicitation is up to three years. The 
start date of project activities will be negotiated upon awarding of 
the Cooperative Agreement but will be no later than September 30, 2007.
    Up to USD 3.5 million will be awarded under this solicitation for 
the child labor research in the carpet sectors in India, Nepal and 
Pakistan. USDOL will award a Cooperative Agreement to an individual, 
organization, or Association. The Grantee may not subgrant any of the 
funds obligated under this Cooperative Agreement, but may use 
subcontracts, See Section IV.5.B for further information on 
subcontracts and Appendix B for additional clarification on the 
differences between subgrants and subcontracts.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Any commercial, educational, or non-profit organization(s), 
including any faith-based, community-based, or public domestic, foreign 
or international organization(s) capable of successfully conducting 
scientifically-valid research is eligible to apply. However, the 
Grantee (or Lead Grantee, in the case of an Association) is not allowed 
to charge a fee (profit). Neutral, non-religious criteria that neither 
favor nor disfavor religion will be employed in the selection of the 
Cooperative Agreement recipient. Applications from foreign governments 
and entities that are agencies of, or operated by or for, a foreign 
state or government will not be considered.
    If any entity identified in the application as an Associate does 
not sign the Cooperative Agreement, the Lead Grantee must provide, 
within 60 days of award, either a written subcontract agreement with 
such entity, acceptable to USDOL, or an explanation as to why that 
entity will not be participating in the Cooperative Agreement. USDOL 
reserves the right to re-evaluate the award of the Cooperative 
Agreement in light of any such change in an entity's status and may 
terminate the award if USDOL deems it appropriate.
    For the purposes of this proposal and the Cooperative Agreement 
award, the Lead Grantee will be: (1) The primary point of contact with 
USDOL to receive and respond to all inquiries, communications and 
orders under the project; (2) the only entity with authority to 
withdraw or draw down funds through the Department of Health and Human 
Services-Payment Management System (HHS-PMS); (3) responsible for 
submitting to USDOL all deliverables, including all technical and 
financial reports related to the project, regardless of which Associate 
performed the work; (4) the sole entity to request or agree to a 
revision or amendment of the award or the Project Document; and (5) 
responsible for working with USDOL to close out the project. Note, 
however, that each Associate is ultimately responsible for overall 
project performance, regardless of any assignment of specific tasks, 
but Associates may agree, among themselves only, to apportion the 
liability for such performance. Each Associate must comply with all 
applicable federal regulations and is individually subject to audit.
    In accordance with 29 CFR part 98, entities that are debarred or 
suspended from receiving federal contracts or grants shall be excluded 
from Federal financial assistance and are ineligible to receive funding 
under this solicitation.

2. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Applicants must include their Dun and Bradstreet Number (DUNS) in 
the organizational unit section of Block 8 of the SF 424. For 
Associations, Block 8 of the SF 424 should contain the DUNS number of 
the proposed Lead Grantee, and a list of the DUNS number(s) of all 
proposed members of the Association should be included as an attachment 
to the SF 424. DUNS is an acronym which stands for ``Data Universal 
Numbering System,'' and a DUNS number is a unique nine-digit number 
used to identify a business. Beginning October 1, 2003, all Applicants 
for Federal grant funding opportunities are required to include a DUNS 
number with their application per the Office of Management and Budget 
Notice of Final Policy Issuance, 68 Federal Register 38402 (June 27, 
2003). The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number that 
uniquely identifies business entities. There is no charge for obtaining 
a DUNS number. To obtain a DUNS number call 1-866-705-5711 or access 
the following Web site: http://www.dnb.com/us/.
    Requests for exemption from the DUNS number requirement must be 
made to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Federal 
Financial Management at 202-395-3993. If no DUNS number is provided in 
the application, and an Applicant does not provide evidence of an OMB 
exemption from the DUNS number requirement, then the application will 
be considered non-responsive.
    After receiving a DUNS number, Applicants must also register as a 
vendor with the Central Contractor Registration through the following 
Web site: http://www.ccr.gov or by phone at 1-888-227-2423. Central 
Contractor Registration (CCR) should become active within 24 hours of 
completion. For any questions regarding registration, please contact 
the CCR Assistance Center at 1-888-227-2423.
    After registration, Applicants will receive a confirmation number. 
The Point of Contact listed by the organization will receive a Trader 
Partnership Identification Number (TPIN) via mail. The TPIN is, and 
should remain, a confidential password.

3. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

    This solicitation does not require Applicants to share costs or 
provide

[[Page 34284]]

matching funds, however, Applicants are encouraged to do so, and this 
is a rating criteria worth up to five (5) additional points [see 
Section V.1.F]. Applicants who propose matching funds, in-kind 
contributions, and other forms of cost sharing must indicate their 
estimated dollar value in the Standard Form (SF) 424 and SF 424A 
submitted as part of the application. Grantees should note that they 
will be responsible for reporting on these funds quarterly in financial 
reports (SF 269s) and are liable for meeting the full amount of these 
costs during the life of the Cooperative Agreement.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Package

    This solicitation contains all of the necessary information, 
including information on required forms, needed to apply for 
Cooperative Agreement funding. This solicitation is published as part 
of this Federal Register notice. Additional copies of the Federal 
Register may be obtained from your nearest U.S. Government office or 
public library or online at: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/index.html.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    Applications may be submitted to USDOL in hard copy or 
electronically at http://www.grants.gov. Applicants electing to submit 
hard copies must submit one (1) blue ink-signed original, complete 
application, plus three (3) copies of the application. The application 
must consist of two (2) separate parts, (1) a Cost Proposal and (2) a 
Technical Proposal, as described below. Applicants should number all 
pages of the application. All parts of the application must be written 
in English, in 10-12 pitch font size.
    Part I of the application, the Cost Proposal, must contain the 
Standard Form (SF) 424 Research and Related Form, Application for 
Federal Assistance, and Sections A-K of the Budget Information Form SF 
424 (R&R). Applicants are also required to submit a detailed outputs-
based budget that links costs to project activities and an accompanying 
budget narrative. A sample outputs-based budget are available from 
ILAB's Web site at http://www.dol.gov/ilab/grants/bkgrd.htm. Copies of 
the SF 424 (R&R) and SF 424 (R&R) Budget are available online at http://www.grants.gov/agencies/aapproved_standard_forms.jsp. The individual 
signing the SF 424 on behalf of the Applicant must be authorized to 
bind the Applicant.
    The Cost Proposal must contain information on the Applicant's 
indirect costs, using the form provided on ILAB's Web site at http://www.dol.gov/ilab/grants/bkgrd.htm. Applicants should note all 
instructions outlined on this form and include one of the following 
supporting documents, as applicable, in their application: (1) A 
current, approved Cost Allocation Plan (CAP); (2) a current Negotiated 
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA); or (3) a Certificate of Direct 
Costs. In the case of Associations, each member of the Association must 
submit a copy of the aforementioned documents.
    All Applicants are requested to complete the Survey on Ensuring 
Equal Opportunity for Applicants (OMB No. 1890-0014), which has been 
provided in Appendix D.
    Part II, the Technical Proposal, demonstrates the Applicant's 
capabilities to plan and implement the proposed research project in 
accordance with the provisions of this solicitation. The Technical 
Proposal must not exceed 45 single-sided (8-1/2 x 
11), double-spaced pages with 1-inch margins. The Technical 
Proposal must identify how Applicants will carry out the Scope of Work 
in Section I.2. of this solicitation. The following information is 
required:
     A two-page abstract summarizing the proposed project and 
Applicant profile information including: Applicant name, contact 
information of the key contact person at the Applicant's organization 
in case questions should arise (including name, address, telephone and 
fax numbers, and e-mail address, if applicable), project title, 
Association members and/or subcontractors (if applicable), proposed 
research activities, funding level requested and the amount of 
leveraged resources, if applicable;
     A table of contents listing the application sections;
     A research project description as specified in the 
Application Evaluation Criteria found in Section V.1. of this 
solicitation (maximum 45 pages);
     A bibliography that includes completes citations of 
research referenced in the proposal;
     A Work Plan identifying major project activities, 
deadlines for completing the activities and person(s) or institution(s) 
responsible for completing these activities.
    Please note that the abstract, table of contents, bibliography, and 
Work Plan are not included in the 45-page limit for the research 
project description.
    Any applications that do not consist of the above-mentioned parts 
and conform to these standards will be deemed unresponsive to this 
solicitation and may be rejected. Any additional information not 
required under this solicitation will not be considered.

3. Submission Dates, Times, and Address

    Applications must be delivered (by hand, mail, or electronically 
through http://www.grants.gov) by 4:45 p.m., Eastern Time, August 3, 
2007, to: U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S-4307, Washington, DC 20210, Attention: 
Ms. Lisa Harvey, Reference: Solicitation 07-11. Applications sent by e-
mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted. Applications 
sent by non-Postal Service delivery services, such as Federal Express 
or UPS, will be accepted; however, Applicants bear the responsibility 
for timely submission. The application package must be received at the 
designated place by the date and time specified or it will be 
considered unresponsive and will be rejected. Any application received 
at the Procurement Services Center after the deadline will not be 
considered unless it is received before the award is made and:
    A. It is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due 
solely to mishandling by the Government after receipt at USDOL at the 
address indicated; and/or
    B. It was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the 
fifth calendar day before the deadline; or
    C. It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service-Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5 p.m. at the place of 
mailing two (2) working days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays, 
prior to the deadline.
    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. 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 clerk on the ``Express Mail Next Day 
Service-Post Office to Addressee'' label and the postmark on the 
envelope or wrapper 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

[[Page 34285]]

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 time of receipt at 
USDOL is the date/time stamp of the Procurement Service Center on the 
application wrapper or other documentary evidence of receipt maintained 
by that office. Confirmation of receipt can be obtained from Ms. Lisa 
Harvey (see Section VII. for contact information). All Applicants are 
advised that U.S. mail delivery in the Washington DC area can be slow 
and erratic due to concerns involving contamination. All Applicants 
must take this into consideration when preparing to meet the 
application deadline.
    Applicants may also apply online at http://www.grants.gov. 
Applicants submitting proposals online are requested to refrain from 
mailing a hard copy application as well. It is strongly recommended 
that Applicants using http://www.grants.gov immediately initiate and 
complete the ``Get Registered'' registration steps at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. These steps may take 
multiple days to complete, and this time should be factored into plans 
for electronic submission in order to avoid facing unexpected delays 
that could result in the rejection of an application. It is also 
recommended that Applicants using http://www.grants.gov consult the 
Grants.gov Web site's Frequently Asked Questions and Applicant User 
Guide, which are available at http://www.grants.gov/help/faq.jsp, and 
http://www.grants.gov/assets/UserGuide_Applicant.pdf, respectively.
    If submitting electronically through http://www.grants.gov, 
Applicants must save the application document as a .doc, .pdf, .txt or 
.xls file. Any application received on http://www.grants.gov after the 
deadline will be considered as non-responsive and will not be 
evaluated.

4. Intergovernmental Review

    This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

5. Restrictions, Unallowable Activities, and Specific Prohibitions

    USDOL/ILAB would like to highlight the following restrictions, 
unallowable activities, and specific prohibitions, as identified in OMB 
Circular A-122, 29 CFR part 95, 29 CFR part 98, and other USDOL policy, 
for all USDOL-funded child labor technical cooperation projects. If any 
Grantee has questions regarding these or other restrictions, 
consultation with USDOL/ILAB is recommended.
A. Pre-Award Costs
    Pre-award costs, including costs associated with the preparation of 
an application submitted in response to this solicitation, are not 
reimbursable under the Cooperative Agreement (see also Section VI.3.E.
B. Subgrants
    The funding for this program does not include authority for 
subgrants. Therefore, the Grantee may not subgrant any of the funds 
obligated under the Cooperative Agreement. Subgranting may not be 
included in the budget as a line item or in the text of the 
application. However, subcontracting may be included as a budget line 
item. Subcontracts must be awarded in accordance with 29 CFR 95.40-48 
and are subject to audit, in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 
95.26(d). Subcontracts awarded after the Cooperative Agreement is 
signed, and not proposed in the application, must be awarded through a 
formal competitive bidding process, unless prior written approval is 
obtained from USDOL.
    The determination of whether a Grantee's relationship with a 
subrecipient would constitute a subgrant or subcontract is determined 
primarily with reference to an agreement's general purpose, 
programmatic functions, and responsibilities given to the subrecipient. 
These three elements should be closely examined, together with the 
usual characteristics (terms and performance standards, scope of work, 
etc.). In case of doubt, consultations are expected to be held between 
USDOL and the Grantee with a view to ensuring proper determination of 
the particular agreement. As a reference tool in determining whether an 
agreement is a subgrant or a subcontract, see Appendix B. The table in 
Appendix B is for reference only and does not create any legally 
binding obligation.
    See also Section IV.5.F.-H. for related references on Grantee and 
subcontractor prohibitions related to Prostitution, Inherently 
Religious Activities, and Terrorism. In addition, the debarment and 
suspension rule, as outlined in 29 CFR 95.13 and 29 CFR part 98, 
applies to all subcontracts issued under the Cooperative Agreement. 
Grantees are responsible for ensuring that all subcontractors meet this 
requirement. Detailed information on subcontracts may be requested by 
USDOL during the Best and Final Offer (BAFO) process.
    In compliance with Executive Orders 12876, as amended, 13230, 12928 
and 13021, as amended, Grantees are strongly encouraged to provide 
subcontracting opportunities to Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and 
Universities.
C. Lobbying and Intent To Influence
    Funds provided by USDOL for project expenditures under this 
Cooperative Agreement may not be used with the intent to influence a 
member of the U.S. Congress, a member of any U.S. Congressional staff, 
or any official of any federal, state, or local government in the 
United States (hereinafter ``government official(s)''), to favor, 
adopt, or oppose, by vote or otherwise, any U.S. legislation, law, 
ratification, policy, or appropriation, or to influence in any way the 
outcome of a political election in the United States, or to contribute 
to any political party or campaign in the United States, or for 
activities carried on for the purpose of supporting or knowingly 
preparing for such efforts. This includes awareness raising and 
advocacy activities that include fund-raising or lobbying of U.S. 
federal, state, or local governments. (See OMB Circular A-122). This 
does not include communications for the purpose of providing 
information about the Grantees and their programs or activities, in 
response to a request by any government official, or for consideration 
or action on the merits of a federally-sponsored agreement or relevant 
regulatory matter by a government official.
    Under the Cooperative Agreement, no activity, including awareness 
raising and advocacy activities, may include fund-raising, or lobbying 
of U.S. Federal, State or Local Governments (see OMB Circular A-122). 
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT APPLICANTS CLASSIFIED UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE 
CODE AS A 501(c)(4) ENTITY (see 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(4)), MAY NOT ENGAGE 
ANY IN LOBBYING ACTIVITIES. According to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 
1995, as codified at 2 U.S.C. 1611, an organization, as described in 
Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code

[[Page 34286]]

of 1986, that engages in lobbying activities directed toward the U.S. 
Government will not be eligible for the receipt of Federal funds 
constituting an award, grant, Cooperative Agreement, or loan.
D. Funds to Host Country Governments
    USDOL funds awarded under Cooperative Agreements are not intended 
to duplicate existing foreign government efforts or substitute for 
activities that are the responsibility of such governments. Therefore, 
in general, Grantees may not provide any of the funds obligated under a 
Cooperative Agreement to a foreign government or entities that are 
agencies of, or operated by or for, a foreign state or government, 
ministries, officials, or political parties. However, subcontracts with 
foreign government agencies or entities that are agencies of, or 
operated by or for, a foreign state or government may be awarded to 
undertake relevant research activities subject to applicable laws only 
after the Grantee has determined that no other entity in the country is 
able to provide these services. In such cases, Grantees must receive 
prior USDOL approval before awarding the subcontract.
E. Miscellaneous Prohibitions
    In addition, USDOL funds may not be used to provide for:
     The purchase of land;
     The procurement of goods or services used for private 
purposes by the Grantee's employees;
     Entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social 
activities and any costs directly associated with entertainment (such 
as tickets, meals, lodging, rentals, transportation, and gratuities). 
Costs of training or meetings and conferences, when the primary purpose 
is the dissemination of technical information, are allowable. This 
includes reasonable costs of meals and refreshments, transportation, 
rental of facilities and other items incidental to such meetings and 
conferences. Costs related to child labor educational activities, such 
as street plays and theater, are allowable; and
     Alcoholic beverages.
F. Prostitution
    The U.S. Government is opposed to prostitution and related 
activities which are inherently harmful and dehumanizing and contribute 
to the phenomenon of trafficking in persons. U.S. Grantees, and their 
subcontractors, cannot use funds provided by USDOL to lobby for, 
promote or advocate the legalization or regulation of prostitution as a 
legitimate form of work. Foreign-based NGOs, and their subcontractors, 
that receive funds provided by USDOL for projects to fight trafficking 
in persons cannot lobby for, promote or advocate the legalization or 
regulation of prostitution as a legitimate form of work while acting as 
a subcontractor on a USDOL-funded project. It is the responsibility of 
the Grantee to ensure its subcontractors meet these criteria, and this 
provision must be included in any applicable subcontract that the 
Grantee awards using USDOL funds and the Grantee will obtain a written 
declaration to such an effect from the subcontractor concerned.
G. Inherently Religious Activities
    The U.S. Government is generally prohibited from providing direct 
financial assistance for inherently religious activities. The Grantee 
and/or its Associates may work with and subcontract with religious 
institutions; however, Federal funding provided under a USDOL-awarded 
Cooperative Agreement may not be used for religious instruction, 
worship, prayer, proselytizing, other inherently religious activities, 
or the purchase of religious materials. Neutral, non-religious criteria 
that neither favor nor disfavor religion were employed in the selection 
of Cooperative Agreement awardees and must be employed by the Grantee 
in the selection of subcontractors. This provision must be included in 
all subcontracts issued under the Cooperative Agreement. In addition, 
Grantees must take steps to ensure that inherently religious activities 
are clearly separated in time or physical space from those funded by 
USDOL under the Cooperative Agreement. For additional guidance, please 
consult the White House Web site for Faith-Based and Community 
Initiatives at http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/guidance/partnering.html. In addition, for any matters of uncertainty, USDOL 
should always be consulted for prior approval.
H. Terrorism
    Applicants are reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law 
prohibit transactions with, and the provision of resources and support 
to, individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. It is the 
policy of USDOL to seek to ensure that none of its funds are used, 
directly or indirectly, to provide support to individuals or entities 
associated with terrorism. It is the legal responsibility of the 
Grantee to ensure compliance with these Executive Orders and laws. 
Applicants to this solicitation and Grantees subsequently awarded 
funding by USDOL under this solicitation must check the following Web 
sites to assess available information on parties that are excluded from 
receiving Federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits, 
pursuant to the provisions of 31 U.S.C. 6101, note, E.O. 12549, E.O. 
12689, 48 CFR 9.404: http://www.epls.gov/ and http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sdn/t11sdn.pdf? This provision must be 
included in all applicable subcontracts issued under the Cooperative 
Agreement.

6. Review and Selection Process

    The Office of Procurement Services at USDOL will screen all 
applications to determine whether all required elements, as identified 
in Section IV.2.above, are present and clearly identifiable. If an 
application does not include all of the required elements, including 
required attachments, it will be considered unresponsive and will be 
rejected. Once an application is deemed unresponsive, the Office of 
Procurement Services will send a letter to the Applicant, which will 
state that the application was incomplete, indicate which document was 
missing from the application, and explain that the technical review 
panel will be unable to rate the application.
    The following documents must be included in the application package 
in order for the application to be deemed complete and responsive:
    (1) A Cost Proposal;
    (2) A Technical Proposal, including all the attachments listed in 
section IV.2.;
    (3) The Applicant's most recent audit report, and those of any 
proposed Associates or sub-contractors (as applicable);
    (4) R[eacute]sum[eacute]s of all key personnel candidates and all 
other professional personnel;
    (5) Signed letters of agreement to serve on the project from all 
key personnel candidates;
    (6) Information on the Applicant's previous and current grants, 
Cooperative Agreements, or contracts with USDOL and other Federal 
agencies that are relevant to this solicitation; and
    (7) Signed partnership agreement(s), if applicable.
    Each complete application will be objectively rated by a technical 
review panel against the criteria described in this solicitation. 
Applicants are advised that panel recommendations to the Grant Officer 
are advisory in nature. The Grant Officer may elect to select a Grantee 
on the basis of the initial application submission or the Grant Officer 
may establish a competitive or

[[Page 34287]]

technically acceptable range from which qualified Applicants will be 
selected. If deemed appropriate, the Grant Officer may call for the 
preparation and receipt of final revisions of applications, following 
which the evaluation process described above, may be repeated, in whole 
or in part, to consider such revisions. The Grant Officer will make 
final selection determinations based on panel findings and 
consideration of factors that represent the greatest advantage to the 
government, such as cost, the availability of funds, and other factors. 
If USDOL does not receive technically acceptable applications in 
response to this solicitation, USDOL reserves the right to terminate 
the competition and not make any award. The Grant Officer's 
determinations for awards under this solicitation are final.

    Note to All Applicants: Selection of an organization as a 
potential 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 in place to support Cooperative 
Agreement implementation. 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 application. In 
addition, the Grant Officer reserves the right to negotiate program 
components further after award, during the project design 
consolidation phase and Project Document submission and review 
process. See Section VI.2.

7. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

    Designation decisions will be made, where possible, within 45 days 
after the deadline for submission of proposals. USDOL is not obligated 
to make any awards as result of this solicitation, and only the Grant 
Officer can bind USDOL to the provision of funds under this 
solicitation. Unless specifically provided in the Cooperative 
Agreement, acceptance of a proposal and/or award of Federal funds does 
not waive any Cooperative Agreement requirements and/or procedures.

V. Application Review Information

1. Application Evaluation Criteria

    This section identifies and describes the criteria that will be 
used to evaluate applications submitted in response to USDOL's 
Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement Applications on the basis of 100 
points. Applicants are required to address all of the following rating 
factors in their Technical Proposal: Research Background and 
Significance (20 points), Research Design (40 points), Key Personnel/
Management Plan/Staffing (20 points), Organizational Capacity (15 
points), and Budget Cost-Effectiveness (5 points). Applicants should 
note that additional points may be given to applications realistically 
proposing to include committed non-Federal leveraged resources as 
described below in section V(1)(F) (Cost-Sharing 5 points).
    Please note that all information and requirements presented in 
Section I.2. Scope of Work and Appendix A: USDOL's Definitions of Key 
Terms will be taken into consideration when evaluating applications on 
the basis of the technical rating criteria outlined in this section. 
Applicants' Cost Proposals will be considered when evaluating the 
rating criteria Research/Budget Cost-Effectiveness. When preparing the 
Technical Proposal, Applicants must follow the outline provided in 
Appendix C and ensure that the Technical Proposal does not exceed the 
maximum length of 45 pages.
    A. Research Background and Significance: 20 points.
    B. Research Methodology: 40 points.
    C. Key Personnel/Management Plan/Staffing: 20 points.
    D. Organizational Capacity: 20 points.
    E. Budget Cost-Effectiveness: 5 points.
    F. Cost-Sharing: 5 extra points.
    Part A and B of the Technical Proposal constitute the ``preliminary 
project design document'' and serves as the basis of the final Project 
Document to be submitted and approved by USDOL after Cooperative 
Agreement award. Applicants' Technical Proposals must describe in 
detail the proposed research methodology to carry out the objective of 
this solicitation.
A. Research Background and Significance (20 Points)
    Applicants must discuss their understanding of child labor in the 
carpet industry, research gaps on the topic, and the link to 
eliminating exploitive child labor. Applicants will be rated based on 
their: (a) knowledge of children working in the carpet industry and the 
specific country contexts that drives the supply and demand for 
children's work in the carpet industry in India, Nepal, and Pakistan; 
(b) familiarity with previously conducted research on child labor in 
their carpet industry and their strengths and limitations; (c) 
awareness of existing interventions to prevent child labor in the 
carpet industry's supply chain, particularly for the export sector; and 
(d) awareness of the policy and implementing environment in the 
research countries.
B. Research Methodology (40 Points)
    Applicants must discuss their proposed research methodology to 
address the research objective, research questions, and methodological 
requirements detailed in Section I.2. Applicants will be rated on the 
strength of their proposed research methodology, and the feasibility of 
carrying out all stated research activities within the timeframe of 
this Cooperative Agreement. Applicants must include the sections 
outlined for the research methodology in Appendix C. All sections of 
the research methodology listed in Appendix C will be evaluated for the 
Technical Proposal.
C. Key Personnel/Management Plan/Staffing (20 Points)
    Successful performance of the proposed work depends heavily on the 
management skills and qualifications of the Principal Investigator/
Project Director (PI/PD), as well as the project research team. 
Accordingly, in its evaluation of each application, USDOL will consider 
the following:
     Whether the PI/PD is appropriately trained and well-suited 
to carry out the scope of work;
     The appropriateness of the scope of work to the experience 
level of the PI/PD and other researchers;
     The complementary and integrated expertise of the proposed 
research team to successfully carry out the scope of work; and
     The potential of the PI/PD and other proposed researchers 
to translate their previous knowledge, skills and research experience 
to the areas of study under the current solicitation, and their 
potential to make significant contributions to the field of child labor 
research and data collection.
    In order to promote and increase national and local capacity, USDOL 
encourages the hiring of qualified national experts and data collection 
organizations. USDOL also encourages Applicants to consider strategies 
that aim to develop the capacity of private sector national or local 
organizations to carry out research and data collection activities on 
child labor. (See section IV.5.D.) Applicants that propose feasible 
strategies to develop local or national capacity will, all other things 
being equal, be rated higher on this factor.
    i. Key Personnel. Applicants must identify all key personnel/
candidates proposed to carry out the requirements of this solicitation. 
``Key personnel'' are staff (PI/PD and Child Labor Research Specialist) 
that are essential to the successful operation of the project and 
completion of the proposed work.

[[Page 34288]]

    (1) The PI/PD will be responsible for overall project management, 
supervision, administration, and implementation of the requirements of 
the Cooperative Agreement. The PI/PD will establish and maintain 
systems for research operations, including methodological development; 
ensure that all Cooperative Agreement deadlines are met and outputs 
submitted; maintain working relationships with project stakeholders and 
partners; and oversee the preparation and submission of progress and 
financial reports. The PI/PD must have a Ph.D. and a minimum of five 
years of professional experience in a leadership role in implementation 
of large-scale research studies in the social sciences. Candidates with 
additional years of experience including experience working with 
officials of national statistical offices will be rated more highly. 
Preferred candidates must also have knowledge of exploitive child labor 
issues, and experience in the development of research methodologies to 
investigate the worst forms of child labor. Fluency in English is 
required.
    (2) The Child Labor Research Specialist will provide leadership in 
developing the technical aspects of this project in collaboration with 
the PI/PD. This person must have at least three years experience in 
working successfully with research teams, and assisting with the 
development and implementation of research projects on child labor in 
developing countries. This person must also have demonstrated 
experience in survey and research design and data analysis. Fluency in 
English is required.
    (3) In addition to key personnel, a technical specialist in 
sampling design should be included in the project team, but does not 
have to be dedicated to the project 100 percent of the time.
    Applicants must include a resume, as well as a description of the 
roles and responsibilities of all key and other professional personnel 
(as described below) proposed. Resumes must be submitted as an 
attachment to the application and will not count toward the page limit. 
At a minimum, each resume must include the following:
     The educational background and previous work experience 
for each key and other professional personnel to be assigned to the 
project, including position title, duties, dates, employing 
organizations, and clearly defined duties;
     The special capabilities of key personnel that demonstrate 
prior experience in organizing, managing and performing similar 
efforts; and
     The current employment status of key personnel and 
availability for this project.
    Applicants must also indicate whether the proposed work will be 
performed by persons currently employed by the applying 
organization(s), and if so, for how long, or is dependent upon planned 
recruitment or subcontracting.
    Applicants must also include a completed salary history form SF 
1420 for each key personnel candidate in their application. This form 
is available from the U.S. Agency for International Development's Web 
site at: http://www.usaid.gov/forms/AID1420-17.doc. A link to this form 
is also available on USDOL's Web site: http://www.dol.gov/ilab/grants/bkgrd.htm.
    All key personnel must allocate 100 percent of their time to the 
project. The PI/PD and Child Labor Research Specialist positions must 
not be combined. Proposed key personnel candidates must sign letters of 
agreement to serve on the project and indicate their availability to 
commence work within 30 calendar days of the Cooperative Agreement 
award. Please note: If key personnel candidates are not designated, or 
if letters of agreement to serve on the project or resumes are not 
submitted as part of the application for each key personnel candidate, 
the application will be considered unresponsive and will be rejected. 
The letters of agreement, resumes, and salary history forms (SF 1420) 
must be submitted as attachments to the application and will not count 
toward the page limit.
    Key personnel must be employed by the Grantee, not a subcontractor. 
In the case of an Association, the PI/PD must be employed by the Lead 
Grantee. In cases of Associations where Applicants propose that other 
key personnel would not all be employed by the Lead Grantee, a clear 
indication of the following must be provided in the application: the 
rationale for dividing key personnel among the members; the lines of 
authority among key personnel and other staff; the process of 
supervision and evaluation of personnel who are not members of the same 
organization; the process by which all parties would come to agreement 
on key implementation issues; and mechanisms of conflict resolution 
should the need arise.
    i. Other Professional Personnel. Applicants must identify other 
program personnel deemed necessary for carrying out the requirements of 
this solicitation, including data analysts, research assistants, 
programmers, editors, etc. Applicants must also indicate whether the 
proposed work by other professional personnel who are employed or have 
been identified will be performed by persons currently employed by the 
organization(s).
    ii. Management Plan. Applicants will be rated based on the clarity 
and quality of the information provided in the management plan. The 
plan must include (a) a description of the functional relationship 
between elements of the project's management structure; and (b) the 
responsibilities of project staff and management and the lines of 
authority between project staff and other elements of the project.
    iii. Staff Loading Plan. The staff loading plan must identify all 
key tasks and the person-days required to complete each task. Labor 
estimated for each task must be broken down by individuals assigned to 
the task, including PI/PD, Child Labor Research Specialist, data 
analysts, research assistants, programmers, editors, consultants, and 
subcontractors. All key tasks should be charted to show the time 
required to perform them by months or weeks. Applicants will be rated 
based on the clarity and quality of the information provided in the 
staff loading plan.
D. Organizational Capacity (15 Points)
    Under this criterion, Applicants must present the qualifications of 
the organization(s) implementing the project. The evaluation criteria 
in this category are as follows:
    i. International and U.S. Government Grant Experience. Applicants 
must have international experience conducting scientifically valid 
research in the social sciences, preferably on child labor and in the 
countries of interest.
    The application must include information on previous and current 
grants, Cooperative Agreements, or contracts of the Applicant with 
USDOL and other Federal agencies that are relevant to this 
solicitation, including:
    (1) The organizations for which the work was done;
    (2) A contact person in that organization with his/her current 
phone number;
    (3) The dollar value of the grant, contract, or Cooperative 
Agreement for the project;
    (4) The time frame and professional effort involved in the project;
    (5) A brief summary of the work performed; and
    (6) A brief summary of accomplishments.
    This information on previous grants, Cooperative Agreements, and 
contracts held by the Applicant must be provided in appendices and will 
not count

[[Page 34289]]

against the maximum page requirement. USDOL reserves the right to 
contact the organizations listed and use the information provided in 
evaluating applications.

    Note to All Applicants: In judging organizational capacity, 
USDOL will take into account not only information provided by an 
Applicant, but also information from USDOL and others regarding past 
performance of organizations implementing USDOL-funded child labor 
projects, or activities for USDOL and others. Past performance will 
be rated by such factors as the timeliness of deliverables and the 
responsiveness of the organization and its staff to USDOL or grantor 
communications regarding deliverables and Cooperative Agreement or 
contractual requirements. In addition, the performance of the 
organization's key personnel on existing projects with USDOL or 
other entities, whether the organization has a history of replacing 
key personnel with similarly qualified staff, and the timeliness of 
replacing key personnel, will also be taken into consideration when 
rating past performance. Lack of past experience with USDOL 
projects, Cooperative Agreements, grants, or contracts is not a bar 
to eligibility or selection under this solicitation.

    ii. Country Presence and Collaborations. Given the need to conduct 
in-country research, Applicants will be evaluated on their ability to 
start up research activities soon after signing a Cooperative 
Agreement. Having country presence, or partnering with in-country 
organizations, represents the best chance of expediting the 
implementation of research activities. In their application, Applicants 
must address their organization's country presence; collaborative 
arrangements including those with host country governments, NGOs, and 
national research organizations, as applicable; and ability to start up 
project activities in a timely fashion.
    iii. Fiscal Oversight. Applicants will be evaluated on their 
ability to demonstrate evidence that the organization has a sound 
financial system in place. If an Applicant is a U.S.-based, non-profit 
organization already subject to the single audit requirements, the 
Applicant's most recent single audit, as submitted to the Federal Audit 
Clearinghouse, must accompany the application as an attachment. In 
addition, applications must show that they have complied with report 
submission timeframes established in OMB Circular A-133. If an 
Applicant is not in compliance with the requirements for completing 
their single audit, the application will be considered unresponsive and 
will be rejected. If an Applicant is a for-profit or foreign-based 
organization, a copy of its most current independent financial audit 
must accompany the application as an attachment.
    Applicants should also submit a copy of the most recent single 
audit report for all proposed U.S.-based, non-profit partners, 
Association members and subcontractors that are subject to the Single 
Audit Act. If the proposed Association member(s) or partner(s) is a 
for-profit or foreign-based organization, a copy of its most current 
independent financial audit should accompany the application as an 
attachment.
    If the audit submitted by the Applicant reflects any adverse 
opinions, the application will not be further considered by the 
technical review panel and will be rejected. USDOL reserves the right 
to ask further questions on any audit report submitted as part of an 
application. USDOL also reserves the right to place special conditions 
on Grantees if concerns are raised in their audit reports.
    In order to expedite the screening of applications and to ensure 
that the appropriate audits are attached to the proposals, Applicants 
must provide a cover sheet to the audit attachments listing all 
proposed Association members and subcontractors. These attachments will 
not count toward the application page limit.
E. Budget Cost-Effectiveness (5 Points)
    This section will be evaluated on the basis of information 
contained in Applicants' Cost Proposals 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). The 
requirements for Cost Proposals, including an Outputs-Based Budget, are 
listed in Section IV.2. A budget summary must be included in the 
application and should include the cost breakdown.
    The evaluation of this section will focus on the extent to which 
the budget reflects research goals and methodological design consistent 
with the Work Plan in a cost-effective way to reflect budget/
performance integration.
    All projected costs should be reported, as they will become part of 
the Cooperative Agreement upon award. In their Cost Proposal (Part I of 
the application), Applicants must reflect a breakdown of the total 
administrative costs into direct administrative costs and indirect 
administrative costs. The Grant Officer reserves the right to negotiate 
administrative cost levels prior to award.
    This section of the application must explain the costs for 
performing all of the requirements presented in this solicitation and 
for producing all required reports and other deliverables (see Section 
VI.4.). The project budget must therefore include funds to plan, 
implement, and report on all research activities and other deliverables 
(including annual single audits or attestation engagements, as 
applicable) and finance at lease four trips to be taken by the PI/PD to 
meet with USDOL officials in Washington, DC.
    In addition, the budget should include a contingency provision, 
calculated at five percent of the project's total direct costs. USDOL 
has determined that the use of contingency provision funds for USDOL-
funded projects is essential to address circumstances affecting 
specific budget lines that relate to one or more of the following: (1) 
Inflation affecting specific project costs; (2) UN System or foreign 
government-mandated salary scale or benefits revisions; and (3) 
exchange rate fluctuations. USDOL also recognizes that certain 
extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances may arise that will lead to 
a need for exceptions to the aforementioned uses of contingency 
provision funds, related to the need for modifications to budgets or 
time extensions. These include but are not limited to the following: 
(1) Changes in a country's security environment; (2) natural disasters; 
(3) civil or political unrest/upheavals or government transitions; or 
(4) delays related to loss of or damage to project property. USDOL will 
not provide additional funding to cover unanticipated costs.
    Applicants are also instructed that the project budget submitted 
with the application must include all necessary and sufficient funds, 
without reliance on other contracts, grants, or awards, to implement's 
proposed project activities and to achieve proposed research goals 
under this solicitation. If anticipated funding from another contract, 
grant, or award fails to materialize, USDOL will not provide additional 
funding to cover these costs.
    Where applicable, applicants are encouraged to discuss the 
possibility of exemption from customs and Value Added Tax (VAT) with 
host government officials during the preparation of an application for 
this Cooperative Agreement. While USDOL encourages host governments to 
not apply customs or VAT taxes to USDOL-funded programs, some host 
governments may nevertheless choose to assess such taxes. USDOL may not 
be able to provide assistance in this regard. Applicants should take 
into account such costs in budget preparation. If major costs are 
omitted, a Grantee may not be allowed to include them later.


[[Page 34290]]


    Note to Applicants: After award, grantees must obtain prior 
approval from USDOL before using unobligated contingency funds. 
Twelve months before the project ends, after calculating the amounts 
needed for cost increases in the remaining life of the project, 
forecasted remaining funds in the contingency provision funds may be 
used to conduct additional data analysis, report writing, and 
augment data dissemination plans to increase the availability of the 
study findings.

F. Cost Sharing (5 extra Points)
    USDOL will give up to five (5) additional rating points to 
applications that include committed non-U.S. federal government 
resources that significantly expand the dollar amount, size and scope 
of the project. These programs or activities must complement and 
enhance project objectives. To be eligible for the additional points, 
Applicants must list the source(s) of funds, the nature, and possible 
activities anticipated with these resources under this Cooperative 
Agreement.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

    The Grant Officer will notify Applicants of designation results as 
follows:
    Designation Letter: The designation letter signed by the Grant 
Officer will serve as official notice of an organization's designation. 
The designation letter will be accompanied by a Cooperative Agreement 
and USDOL-OCFT's 2007 Management Procedures and Guidelines (MPG).
    Non-Designation Letter: Any organization not designated will be 
notified formally of the non-designation. However, organizations not 
designated must formally request a debriefing in order to be provided 
with the basic reasons for the determination.
    Notification of designation by a person or entity other than the 
Grant Officer is not valid.

2. Roles and Responsibilities of USDOL and Grantees

    The principal purpose of the USDOL-Grantee relationship is the 
transfer of money, property, services, or anything of value to the 
recipient in order to accomplish a public purpose of support or 
stimulation authorized by Federal statute. The Grantee is not allowed 
to charge a fee (profit). In general, USDOL's Bureau of International 
Labor Affairs/Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking 
(ILAB/OCFT) uses a Cooperative Agreement modality with its Grantees.
    USDOL's involvement focuses on working with the Grantee in order to 
refine the Project Design/Project Document and its corresponding 
budget; and monitor implementation through progress reports. USDOL 
involvement is generally characterized by written comments and oral 
feedback tied to the approval of deliverables outlined in the 
Cooperative Agreement. USDOL staff may also conduct field visits to the 
project.
    Applicable provisions of law and regulation, including those 
provided for in the USDOL Cooperative Agreement with the Grantee, apply 
to subcontracts entered into under USDOL-funded projects.

3. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

A. General
    Grantees are subject to applicable U.S. Federal laws (including 
provisions of appropriations laws) and regulations, Executive Orders, 
applicable OMB Circulars, and USDOL policies. If during project 
implementation a Grantee is found in violation of U.S. government laws 
and regulations, the terms of the Cooperative Agreement awarded under 
this solicitation may be modified by USDOL; costs may be disallowed and 
recovered; the Cooperative Agreement may be terminated; and USDOL may 
take other action permitted by law. Determinations of allowable costs 
will be made in accordance with the applicable U.S. Federal cost 
principles.
B. Project Audits and External Auditing Arrangements
    Applicants are reminded to budget for compliance with the annual 
single audits or attestation engagements as applicable (see below). 
Costs for these audits or attestation engagements must be included in 
direct or indirect costs, whichever is appropriate, in accordance with 
the cost allocation procedures approved by the U.S. Federal cognizant 
agency.
    USDOL has also contracted with an independent external auditor to 
conduct project-specific attestation engagements at USDOL's expense to 
supplement the coverage provided by the audits/engagements that 
Grantees must arrange. Grantees scheduled for examination by USDOL's 
contractor will be notified approximately two to four weeks prior to 
the start of the engagement. Please note the following requirements:
    i. U.S.-based non-profit Grantees must conduct audits in accordance 
with 29 CFR parts 96 and 99, which codify the requirements of the 
Single Audit Act and OMB Circular A-133, and must comply with the 
timeframes established in those regulations for the submission of their 
audits to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Grantees must send a copy of 
their single audit to their assigned USDOL Grant Officer Technical 
Representative (GOTR) at the time it is submitted to the Federal Audit 
Clearinghouse.
    ii. Foreign-based Grantees and private for-profit Grantees that are 
awarded a Cooperative Agreement under this solicitation must arrange 
for the annual performance of an attestation engagement, conducted in 
accordance with U.S. Government Auditing Standards, which includes 
auditor's opinions on (1) compliance with USDOL regulations and the 
provisions of the Cooperative Agreement, and (2) the reliability of the 
Grantee's financial and performance reports. USDOL will provide an 
examination guide to be used by the auditor selected by the Grantee to 
perform the attestation engagement and will provide assistance in the 
event a Grantee is unable to identify an audit firm qualified to 
perform an attestation engagement in accordance with U.S. Government 
Auditing Standards. The Grantee's contract with the auditor to conduct 
the attestation engagement must include provisions granting access to 
the auditor's documentation (work papers) to representatives of USDOL, 
including the Grant Officer, the GOTR, and the USDOL's Office of the 
Inspector General. The reports for these engagements are to be 
submitted to the Grant Officer with a copy to the GOTR (1) 30 days 
after receipt of the auditor's report, or (2) nine months after the end 
of the Grantee's fiscal year, whichever occurs sooner.

    Please Note: USDOL generally allows the costs to be allocated 
based on the following (applicable to U.S.-based agencies only): (1) 
A-133 ``single audit'' costs as part of the indirect cost rate/pool 
for organizations with more than one Federal source of funding. 
Organizations with only one Federal source could charge the A-133 
single audit cost as direct costs; (2) A-133 ``compliance 
supplement'' costs--as direct costs for Federal sources only through 
a cost allocation methodology approved by the Federal cognizant 
agency; or (3) A-133 program specific audits as direct costs. Any 
deviations from the above must be explained and justified in the 
application.

C. Administrative Standards and Provisions
    Cooperative Agreements awarded under this solicitation are subject 
to the following administrative standards and provisions outlined in 
the CFR that pertain to USDOL, and any other applicable standards that 
come into effect during the term of the Cooperative

[[Page 34291]]

Agreement, if applicable to a particular Grantee:
    ii. 29 CFR Part 2 Subpart D--Equal Treatment in Department of Labor 
Programs for Religious Organizations; Protection of Religious Liberty 
of Department of Labor Social Service Providers and Beneficiaries.
    iii. 29 CFR Part 31--Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted 
Programs of the Department of Labor--Effectuation of Title VI of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964.
    iv. 29 CFR Part 32--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in 
Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal Financial 
Assistance.
    v. 29 CFR Part 33--Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of 
Handicap in Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department of 
Labor.
    vi. 29 CFR Part 35--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in 
Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the 
Department of Labor.
    vii. 29 CFR Part 36--Federal Standards for Nondiscrimination on the 
Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal 
Financial Assistance.
    viii. 29 CFR Part 93--New Restrictions on Lobbying.
    ix. 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.
    x. 29 CFR Part 96--Federal Standards for Audit of Federally Funded 
Grants, Contracts and Agreements.
    xi. 29 CFR Part 98--Federal Standards for Government-wide Debarment 
and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Government-wide Requirements for 
Drug-Free Workplace (Grants).
    xii. 29 CFR Part 99--Federal Standards for Audits of States, Local 
Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.
    Copies of all regulations referenced in this solicitation are 
available at no cost, online, at http://www.dol.gov. A copy of Title 29 
of the CFR referenced in this solicitation is available at no cost, 
online, at http://www.dol.gov/dol/allcfr/Title_29/toc.htm.
    Grantees should be aware that terms outlined in this solicitation, 
the Cooperative Agreement, and the MPGs are all applicable to the 
implementation of projects awarded under this solicitation.
D. Key Personnel
    As noted in Section V.1.C., Applicants must list all Key Personnel 
candidates. The Grantee must inform the GOTR in the event that key 
personnel cannot continue to work on the project as planned. The 
Grantee is expected to nominate, through the submission of a formal 
project revision, new personnel. (Further information on project 
revisions will be provided to Grantees after award). However, the 
Grantee must obtain approval from the Grant Officer before any change 
to key personnel is formalized. If the Grant Officer is unable to 
approve the personnel change, s/he reserves the right to terminate the 
Cooperative Agreement or disallow costs.
E. Encumbrance of Cooperative Agreement Funds
    Cooperative Agreement funds may not be encumbered/obligated by a 
Grantee before or after the period of performance. Encumbrances/
obligations outstanding as of the end of the Cooperative Agreement 
period may be liquidated (paid out) after the end of the Cooperative 
Agreement period. Such encumbrances/obligations may involve only 
specified commitments for which a need existed during the Cooperative 
Agreement period and that are supported by approved contracts, purchase 
orders, requisitions, invoices, bills, or other evidence of liability 
consistent with a Grantee's purchasing procedures and incurred within 
the Cooperative Agreement period.
    All encumbrances/obligations incurred during the Cooperative 
Agreement period must be liquidated within 90 calendar days after the 
end of the Cooperative Agreement period, unless a longer period of time 
is granted by USDOL.
    Federal Regulations require Grantees to submit annually an 
inventory listing of federally-owned property in their custody to 
USDOL. See 29 CFR 95.33(a). Such property must be inventoried and 
secured throughout the life of the project. At the end of the project, 
USDOL and the Grantee are expected to determine how to best allocate 
such property.
F. 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. USDOL intends to make every 
effort to notify the Grantee at least two weeks in advance of any trip 
to the USDOL-funded project site. If USDOL makes any site visit on the 
premises of a Grantee or a subcontractor(s) under the Cooperative 
Agreement, the Grantee must provide, and must require its 
subcontractors to provide, all reasonable facilities and assistance for 
the safety and convenience of government representatives in the 
performance of their duties. All site visits and evaluations are 
expected to be performed in a manner designed to not unduly delay the 
implementation of the project.

4. Reporting and Deliverables

    A Grantee must report to USDOL on a semi-annual basis, or more 
frequently if deemed necessary by USDOL, on the implementation of the 
program. Guidance on USDOL procedures and management requirements will 
be provided to Grantees in the MPGs that are provided with the 
Cooperative Agreement. Unless otherwise indicated, a Grantee must 
submit copies of all required reports to USDOL by the specified due 
dates. Exact timeframes for completion of deliverables will be 
addressed in the Cooperative Agreement and the MPGs.
    After award of the Cooperative Agreement the following specific 
deliverables will be required.
A. Project Document
    Within 60 calendar days of project award, the Grantee must deliver 
a final draft, for approval by USDOL, of the Project Document, based on 
the application submitted in response to this solicitation and 
including the results of additional consultations with project 
stakeholders, government officials in the target countries, local 
partners, and USDOL. The Project Document must include a detailed 
activities-based Work Plan, including plans to carry out a mapping of 
the carpet industry and pilot test survey instruments in the three 
countries. An annual Work Plan that updates the initial Work Plan must 
be submitted to USDOL annually with the September technical progress 
report.
B. Terms of Reference
    Within 90 calendar days of award, Grantees must develop a draft 
general Terms of Reference (TOR), for approval by USDOL, to guide the 
in-country research conducted by the Grantee's subcontractors. The TOR 
must outline the objective, scope, and deliverables for the 
subcontractors that includes the timeframe and associated costs for 
proposed tasks. Within 120 calendar days of award, the Grantee must 
submit

[[Page 34292]]

draft country-specific TORs and submit potential candidates/
subcontractors for data collection.
C. Report Outline
    Within 90 calendar days of award, Grantees must submit for USDOL 
approval a general draft report outline that adequately addresses all 
of the research questions, and at a minimum describes the data 
collection methodologies used, pilot test findings, information on the 
country context including cultural, demographic, educational, socio-
economic, and legal and institutional frameworks, conclusions and 
recommendations. Grantees may submit suggestions for report formats as 
well as relevant dissemination plans.
D. Methodological Plans and Survey Instruments
    Within 210 calendar days of award, the Grantee must draft detailed 
methodological plans and survey instruments to USDOL. Draft 
methodological plans and survey instruments should include input from 
data collection subcontractors and other technical advisors and key 
experts knowledgeable on issues related to child labor in South Asia, 
particularly the carpet industry, and on child labor data collection.
E. Technical Progress and Financial Reports
    The format for the technical progress reports will be provided in 
the MPG distributed to Grantees after the award. Grantees must submit a 
typed technical progress report to USDOL on a semi-annual basis by 31 
March and 30 September of each year during the Cooperative Agreement 
period. However, USDOL reserves the right to require up to four 
technical progress reports a year, as necessary. Grantees must also 
submit a quarterly financial report (SF 269) electronically to USDOL 
through the E-Grants system, and a copy of the Federal Cash 
Transactions Report (PSC 272) to USDOL upon its submission to the HHS-
PMS.
F. Final Report
    At least 90 days prior to the completion of the project, the 
Grantee must submit a draft report to USDOL. The final report is 
subject to USDOL approval based on the report outline specified above.

VII. Agency Contacts

    All inquiries regarding this solicitation should be directed to: 
Ms. Lisa Harvey, U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, 
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S-4307, Washington, DC 20210; 
telephone (202) 693-4570 (please note that this is not a toll-free-
number) or e-mail: [email protected]. For a list of frequently asked 
questions on USDOL's Solicitation for Cooperative Agreements, please 
visit http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/faq/faq36.htm.

VIII. Other Information

1. Coordination With ILO/IPEC, other USDOL Grantees, and Other U.S. 
Government-Funded Projects

    Recognizing the important work and vast experience of ILO/IPEC in 
reducing exploitive child labor and developing research methodologies 
to measure child labor world wide, and USDOL's substantial funding and 
support for this organization, Grantees are encouraged to establish 
good relationships with ILO and IPEC-specific field offices, IPEC/
SIMPOC researchers and statisticians in Geneva, and other U.S. 
Government-funded research projects such as those supported by the U.S. 
Department of State's Global Trafficking in Persons (GTIP) Office, and 
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in the countries 
where they work. Similarly, USDOL intends to inform Grantees of other 
organizations that are working on related issues in countries with 
USDOL-funded projects. Establishing this type of relationship is 
especially important to avoid duplication of efforts and to build 
synergies between organizations working in the same issue area.
    Grantees must also become familiar with methodological 
developments, standard concepts, and definitions regarding child labor 
that are currently used by the ILO, including Convention 138 (Minimum 
Age Convention, 1973) and Convention 182 (Worst Forms of Child Labor 
Convention, 1999) and their accompanying recommendations.

2. Privacy and Freedom of Information Act

    Any information submitted in response to this solicitation is 
subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act and the Freedom of 
Information Act, as appropriate.

Lisa Harvey,
Grant Officer.

Appendix A: USDOL'S Definitions of Key Terms

    Acceptable Work is work that is performed by children of legal 
working age, in accordance with national legislation and 
international standards, namely the International Labor 
Organization's Conventions 138 and 182; work that is non-exploitive 
and non-hazardous and does not prevent a child from receiving the 
full benefit of an education. Acceptable work would generally 
include, for example, light work that is compatible with national 
minimum age legislation and education laws.
    Association(s) are considered Grantees by USDOL. Associations 
are two or more organizations (that do not constitute a single legal 
entity) who join in applying for an award. Each member of the 
Association must be individually eligible for award and must sign, 
and agree to be bound jointly and severally by the Cooperative 
Agreement. The Association must designate one Associate as the Lead 
Grantee. Specific obligations of the Lead Grantee are included in 
the Cooperative Agreement. All references to ``Applicant(s)'' and 
``Grantee(s)'' refer to Associations as well as individual 
Applicants.
    At-risk An ``at-risk'' situation refers to a set of conditions 
or circumstances (e.g., family environment or situation, proximity 
to economic activities prone to employ children) under which a child 
lives or to which it is exposed that make it more likely that the 
child will be employed in exploitive child labor. A project-specific 
definition of ``at-risk,'' clearly articulating the defining 
characteristics of the target group, must be provided with the 
application, though this definition may be refined after award in 
the Project Document as a result of baseline data collection. For 
example, siblings of children formerly engaged in exploitive labor 
could be considered at-risk.
    Basic education comprises both formal schooling (primary and 
sometimes lower secondary) as well as a wide array of non-formal and 
informal public and private educational activities offered to meet 
the defined basic learning needs of groups of people of all ages. 
(Source: UNESCO, Education for All: Year 2000 Assessment: Glossary 
[CD-ROM], Paris, 2001.
    A Child is, for the purposes of this solicitation considered to 
be an individual under the age of 18 years.
    Child Labor (see definition of Exploitive Child Labor).
    Children Working (see definition of Working Children).
    Cooperative Agreement is a form of a grant where substantial 
involvement is anticipated between the donor (USDOL) and the Grantee 
during the performance of the proposed activities. The level of 
monitoring and accountability required by USDOL under a Cooperative 
Agreement is less than what is required in a contract, but more than 
in a regular grant.
    Exploitive Child Labor refers to the worst forms of child labor 
outlined in ILO Convention 182, and all types of work that prevent a 
child from obtaining an education or impede a child's ability to 
learn as outlined in ILO Convention 138.
    ILO Convention 182, Article 3, defines the worst forms of child 
labor as comprised of:
    (a) All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such 
as the sale and trafficking of children, debt bondage and serfdom 
and forced or compulsory labor, including forced or compulsory 
recruitment of children for use in armed conflict;
    (b) The use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, 
the production of

[[Page 34293]]

pornography or for pornographic performances;
    (c) The use, procuring or offering of a child for illicit 
activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of 
drugs as defined in the relevant international treaties;
    (d) Work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it 
is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety or morals of 
children.
    ILO Convention 138, Minimum Age Convention, Article 7.1(b) is 
also used to identify exploitive child labor. Article 7.1(b) states 
that children within a particular age range shall not participate in 
work that will ``prejudice their attendance at school, their 
participation in vocational orientation or training programmes 
approved by the competent authority or their capacity to benefit 
from the instruction received.''
    Hazardous work refers to work that falls under Article 3(d) of 
ILO Convention 182. ILO Recommendation 190, which accompanies ILO 
Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labor, gives additional 
guidance on identifying hazardous work. ILO Recommendation 190 
states in Section II. Hazardous work, paragraph 3, ``In determining 
the types of work referred to under Article 3(d) of the Convention 
[ILO Convention 182], and in identifying where they exist, 
consideration should be given'' to:
    (a) Work which exposes children to physical, psychological or 
sexual abuse;
    (b) Work underground, under water, at dangerous heights or in 
confined spaces;
    (c) Work with dangerous machinery, equipment and tools, or which 
involves the manual handling or transport of heavy loads;
    (d) Work in an unhealthy environment which may, for example, 
expose children to hazardous substances, agents or processes, or to 
temperatures, noise levels, or vibrations damaging to their health;
    (e) Work under particularly difficult conditions such as work 
for long hours or during the night or work where the child is 
unreasonably confined to the premises of the employer In some cases, 
the work conditions of children involved in hazardous work may be 
improved so as to make the work conditions acceptable for children. 
This may include, for example, reducing hours of work or changing 
the type of work children perform (i.e., disallowing children in 
agriculture from working with heavy machinery or pesticide 
applications). However, conditions can only be improved for children 
who are legal to work according to the specific laws of the target 
countries. If, for example, a child is 9 years old and working in 
hazardous child labor in a country whose minimum age is 15 years, 
this child should be completely withdrawn from child labor, since 
conditions cannot be improved to make it legally acceptable for the 
child to work.
    Project Design Consolidation Phase lasts no longer than one year 
after award. During this phase, the Grantee outlines the goals and 
objectives of the project; identifies activities of the project that 
support the stated goals and objectives; establishes specific 
deadlines and responsibilities for carrying out the activities of 
the project; and determines a timeframe for measuring the progress 
and achievements of the project. The Project Design Consolidation 
Phase, therefore, includes the development of a Project Document and 
Work Plan. Grantees must also address minimum requirements 
identified in the Cooperative Agreement, which includes but is not 
limited to defining and describing the research methodology; 
detailed description of activities; and budget and cost 
effectiveness. USDOL may provide technical assistance to Grantees to 
refine the Project Document and Work Plan, which, as deliverables, 
are subject to approval by USDOL.
    The Project Document serves a number of functions. It describes 
the situation that gave rise to a particular project, explains 
``why'' a project was started, establishes the plan for what must be 
done, outlines what must be produced, by when, and by whom, and what 
is expected to happen after the project ends. It can serve as a 
reference point for all of the implementing partners involved in a 
project. The Project Document also provides the basis for assessing 
the success of a project. (The format for the Project Document will 
be provided to Grantees after award). For the most part, Grantees 
are expected to have already presented an essentially complete 
Project Design strategy as part of their application submitted in 
response to this solicitation. The Project Document (including a 
project budget) is a more refined and revised version of the 
application and sets the technical parameters and reference points 
for the project according to the standardized format outlined by 
USDOL. The original proposal is expected to serve as the basis for 
the Grantee's Project Document.
    Trafficking refers to the recruitment, harboring, 
transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or 
services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the 
purpose of exploitation.
    Unconditional Worst Forms of Child Labor refers to the worst 
forms of child labor that fall under ILO Convention 182 Article 3 
parts (a)-(c). Children involved in the unconditional worst forms of 
child labor, as defined in ILO Convention 182 Article 3 parts (a)-
(c) above (see definition of exploitive child labor), must no longer 
be working to be considered as withdrawn from exploitive labor. That 
is, no improvements in the working conditions of children involved 
in slavery or slavery-like practices, prostitution or pornography, 
or illicit activities will create an acceptable environment for 
children to work, even for one hour.
    Work Plan must identify major project activities, deadlines for 
completing those activities, and person(s) or institution(s) 
responsible for completing these activities. The Work Plan must 
correspond to activities identified in the rest of the application. 
The Work Plan may vary depending on what is the most logical form. 
It may, for example, be divided by project component, country, or 
region.
    Working Children includes both children working in acceptable 
work and exploitive child labor.
    Worst Forms of Child Labor refers to the forms of child labor 
that falls under ILO Convention 182 Article 3 parts (a)-(d), 
comprised of the forms of work referred to as ``unconditional worst 
forms of child labor'' [parts (a)-(c)] and ``hazardous work'' [part 
(d)].
    Youth are individuals aged 17 and under.

   Appendix B: Definitions and Usual Characteristics of Subgrants vs.
                              Subcontracts
[U.S. Department of Labor Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human
                              Trafficking]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    Subgrants           Subcontracts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Definitions:
    *General Purpose........  Subject to an         Subject to an
                               agreement that        agreement in which
                               provides for the      the purpose is
                               transfer of money     primarily to
                               or property to        acquire goods and
                               accomplish a public   services.
                               purpose of support
                               or stimulation as
                               authorized under
                               Federal statute.
    *Focus..................  Carries out one or    Provides goods and
                               more major            services that are
                               programmatic          ancillary or
                               functions.            supportive to the
                                                     operation of the
                                                     Federal program.
    *Recipient                Has responsibility    Responsibility for
     Responsibility.           for programmatic      programmatic
                               decision making,      decision making
                               adherence to          rests primarily
                               applicable Federal    with the party
                               program compliance    providing payment
                               requirements, and     and inspecting
                               is able to            deliverables. Is
                               determine which       subject to
                               participants are      procurement
                               eligible to receive   regulations, but
                               Federal financial     not programmatic
                               assistance.           compliance
                                                     requirements.
Usual Characteristics:

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    Recipients..............  Awarded largely to    Awarded largely to
                               non-profits,          commercial
                               institutions of       enterprises,
                               higher education,     although non-
                               and state and local   profits and state
                               governments. Fewer    or local
                               commercial            governments may
                               enterprises are       respond to a bid or
                               recipients.           negotiated
                                                     solicitation.
    Terms & Performance       Less rigorous         More rigorous
     Standards.                according to their    according to their
                               terms and             terms and
                               conditions than       conditions.
                               contracts.            Performance is
                               Performance is        measured against
                               measured against      the delivery of
                               whether the           goods and services.
                               objectives of the
                               Federal program are
                               met (for example,
                               to eliminate
                               exploitive child
                               labor).
    Operational Environment.  Less likely to        Operates in a
                               operate in a          competitive
                               competitive           environment and
                               environment and       provides goods and
                               usually provides      services to many
                               services for a        different
                               public purpose.       purchasers
    Monitoring..............  Less regulated. If    More heavily
                               the task is not       regulated and more
                               accomplished, there   likely to carry
                               may be fewer legal    substantial legal
                               and financial         or financial risk.
                               ramifications.
    Scope of Work...........  Scope of work,        Scope of work may be
                               deliverables and      less flexible and
                               delivery schedule     more difficult to
                               are more flexible     amend. Firm
                               and easier to amend   delivery schedule
                               when changes are      with deliverables
                               necessary.            subject to rigorous
                                                     inspection.
    Payment Schedule........  Funds usually drawn   Payment is usually
                               down by recipient     made by invoice
                               or paid in a lump     only after goods
                               sum. Payments are     are delivered or
                               based on budgeted     services rendered.
                               amounts rather than   Advances are made
                               the unit cost of      under specific,
                               services.             limited
                                                     circumstances.
                                                     Payments are
                                                     related to goods
                                                     delivered or
                                                     services rendered.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The distinction between subgrants vs. subcontracts should be made
  primarily based on these three definitions. Even if an agreement has
  some or many of the ``usual characteristics'' of a subgrant, project
  managers and auditors should closely examine its purpose, focus, and
  recipient responsibilities (using the definitions provided above)
  before determining whether it meets the definition of a subgrant or
  subcontract.

Appendix C: Technical Proposal Format

    A. Research Background and Significance.
    B. Research Methodology/Budget-Cost Effectiveness.
    i. Research Design.
    ii. Population and Sample.
    iii. Data Sources and Collection.
    iv. Data Coding and Management.
    v. Data Analysis.
    vi. Dissemination.
    vii. Limitations to Study.
    viii. Human Subjections Considerations.
    ix. Budget-Cost Effectiveness (with cost of activities linked to 
Outputs-Based Budget).
    C. Organizational Capacity.
    i. International and U.S. Government Grant Experience.
    ii. Country Presence.
    iii. Fiscal Oversight.
    D. Key Personnel/Management Plan/Staffing.
    i. Key Personnel.
    ii. Other Professional Personnel.
    iii. Management Plan.
    iv. Staff Loading Plan.
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[FR Doc. E7-12011 Filed 6-20-07; 8:45 am]
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