[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48902-48903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20085]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Solicitation of Nominations for the United States Department of 
Labor's Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor

    The United States Department of Labor's Iqbal Masih Award for the 
Elimination of Child Labor presented by Secretary Hilda Solis, United 
States Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, 
DC 20210:
    1. Subject: The United States Department of Labor's Iqbal Masih 
Award for the Elimination of Child Labor.
    2. Purpose: To outline the eligibility criteria, the nomination 
process and the administrative procedures for the United States 
Department of Labor's Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child 
Labor, and to solicit nominations for the United States Department of 
Labor's Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor.
    3. Originator: Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human 
Trafficking of the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB/OCFT).
    4. Background: The award is to recognize exceptional efforts to 
reduce the worst forms of child labor and is in response to Senate 
Committee direction (Significant Report 110-107 DM/ILAB), that the 
Secretary of Labor:

    Establish an annual non-monetary award recognizing the 
extraordinary efforts by an individual, company, organization or 
national government toward the reduction of the worst forms of child 
labor. The award shall be named, ``the United States Department of 
Labor's Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor.'' 
Iqbal Masih was a Pakistani carpet weaver sold into slavery at age 
four. He escaped from his servitude at age 12 and became an 
outspoken advocate against child slavery. He told the world of his 
plight when he received the Reebok Human Rights Award in 1994. He 
was tragically killed a year later at the age of 13 in his native 
Pakistan.

    In view of inspiring and motivating those who are working to 
eliminate the worst forms of child labor, the award's two major goals 
are to:

    a. Honor and give public recognition to a recipient 
demonstrating extraordinary efforts to combat the worst forms of 
child labor internationally, and who shares qualities demonstrated 
by Iqbal Masih including leadership, courage, integrity, and a 
search to end the labor exploitation of children, and,
    b. Raise awareness about the worst forms of child labor 
internationally.

    5. Eligibility and Selection Criteria:
    A. The nominees may include individuals, companies, organizations, 
or national governments and nominations may be submitted by other 
persons and entities with the knowledge and permission of the nominee.
    B. Nominees for the United States Department of Labor's Iqbal Masih 
Award for the Elimination of Child Labor will be judged by the 
following selection criteria:

    1. Implemented extraordinary efforts that contribute towards the 
reduction of the worst forms of child labor.
    2. Generated positive international attention in support of 
efforts to reduce the worst forms of child labor.
    3. Inspired others, including young persons, to become champions 
against the worst forms of child labor following the spirit and 
example of Iqbal Masih.
    4. Fomented constructive change regarding the labor exploitation 
of children under great odds or at great personal cost.

    6. Nomination Submission Requirements:
    A. Nominations must identify the proposed candidate and include a 
justification statement.
    B. The nomination packages should be limited to information 
relevant to the nominee. Nomination packages should be no longer than 
two (2) typed pages double-spaced. A page is 8.5 x 11 (on one side 
only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides).
    C. Nomination packages must include the following for 
consideration:
    1. An executive summary about the nominee, which clearly identifies 
the specific attributes of the nominee relevant to the selection 
criteria as listed in Section 5(B).
    2. A data summary on the nominee. See Section 6(D).
    D. A data summary on the nominee will include the following:
    1. Name(s) of the individual, company, organization or national 
government being nominated.
    2. Full street address, telephone number and e-mail address of 
nominee.
    3. Name, title, street address, telephone number and e-mail address 
of the person or organization submitting the nomination.
    E. Timing and Acceptable Methods of Submission of Nominations:
    Nomination packages must be submitted to The United States 
Department of Labor's Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child 
Labor, Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking, Room 
S-5317, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210 by September 
30, 2011. Any application received after 4:45 p.m. EDT on September 30, 
2011 will not be considered unless it was received before the award is 
made and:
    1. It was sent by registered or certified mail no later than 
September 15, 2011.
    2. It is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due 
solely to mishandling by the Government after receipt at the U.S. 
Department of Labor at the address indicated; or
    3. It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service--Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5 p.m. EDT at the 
place of mailing, September 29, 2011.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a 
late application sent by registered or certified mail is the U.S. 
Postal Service postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on the original 
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. If the postmark is not legible, 
an application received after the above closing time and date will be 
processed as if mailed late. ``Postmark'' means a printed, stamped, or 
otherwise placed impression (not a postage meter machine impression) 
that is readily identifiable without further action as having been 
applied and affixed by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service on the 
date of mailing. Therefore, applicants should request that the postal 
clerk place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's-eye'' postmark on both 
the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at 
the U.S. Department of Labor is the date/time stamp of the ILAB/OCFT on 
the application wrapper or other documentary evidence or receipt 
maintained by that office. Applications sent by other delivery 
services, such as Federal Express, UPS, e-mail (to 
[email protected]), etc., will also be accepted; however, the 
applicant bears the responsibility of timely submission.

[[Page 48903]]

    Confirmation of receipt of your application can be made by 
contacting Katie Cook, by e-mail [email protected], telephone 
(202) 693-4838, or OCFT telephone (202) 693-4843, prior to the closing 
deadline.
    4. The U.S. Department of Labor will also consider nomination 
packages from previous years that were deemed responsive but not yet 
selected for award.
    7. The Administrative Review Process:
    A. ILAB/OCFT will perform a preliminary administrative review to 
determine the sufficiency of all submitted application packages 
relative to the selection criteria listed in Section 5(B).
    B. ILAB/OCFT will conduct an initial substantive review of the 
nominations received and will identify a short list of candidates to be 
considered.
    C. A panel of Department of Labor representatives will perform a 
secondary review to make a determination of the semi-finalists.
    D. The Secretary of Labor will conduct the final review and 
selection.
    8. Other Factors to be Considered During the Administrative Review 
Process: Receipt of this award will not preclude a nominee from being 
considered for the United States Department of Labor's Iqbal Masih 
Award for the Elimination of Child Labor in subsequent years. Specific 
accomplishments that served as the basis of a prior award, however, may 
not be considered as the basis for a subsequent award application.
    9. Procedures Following Selection: The awardee will be notified of 
selection via the contact person identified in the application package 
at least four weeks prior to the awards ceremony.
    10. Location: The Department of Labor anticipates that the awards 
ceremony will be held in late 2011 or early 2012 at a location to be 
determined by the Secretary of Labor.
    Paperwork Reduction Act Notice (Pub. L. 104-13): Persons are not 
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. 
This collection of information is approved under OMB Number 1290-0007 
(Expiration Date: 12/31/2012). The obligation to respond to this 
information collection is voluntary; however, only nominations that 
follow the nomination procedures outlined in this notice will receive 
consideration. The average time to respond to this information of 
collection is estimated to be 10 hours per response; including the time 
for reviewing instructions, researching existing data sources, 
gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing 
the collection of information. Submit comments regarding this estimate; 
including suggestions for reducing response time or for improving any 
aspect of this collection of information to the Departmental Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Room N-1301, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington DC 20210 
or e-mail to [email protected]. Please do not send completed 
nominations to this address.
    We are very interested in your thoughts and suggestions about your 
experience in preparing and filing this nomination packet for the 
United States Department of Labor's Iqbal Masih Award for the 
Elimination of Child Labor. Your comments will be very useful to the 
ILAB/OCFT in making improvements in our solicitation for nominations 
for this award in subsequent years. All comments are strictly voluntary 
and strictly private. We would appreciate your taking a few minutes to 
tell us--for example, whether you thought the instructions were 
sufficiently clear; what you liked or disliked; what worked or didn't 
work; whether it satisfied your need for information or if it didn't, 
or anything else that you think is important for us to know. Your 
comments will be most helpful if you can be very specific in relating 
your experience.
    Please send any comments you have to Katie Cook at 
[email protected] or via mail to the U.S. Department of Labor, 
Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking, Room S-
5317, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.

Sandra Polaski,
Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-20085 Filed 8-8-11; 8:45 am]
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