[Federal Register: May 6, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 88)]
[Notices]
[Page 25419-25433]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06my04-87]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Combating Exploitive Child Labor Through Education in Central
America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua)
and the Dominican Republic; and Combating Exploitive Child Labor
Through Education in Southern Africa (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South
Africa, and Swaziland)
May 6, 2004.
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 04-06.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: Not applicable.
Key Dates: Deadline for Submission of Application is June 7, 2004.
Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
International Labor Affairs, will award up to U.S. $14.5 million
through one or more cooperative agreements to an organization or
organizations to improve access to quality education programs as a
means to combat exploitive child labor in Central America and the
Dominican Republic (up to $5.5 million) and Southern Africa (up to $9
million). The activities funded will complement and expand upon
existing projects and programs to improve basic education in these
countries, and, where applicable, provide access to basic education to
children in areas of high incidence of exploitive child labor.
Applications must be regional in approach and respond to the entire
Statement of Work outlined in this Solicitation for Cooperative
Agreement Applications. In Central America and the Dominican Republic,
activities under this cooperative agreement will strengthen government
and civil society's capacity to address the education needs of working
children and those at risk of entering work. In Southern Africa,
activities under this cooperative agreement will expand access and
quality of basic education for working children and those at risk of
entering work, particularly HIV/AIDS affected children.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Bureau of International Labor
Affairs (ILAB), announces the availability of funds to be granted by
cooperative agreement to one or more qualifying organizations for the
purpose of expanding access to and quality of basic education and
strengthening government and civil society's capacity to address the
education needs of working children and those at risk of entering work
in Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and
Nicaragua) and the Dominican Republic, and Southern Africa (Botswana,
Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland). ILAB is authorized to
award and administer this program by the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2003, Pub.L. No 108-7, 117 Stat. 11 (2003). The cooperative
agreement or cooperative agreements awarded under this initiative will
be managed by ILAB's International Child Labor Program to assure
achievement of the stated goals. Applicants are encouraged to be
creative in proposing cost-effective interventions that will have a
demonstrable impact in promoting school attendance in areas of those
countries where children are engaged in or are most at risk of working
in the worst forms of child labor.
A. Background and Program Scope
i. USDOL Support of Global Elimination of Exploitive Child Labor
The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimated that 211
million children ages 5 to 14 were working around the world in 2000.
Full-time child workers are generally unable to attend school, and
part-time child laborers balance economic survival with schooling from
an early age, often to the detriment of their education. Since 1995,
the U.S. Department of Labor has provided over U.S. $275 million in
technical assistance funding to combat exploitive child labor in over
60 countries around the world.
Programs funded by USDOL range from targeted action programs in
specific sectors to more comprehensive efforts that target the worst
forms of child labor as defined by ILO Convention 182. From FY 2001 to
FY 2004, the U.S. Congress has appropriated U.S. $148 million to USDOL
for a Child Labor Education Initiative to fund programs aimed at
increasing access to quality, basic education in areas with a high
incidence
[[Page 25420]]
of abusive and exploitive child labor. The cooperative agreement(s)
awarded under this solicitation will be funded through this initiative.
USDOL's Child Labor Education Initiative seeks to nurture the
development, health, safety and enhanced future employability of
children around the world by increasing access to basic education for
working children and those at risk of entering work. Exploitive child
labor elimination depends in part on improving access to, quality of,
and relevance of education.
The Child Labor Education Initiative has four goals:
a. Raise awareness of the importance of education for all children
and mobilize a wide array of actors to improve and expand education
infrastructures;
b. Strengthen formal and transitional education systems that
encourage working children and those at risk of working to attend
school;
c. Strengthen national institutions and policies on education and
child labor; and
d. Ensure the long-term sustainability of these efforts.
ii. Barriers to Education for Working Children, Country Background, and
Focus of Solicitation
Throughout the world, there are complex causes of exploitive child
labor as well as barriers to education for children engaged in or at
risk of 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; and weak labor markets.
Although these elements and characteristics tend to exist
throughout the world in areas of high exploitive child labor, they
manifest themselves in specific ways in each region/country of interest
in this solicitation. In their response to the solicitation,
applications must be regional in approach, i.e., applications must
include all of the countries in the proposed region (either Central
America and the Dominican Republic or Southern Africa), and promote
regional activities and sharing of best practices and lessons learned
to enhance and improve education and exploitive child labor policies
and practices among project countries. The regional focus of the
project should also emphasize policy and program approaches that,
through the sharing of knowledge and lessons learned from other
countries, augment an individual country's capacity to address the
education barriers faced by working children, allowing more of them to
attend and complete quality educational programs. In Central America
and the Dominican Republic, this project will predominantly support
policy mechanisms and build capacity to undertake educational reforms
that enable working children to benefit from education programs. If an
applicant proposes direct education service delivery to individual
children in Central American and the Dominican Republic, all such
interventions must be designed as demonstration projects with direct
policy applications. In cases where direct education service delivery
to individual children will be provided, applicants must demonstrate
that the interventions are needed and support policy gaps.
In Central America and the Dominican Republic, activities under
this cooperative agreement will strengthen government and civil
society's capacity to address the education needs of working children
and those at risk of entering work. In Southern Africa, activities
under this cooperative agreement will expand access and quality of
basic education for working children and those at risk of entering
work, particularly as a consequence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Applicants should be able to identify the specific barriers to
education and the education needs of specific children targeted in
their project (e.g., children withdrawn from work, children at high
risk of dropping out into the labor force, and/or children still
working in a particular sector) and how capacity building and policy
change can be used to address them. Short background information on
education and exploitive child labor in each of the regions/countries
of interest is provided below. For additional information on exploitive
child labor in these regions/countries, applicants are referred to The
Department of Labor's 2002 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor
available at http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/media/reports/iclp/tda2002/overview.htm
or in hard copy from Lisa Harvey, U.S. Department of
Labor, Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-4570 (this is
not a toll-free-number) or e-mail: harvey.lisa@dol.gov.
Barriers to Education for Working Children in Central America and the
Dominican Republic, and Focus of This Solicitation for the Region
In 2000, the ILO's International Program on the Elimination of
Child Labor (IPEC) estimated that 17.4 million children ages 5 to 14
were working throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Recent
estimates indicate that more than 2.3 million children ages 5 to 17 in
Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and
Nicaragua) and the Dominican Republic are economically active. Most of
these children work in rural areas in agriculture, on small family
plots as well as on coffee, melon, and other commercial farms. The
remainder of these children work in the region's cities and urban
areas. Children work in small businesses and industries, sell goods on
the street, and wash cars. Some children engage in particularly
hazardous activities such as prostitution and pornography. On average,
about half of working children do not attend school. The remainder
combine school and work, often coming to school without adequate food
or sleep, or sufficient time to study and prepare homework. Such
children complete fewer years of schooling than those who do not work,
dropping out at a young age. By not attending school, or by attending
for only short periods of time, working children do not gain many of
the skills they need to obtain stable and more highly remunerated
employment as adults, and therefore perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
In response to this dire situation, the governments and civil
society of Central America and the Dominican Republic, with assistance
from international organizations and other partners, have taken steps
to reduce exploitive child labor and encourage school attendance. Every
country in the region has ratified ILO Convention 138 on the Minimum
Age for Employment and ILO Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child
Labor. Each country is also a member of ILO/IPEC, and has established
national committees of governmental and non-governmental
representatives that have developed plans of action to address
exploitive child labor. A number of projects supported by ILO/IPEC,
UNICEF, and a host of other international organizations have been
implemented that aim to remove children from exploitive child labor and
enroll them in school. USDOL has funded a number of such efforts, which
include country, sector, and regional projects to remove children from
work, build capacity to combat exploitive child labor, raise awareness,
strengthen legislation against exploitive child labor, and gather
information about the problem.
In addition, a number of projects have been undertaken to promote
access to quality basic education. Some of the education ministries in
the region have developed scholarship programs, flexible schedules, and
alternative
[[Page 25421]]
curricula designed to enable all children to obtain a quality basic
education. A number of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs),
development agencies, and international organizations, such as UNICEF,
and the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID), have
instituted programs to promote primary education. Although USAID's
2004-2008 plan for Central America does not specifically mention
exploitive child labor, there is a role assigned to the creation of
``healthier, better-educated people'' through increased and improved
basic education opportunities.
Despite these efforts to eliminate exploitive child labor and
promote basic education, significant gaps have not been addressed, and
continue to deprive working children of access to quality basic
education. Although some barriers are more prominent in certain
countries than others, in general across the region these needs
include:
Lack of coordination of efforts to combat exploitive child labor
with efforts to promote basic education. In many instances, links have
not been made between the institutions and actors concerned with
exploitive child labor and those concerned with education. Cross-agency
communication is weak.
Ministries of Education often do not see exploitive child labor as
an education issue. As a result of the lack of linkages mentioned
above, most of the education ministries in the region have not
integrated the issue of exploitive child labor into their education
policies and programs, nor is the education of working children
necessarily considered in the development of Education for All (EFA) or
education fast-track strategies. Nonetheless, there are some examples
in the region of ways in which ministries of education have become
involved in the struggle against exploitive child labor. In Costa Rica,
for example, a child labor office was recently established within the
Ministry of Public Education.
Lack of community awareness of the dangers inherent in exploitive
child labor. In many cases, communities in Central America and the
Dominican Republic hold the belief that child work is formative and
builds character, and are not aware of the fact that when work
interferes with basic education, it tends to perpetuate, rather than
alleviate, poverty. Community support for education has led to
successful locally-managed education programs in several areas of El
Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Although the community managed
school programs implemented in these countries may not be appropriate
in all environments, they offer lessons about the importance of local
interest in education.
Lack of information sharing on exploitive child labor and
education. Despite significant advances in the quality of data on
exploitive child labor and basic education in the region, there is only
limited diffusion of the information and little capacity to interpret
and effectively use the data.
Lack of collaboration between government and civil society. In
cases where civil society has taken up the banner of exploitive child
labor and/or universal education, there has been a lack of coordinated
or joint efforts, not only within each country, but also throughout the
region.
Lack of school attendance monitoring. At a very basic level, the
systems to track whether children are attending school in most parts of
Central America and the Dominican Republic are either weak or
nonexistent. In other areas of the world, such tracking and related
enforcement of compulsory attendance laws have created an important
incentive for parents to send their children to school.
Lack of teacher training on exploitive child labor and on how to
teach working children. In the Dominican Republic and the Central
American countries, teachers lack the training and support needed to
understand the issue of exploitive child labor and are unprepared for
the challenges of teaching children who combine school and work or who
have special educational needs.
Inadequate incentives for teachers and for rewarding good teacher
performance. In the Dominican Republic and Central America, teacher
strikes are frequently due, in large part, to low salaries and there is
a lack of incentives to encourage high quality teacher performance.
Disagreement on Education Policy. To a greater extent in Guatemala,
Honduras, and Nicaragua, and a lesser extent in Costa Rica, El
Salvador, and the Dominican Republic, education reform has become an
extremely contentious issue. While many agree that access to quality
education in the region must be improved, teachers unions, businesses,
communities, and governments are divided over the best method to
achieve this goal.
Due to the number of existing efforts in Central America and the
Dominican Republic, and the need to promote sustainability, applicants
are encouraged to predominantly support policy mechanisms and build
capacity to undertake educational reforms that enable working children
to benefit from education programs. If an applicant proposes direct
education service delivery to individual children in Central American
and the Dominican Republic, all such interventions must be designed as
demonstration projects with direct policy applications. In cases where
direct education service delivery to individual children will be
provided, applicants must demonstrate that the interventions are needed
and support policy gaps. The Child Labor Education Initiative awarded
under this cooperative agreement should complement existing approaches
by focusing on ways to: (1) Enhance the viability of schooling as an
alternative to hazardous and exploitive child labor; (2) mobilize
stakeholders to participate in this activity; and (3) build the
capacity of future national experts who will contribute directly to
government policies through their commitment and expertise in using
school interventions to reduce hazardous and exploitive child labor.
Applications in response to this solicitation are encouraged to:
a. Promote innovative approaches to address barriers in the
specific countries and the sharing of good practices and lessons
learned on exploitive child labor and education within the Dominican
Republic and Central American region.
b. Encourage intra-governmental collaboration, among relevant
agencies within each country, that will promote the goals of this
project.
c. Support the institutionalization of efforts and reforms that
might lead to improved incorporation of working children into
educational settings, by creating and mobilizing stakeholders (at the
local and national level) and by developing the capability to manage
interventions using local resources and networks.
d. Support innovative, cross-sectoral and international strategies
that will meet the needs for institutional development and for the
mobilization of stakeholders.
e. Strengthen and build the capacity of NGOs, including faith-based
organizations, community-based organizations, and the private sector,
through organizational development and training, to provide educational
programs.
f. Promote the types of alliances that might sustain the advocacy
of education for the elimination of exploitive child labor.
g. Consider other relevant international and regional movements
(such as Education For All; Commissions on the Rights of the Child; and
PREAL), and relate initiatives under
[[Page 25422]]
this solicitation to those movements that would promote the goals of
this project.
h. Stimulate increased accountability and creative incentives for
schools to incorporate children who are at-risk of entering abusive
labor.
i. Promote, in collaboration with the national Ministries of Labor
and Education and businesses, School-Business Partnerships and School-
to-Work programs in which businesses collaborate with secondary schools
by training students in occupational skills.
j. Promote awareness raising of core labor standards and
restrictions on exploitive child labor among teachers, through in-
service training.
In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with
and complement existing projects, particularly those funded by USDOL,
including Timebound and other projects implemented by ILO/IPEC, to the
extent those projects further the goals of this project. However,
applicants should not duplicate the activities of existing efforts and/
or projects and should work within host government child labor
frameworks. Country specific information is provided in Appendix B.
Note to All Applicants: The existence of approximately U.S. $10
million in USDOL-funded child labor projects in both El Salvador and
the Dominican Republic, as well as a number of other donor sponsored
efforts, creates a unique environment for the implementation of the
proposed project under this cooperative agreement in El Salvador and
the Dominican Republic. Any new initiative under this cooperative
agreement should consider how best to complement, rather than
duplicate, current projects in these countries so that the goals of
this project are accomplished. Applicants are strongly encouraged to
consider the number of efforts and amount of resources already in
existence in El Salvador and the Dominican Republic when making
resource allocations for the region. In El Salvador, applicants are
also strongly encouraged to coordinate actions with the existing ILO/
IPEC Timebound Program. In the case of the Dominican Republic,
applicants should include the Dominican Republic in proposed regional
activities and should collaborate closely with DevTech Systems and ILO/
IPEC's Timebound Program efforts.
Barriers to Education for Working Children in Southern Africa
(Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland), and Focus of
This Solicitation for the Region
Exploitive child labor in Southern Africa occurs frequently in the
informal sector. Children work in commercial and subsistence
agriculture in rural areas, and increasing numbers of orphans and
vulnerable children work on the streets of major cities and towns.
These children engage in begging, vending, washing cars, carrying
goods, and prostitution. Young girls are often employed in domestic
service, while boys are often found herding animals in rural and remote
areas, which is often perceived as a traditional rite of passage for
male youth in some of the countries. Many children work to help their
families. However, children are often found working for long hours per
day, which limits their ability to attend school, as well as their
academic performance.
It is important to highlight that information on the nature and
extent of exploitive child labor and the barriers to education in the
Southern African countries is limited. All of the governments in the
region have ratified ILO Conventions 138 and 182, but each is at a
different stage of implementing the commitments made under the
Conventions. An ILO/IPEC regional child labor project was recently
funded by the USDOL and is being implemented in Botswana, Lesotho,
Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. This ILO/IPEC project aims to
improve the knowledge base of the worst forms of child labor and will
pilot small direct action activities in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and
Swaziland. Activities under this solicitation should complement, and
where possible, collaborate with those of the regional ILO/IPEC
project.
As a whole, these countries dedicate a significant portion of their
national budgets to education, ranging from 20 to 30 percent. All of
the Southern African countries of interest under this solicitation,
except for South Africa and Swaziland, offer free primary education;
and, as a result, enrollment rates are relatively high. Many children
who are enrolled in education also work, however, which leads to poorer
retention and completion rates. There have been more attempts in the
last few years to provide vocational education and skills training for
older children, as well as those that have not received formal
education. Nevertheless, given the magnitude of the need for these
alternatives in Southern Africa, these programs have not been able to
meet the demand, leaving some children without any educational
opportunities.
Rural and ``farm'' schools continue to have inadequate resources
and untrained or under-trained teachers. Access to these schools is
also a major problem due to their location and the long distances that
children must travel to reach them. Although education is free in most
of the countries of Southern Africa, the costs associated with
education, such as materials, school contributions, uniforms, and
transportation and/or boarding restrict school enrollment and
attendance. Given that many of these working children are already
living in abject poverty, some cannot afford these fees and drop out or
never enroll in school, ending up working with their parents or on the
streets in an attempt to earn a living.
Moreover, the effects that the HIV/AIDS pandemic is having on
Southern Africa, and its children, cannot be overlooked. HIV/AIDS
exacerbates the problem of exploitive child labor throughout the
region. Estimates put the HIV/AIDS rate in the region as high as 25 to
35 percent of the population aged 15-49. The pandemic is causing
businesses to lose their most productive workers, children to lose
their parents and caregivers, and schools to lose their teachers, while
putting an enormous strain on the governments' resources to provide
social services and education for their populations. Increasing numbers
of children, affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, drop out of school to
survive on their own and/or to provide for their sick relatives. Some
estimates put the number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in the region
at 500,000 to over one million. Projections from various governments
and relief organizations are grim and state that the number of HIV/AIDS
orphans in these countries may double by 2010.
Despite attempts to address the educational challenges that working
children face, there are still critical gaps/needs that must be
addressed. Applications in response to this solicitation are encouraged
to address the following issues:
Limited public awareness and research concerning children's
participation in exploitive labor (especially the worst forms).
Inadequate educational opportunities (including formal, vocational,
and non-formal education) and social services (counseling and child
protection) for children heading households, and orphans and vulnerable
children living and/or working on the streets in towns and cities.
Insufficient access to quality formal, non-formal, and vocational
education (long distances and few schools) and poor infrastructure,
teacher quality, and basic resources in rural and farm schools.
Poor capacity of, and coordination between, government ministries,
and
[[Page 25423]]
inadequate policies and structures that support the implementation of
child labor laws.
Inadequate opportunities for quality formal, non-formal, and
vocational education for teenage mothers or pregnant girls, indigenous
populations, and older children with little or no education.
Country specific information is provided in Appendix B.
The project funded by this solicitation should contribute to
efforts already underway to prevent and eliminate hazardous child labor
in Southern Africa, particularly for HIV/AIDS affected children, by
addressing specific barriers to education. Applications in response to
this solicitation are encouraged to promote the sharing of good
practices and lessons learned on exploitive child labor and education
within the Southern Africa region. In addition, applicants are strongly
encouraged to collaborate with and complement existing projects,
particularly those funded by USDOL, including Timebound and other
projects implemented by ILO/IPEC. However, applicants should not
duplicate the activities of existing efforts and/or projects and should
work within host government child labor frameworks.
Note to All Applicants: The Government of South Africa has pro-
actively responded to the problem of exploitive child labor with the
development of the CLAP. The CLAP focuses on coordinating governmental,
departmental, and provincial responses relating to children and
exploitive child labor and outlines actions (including education
interventions) that need to be taken to ensure that children are
withdrawn from and prevented from entering exploitive labor. The ILO/
IPEC ``Supporting the Timebound Program to Eliminate the Worst Forms of
Child Labor in South Africa's Child Labor Action Program,'' recently
funded by USDOL, will work within the Government of South Africa's CLAP
framework. The project(s) funded under this solicitation should focus
its efforts on education-related interventions that have been
identified in the CLAP Framework, and, where possible, those under the
ILO/IPEC Timebound Program. Close coordination and communication with
the government should be maintained throughout the project period.
B. Statement of Work
Taking into account the challenges to educating working children in
each region of interest, the applicant will facilitate, and implement,
as appropriate, creative and innovative approaches to promote policies
that will enhance the provision of educational opportunities to
children engaged in or removed from exploitive child labor,
particularly the worst forms. The expected outcomes/results of the
project are, through improved policies and direct education service
delivery, as applicable, to: (1) Increase educational opportunities and
access (enrollment) for children who are engaged in, at risk of, and/or
removed from exploitive child labor, particularly its worst forms; (2)
encourage retention in, and completion of educational programs; and (3)
expand the successful transition of children in non-formal education
into formal schools or vocational programs.
In the course of implementation, each project must promote the
goals of USDOL's Child Labor Education Initiative listed above in
Section I (A) (i). Because of the limited available resources under
this award, applicants should implement programs that complement
existing efforts and, where appropriate, replicate or enhance
successful models to serve expanded numbers of children and
communities. However, applicants should not duplicate the activities of
existing efforts and/or projects and should work within host government
child labor and education frameworks. In order to avoid duplication,
enhance collaboration, expand impact, and develop synergies, the
cooperative agreement awardee (hereafter referred to as ``Grantee'')
should work cooperatively with regional and national stakeholders in
developing project interventions. In Central America and the Dominican
Republic, due to the number of existing efforts in the region and the
need to promote sustainability, applicants are encouraged to support
policy mechanisms and educational reforms that enable working children
to benefit from education programs, rather than the provision of direct
education service delivery. In Southern Africa, applicants should
consider the economic and social contexts of each country when
formulating project strategies and that approaches applicable in one
country may not be relevant to others.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss proposed
interventions, strategies, and activities with host government
officials during the preparation of an application for this cooperative
agreement.
Partnerships between more than one organization are also eligible
and encouraged, in particular with qualified, regionally-based
organizations in order to build local capacity; in such a case,
however, a lead organization must be identified. If the application
does not propose interventions aimed toward the target group and
geographical areas as identified (where applicable), then the
application may be considered unresponsive. Applicants whose strategies
include the provision of direct delivery of education are encouraged to
enroll at least one-quarter of the targeted children the grantee is
attempting to reach in educational activities during the first year of
project implementation. Under this cooperative agreement, vocational
training for adolescents and income generating alternatives for parents
are allowable activities. Although USDOL is open to all proposals for
innovative solutions to address the challenges of providing increased
access to education to the children targeted, the applicant must, at a
minimum, prepare responses following the outline of a preliminary
project document presented in Appendix A. This response will be the
foundation for the final project document that will be approved after
award of the cooperative agreement.
Note to All Applicants: Grantees are expected to consult with and
work cooperatively with stakeholders in the countries, including the
Ministries of Education, Labor, and other relevant ministries, NGOs,
national steering/advisory committees on child labor, education, faith
and community-based organizations, and working children and their
families. Grantees should ensure that their proposed activities and
interventions are within those of the countries' national child labor
and education frameworks and priorities, as applicable. Grantees are
strongly encouraged to collaborate with existing projects, particularly
those funded by USDOL, including Timebound Programs and other projects
implemented by ILO/IPEC. However, applicants are reminded that this is
a stand-alone project and that other federal awards cannot supplement a
project awarded under this cooperative agreement.
II. Award Information
Type of assistance instrument: cooperative agreement. USDOL's
involvement in project implementation and oversight is outlined in
Section VI. The duration of the projects funded by this solicitation is
four (4) years. The start date of program activities will be negotiated
upon awarding of the cooperative agreement, but no later than September
30, 2004. Up to U.S. $14.5 million will be awarded under this
solicitation, with up to $5.5 million for Central America (Costa Rica,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) and the Dominican
Republic, and up to $9 million for Southern Africa
[[Page 25424]]
(Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland). USDOL may
award one or more cooperative agreements to one, several, or a
partnership of more than one organization that may apply to implement
the program. Any subcontractor must be approved by USDOL.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Any commercial, international, educational, or non-profit
organization, including any faith-based or community-based
organizations, capable of successfully developing and implementing
education programs for working children or children at risk of entering
exploitive work in the regions/countries of interest is eligible to
apply. Partnerships of more than one organization are also eligible,
and applicants are strongly encouraged to work with organizations
already undertaking projects in the regions/countries of interest,
particularly local and regional NGOs, including faith-based and
community-based organizations. In the case of partnership applications,
a lead organization must be identified. An applicant must demonstrate a
regional/country presence, independently or through a relationship with
another organization(s) with regional/country presence, which gives it
the ability to initiate program activities upon award of the
cooperative agreement. (All applicants are requested to complete the
Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants (OMB No. 1225-
0083), which is available online at http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/grants/
sga0406/bkgrdSGA0406.htm.). The capability of an applicant or
applicants to perform necessary aspects of this solicitation will be
determined under the criteria outlined in the Application Review
Information section of this solicitation.
PLEASE NOTE THAT TO BE ELIGIBLE, 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 IN LOBBYING ACTIVITIES. According
to the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, as amended by 2 U.S.C. 1611, an
organization, as described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, that engages in lobbying activities will not be eligible
for the receipt of federal funds constituting an award, grant,
cooperative agreement, or loan. Applicants applying for more than one
region must submit a separate application for each region. If
applications for the two regions are combined, they will not be
considered.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
This solicitation does not require applicants to share costs or
provide matching funds. However, the leveraging of resources and in-
kind contributions is strongly encouraged.
3. Other Eligibility Criteria
In accordance with 29 CFR Part 98, entities that are debarred or
suspended shall be excluded from Federal financial assistance and are
ineligible to receive funding under this solicitation. Past performance
of organizations already implementing Child Labor Education Initiative
projects or activities for USDOL will be taken into account. Past
performance will be rated by the timeliness of deliverables, and the
responsiveness of the organization and its staff to USDOL
communications regarding deliverables and cooperative agreement or
contractual requirements. Lack of past experience with USDOL projects,
cooperative agreements, grants, or contracts will not be penalized.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package
This solicitation contains all of the necessary information and
forms needed to apply for cooperative agreement funding. This
solicitation is published as part of this Federal Register notice, and
in the Federal Register, which may be obtained from your nearest U.S.
Government office or public library or online at http://www.archives.gov/
federal--register/index.html.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
One (1) blue ink-signed original, complete application in English
plus two (2) copies (in English) of the application, must be submitted
to the U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, 200
Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5416, Attention: Lisa Harvey,
Reference Solicitation 04-06, Washington, DC 20210, not later than 4:45
p.m. Eastern Time, June 7, 2004. Applicants may submit applications for
one or both regions. In the case where an applicant is interested in
applying for a cooperative agreement in both regions, a separate
application must be submitted for each region.
The application must consist of two (2) separate parts, as well as
a table of contents and an abstract summarizing the application in not
more that two (2) pages. These pages are also not included in the 45-
page limit for Part II.
Part I of the application must contain the Standard Form (SF) 424,
Application for Federal Assistance and Sections A-F of the Budget
Information Form SF 424A, available from ILAB's Web site at http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/grants/sga0406/bkgrdSGA0406.htm.
Copies of these forms
are also available online from the GSA Web site at http://contacts.gsa.gov/webforms.nsf/0/B835648D6
6D1B8F9852 56A72004C58C2/$
file/sf424.pdf and http://contacts.gsa.gov/ webforms.nsf/0/5AEB1F
A6FB3B8323 85256A72004C8E77/ $file/Sf424a.pdf. The individual signing
the SF 424 on behalf of the applicant must be authorized to bind the
applicant. The budget/cost proposal must be written in 10-12 pitch font
size.
Part II must provide a technical application that identifies and
explains the proposed program and demonstrates the applicant's
capabilities to carry out that proposal. The technical application must
identify how it will carry out the Statement of Work (Section I (B) of
this solicitation) and address each of the Application Review Criteria
found in Section V (1).
The Part II technical application must not exceed 45 single-sided
(8\1/2\'' x 11''), double-spaced, 10 to 12 pitch typed pages for each
region, and must include responses to the application evaluation
criteria outlined in this solicitation. Part II must include a project
document submitted in the format shown in Appendix A. The application
should include the name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail
address (if applicable) of a key contact person at the applicant's
organization in case questions should arise.
Applications will only be accepted in English. To be considered
responsive to this solicitation, the application must consist of the
above-mentioned separate parts. Any applications that do not conform to
these standards may be deemed non-responsive to this solicitation and
may not be evaluated. Standard forms and attachments are not included
in the 45-page limit for Part II. However, additional information not
required under this solicitation will not be considered.
3. Submission Dates and Times
Applications must be delivered to: U.S. Department of Labor,
Procurement Services Center, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5416,
Attention: Lisa Harvey, Reference: Solicitation 04-06, Washington, DC
20210. Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile
[[Page 25425]]
(FAX) will not be accepted. Applications sent by other delivery
services, such as Federal Express, UPS, etc., will be accepted;
however, the applicant bears the responsibility for timely submission.
The application package must be received at the designated place by the
date and time specified or it will not be considered. Any application
received at Procurement Services Center after 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time,
June 7, 2004, 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 Government after receipt at USDOL at the
address indicated;
B. It was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the
fifth calendar day before 30 days from the date of publication in the
Federal Register; 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 June 7, 2004.
The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a
late application sent by registered or certified mail is the U.S.
Postal Service postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on the original
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. If the postmark is not legible,
an application received after the above closing time and date shall be
processed as if mailed late. ``Postmark'' means a printed, stamped, or
otherwise placed impression (not a postage meter machine impression)
that is readily identifiable without further action as having been
applied and affixed by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service on the
date of mailing. Therefore, applicants should request that the postal
clerk place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's-eye'' postmark on both
the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a
late application sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day
Service-Post Office to Addressee is the date entered by the Post Office
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. ``Postmark'' has the same meaning
as defined above. Therefore, applicants should request that the postal
clerk place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's-eye'' postmark on both
the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
The only acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at
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.
Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not
be accepted. Applications sent by other delivery services, such as
Federal Express, UPS, etc., will be accepted; however the applicant
bears the responsibility for timely submission. It is recommended that
you confirm receipt of your application with your delivery service.
Confirmation of receipt can be made with Lisa Harvey, U.S. Department
of Labor, Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-4570 (this
is not a toll-free-number) or e-mail: harvey.lisa@dol.gov. 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.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order (EO)
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
5. Funding Restrictions
A. In addition to those specified under OMB Circular A-122, the
following costs are also unallowable:
i. Construction with funds under this cooperative agreement should
not exceed 10% of the project budget's direct costs and should be,
preferably, limited to improving existing school infrastructure and
facilities in the project's targeted communities. USDOL encourages
applicants to cost-share and/or leverage funds or in-kind contributions
from local partners when proposing construction activities in order to
ensure sustainability.
ii. Under this cooperative agreement, vocational training for
adolescents and income generating alternatives for parents are
allowable activities. However, federal funds under this cooperative
agreement cannot be used to provide micro-credits or revolving funds.
iii. Awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.
B. The following activities are also unallowable under this
solicitation:
i. Under this cooperative agreement, awareness raising and advocacy
cannot include lobbying or fund-raising (see OMB Circular A-122).
ii. 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. non-
governmental organizations, and their sub-awardees, cannot use U.S.
Government funds to lobby for, promote or advocate the legalization or
regulation of prostitution as a legitimate form of work. Foreign non-
governmental organizations, and their sub-awardees, that receive U.S.
Government funds to fight trafficking in persons cannot lobby for,
promote or advocate the legalization or regulation of prostitution as a
legitimate form of work. It is the responsibility of the primary
Grantee to ensure its sub-awardees meet these criteria.
6. Other Submission Requirements
The closing date for receipt of applications is June 7, 2004. As
discussed above, applications must be received by 4:45 p.m. (Eastern
Time) at the address identified in Section IV (3) above. No exceptions
to the mailing, delivery, and hand-delivery conditions set forth in
this notice will be granted. Applications that do not meet the
conditions set forth in this notice will not be accepted. Telegram,
facsimile (FAX), and e-mail applications will not be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Harvey. E-mail address:
harvey.lisa@dol.gov.
V. Application Review Information
1. Application Evaluation Criteria
Technical panels will review applications written in the specified
format (see Section I, Section IV (2) and Appendix A) against the
various criteria on the basis of 100 points. Up to five additional
points will be given for the inclusion of non-federal or leveraged
resources as described below. Applicants are requested to prepare their
technical proposal (45 page maximum) on the basis of the following
rating factors, which are presented in the order of emphasis that they
will receive, and the maximum rating points for each factor.
Program Design/Budget-Cost Effectiveness--45 points
Organizational Capacity--30 points
Management Plan/Key Personnel/Staffing--25 points
Leveraging Resources--5 extra points
A. Project/Program Design/Budget-Cost Effectiveness (45 Points)
This part of the application constitutes the preliminary project
document described in Section I (B) and outlined in Appendix A. The
applicant's proposal should describe in detail the proposed approach to
comply with each requirement.
[[Page 25426]]
This component of the application should demonstrate the
applicant's thorough knowledge and understanding of the issues,
barriers and challenges involved in providing education to children
engaged in or at risk of engaging in exploitive child labor,
particularly its worst forms; best-practice solutions to address their
needs; and the implementing environment in the selected region. When
preparing the project document outline, the applicant should at minimum
include a description of:
i. Children Targeted--The applicant will identify which and how
many children will benefit from the project, including the sectors in
which they work, geographical location, and other relevant
characteristics. Children are defined as persons under the age of 18
who have been engaged in the worst forms of child labor as defined by
ILO Convention 182, or those under the legal working age of the country
and who are engaged in other hazardous and/or exploitive activities.
ii. Needs/Gaps/Barriers--The applicant will describe the specific
gaps/educational needs of the children targeted that the project will
address.
iii. Proposed Strategy--The applicant will discuss the proposed
regional strategy to address gaps/needs/barriers of the children
targeted and its rationale.
iv. Description of Activities--The applicant will provide a
detailed description of proposed activities that relate to the gaps/
needs/barriers to be addressed, including training and technical
assistance to be provided to project staff, host country nationals, and
community groups involved in the project. Ideally, the proposed
approach should build upon existing activities, government policies,
and plans, and avoid needless duplication.
v. Work Plan--The applicant will provide a detailed work plan and
timeline for the proposed project, preferably with a visual such as a
Gantt chart. Applicants whose strategies include the provision of
direct delivery of education are also encouraged to enroll one-quarter
of the targeted children in educational activities during the first
year of project implementation.
vi. Program Management and Performance Assessment--The applicant
will describe: (1) How management will ensure that the goals and
objectives will be met; (2) how information and data will be collected
and used to demonstrate the impacts of the project; and (3) what
systems will be put in place for self-assessment, evaluation and
continuous improvement. Note to All Applicants: USDOL has already
developed common indicators and a database system for monitoring
children's educational progress that can be used and adapted by
Grantees after award so that they do not need to set up this type of
system from scratch. Guidance on common indicators will be provided
after award, thus applicants should focus their program management and
performance assessment responses toward the development of their
project's monitoring strategy in support of the four goals of the Child
Labor Education Initiative. For more information on the Child Labor
Education Initiative's common indicators, please visit http://www.clear-measure.com
.
vii. Budget/Cost Effectiveness--The applicant will show how the
budget reflects program goals and design in a cost-effective way so as
to reflect budget/performance integration. The budget should be linked
to the activities and outputs of the implementation plan listed above.
This section of the application should explain the costs for performing
all of the requirements presented in this solicitation, and for
producing all required reports and other deliverables. Costs must
include labor, equipment, travel, annual audits, evaluations, and other
related costs. Applications should allocate sufficient resources to
proposed studies, assessments, surveys, and monitoring and evaluation
activities. When developing their applications, applicants should
allocate the largest proportion of resources to educational activities
aimed at targeted children, rather than direct costs. Preference may be
given to applicants with low administrative costs and with a budget
breakdown that provides a larger amount of resources to project
activities. All costs should be reported, as they will become part of
the cooperative agreement upon award. In their cost proposal,
applicants must reflect a breakdown of the total administrative costs
into direct administrative costs and indirect administrative costs.
This section will be evaluated in accordance with applicable Federal
laws and regulations. The budget must comply with Federal cost
principles (which can be found in the applicable OMB Circulars).
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 custom
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.
B. Organizational Capacity (30 Points)
Under this criterion, the applicant must present the qualifications
of the organization(s) implementing the program/project. The evaluation
criteria in this category are as follows:
i. International Experience--The organization applying for the
award has international experience implementing basic, transitional,
non-formal or vocational education programs that address issues of
access, quality, and policy reform for vulnerable children including
children engaged in or at risk of exploitive child labor, preferably in
the regions and countries of interest.
ii. Regional/Country Presence--An applicant, or its partners, must
be formally recognized by the host government(s) using the appropriate
mechanism, e.g., Memorandum of Understanding, local registration of
organization. An applicant must also demonstrate a regional/country
presence, independently or through a relationship with another
organization(s) with regional/country presence, which gives it the
ability to initiate program activities upon award of the cooperative
agreement, as well as the capability to work directly with government
ministries, educators, civil society leaders, and other local faith-
based or community organizations. For applicants that do not have
independent regional/country presence, documentation of the
relationship with the organization(s) with such a presence must be
provided. Applicants are strongly encouraged to work collaboratively
with local partners and organizations.
iii. Fiscal Oversight--The organization shows evidence of a sound
financial system. The results of the most current independent financial
audit must accompany the application, and applicants without one will
not be considered.
iv. Coordination--If two or more organizations are applying for the
award in the form of a partnership, they must demonstrate an approach
to ensure the successful collaboration including clear delineation of
respective roles and responsibilities. The applicants must also
identify the lead organization and submit the partnership agreement.
v. Experience--The application must include information about
previous grant, cooperative agreements, or
[[Page 25427]]
contracts of the applicant that are relevant to this solicitation
including:
a. The organizations for which the work was done;
b. A contact person in that organization with their current phone
number;
c. The dollar value of the grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement for the project;
d. The time frame and professional effort involved in the project;
e. A brief summary of the work performed; and
f. A brief summary of accomplishments.
This information on previous grants, cooperative agreements, and
contracts held by the applicant shall be provided in appendices and
will not count in the maximum page requirement.
Note to All Applicants: Past performance of organizations already
implementing Child Labor Education Initiative projects or activities
for USDOL will be taken into account in judging organizational
capacity. Past performance will be rated by the timeliness of
deliverables, and the responsiveness of the organization and its staff
to USDOL communications regarding deliverables and cooperative
agreement or contractual requirements. Lack of past experience with
USDOL projects, cooperative agreements, grants, or contracts will not
be penalized.
C. Management Plan/Key Personnel/Staffing (25 Points)
Successful performance of the proposed work depends heavily on the
management skills and qualifications of the individuals committed to
the project. Accordingly, in its evaluation of each application, USDOL
will place emphasis on the applicant's management approach and
commitment of personnel qualified for the work involved in
accomplishing the assigned tasks. This section of the application must
include sufficient information to judge management and staffing plans,
and the experience and competence of program staff proposed for the
project to assure that they meet the required qualifications.
Information provided on the experience and educational background of
personnel should include the following:
The identity of key personnel assigned to the project.
``Key personnel'' are staff (Project Director, Education Specialist,
and Monitoring and Evaluation Officer) who are essential to the
successful operation of the project and completion of the proposed work
and, therefore, may not be replaced or have hours reduced without the
approval of the Grant Officer.
The educational background and experience of all staff to
be assigned to the project.
The special capabilities of staff that demonstrate prior
experience in organizing, managing and performing similar efforts.
The current employment status of staff and availability
for this project. The applicant must also indicate whether the proposed
work will be performed by persons currently employed or is dependent
upon planned recruitment or sub-contracting.
Note that management and professional technical staff members
comprising the applicant's proposed team should be individuals who have
prior experience with organizations working in similar efforts, and are
fully qualified to perform work specified in the Statement of Work.
Where sub-contractors or outside assistance are proposed,
organizational control should be clearly delineated to ensure
responsiveness to the needs of USDOL.
Note to All Applicants: USDOL strongly recommends that key
personnel allocate at least 50% of their time to the project and be
present within the region, specifically in one of the project
countries. USDOL prefers that key personnel positions not be combined
unless the applicant can propose a cost-effective strategy that ensures
that all key management and technical functions (as identified in this
solicitation) are clearly defined and satisfied. Key personnel must
sign letters of agreement to serve on the project, and indicate
availability to commence work within three weeks of cooperative
agreement award. Applicants must submit these letters as part of the
application.
In this section, the following information must be furnished:
i. Key personnel--For each region for which an application is
submitted, the applicant must designate the key personnel listed below.
If key personnel are not designated, the application will not be
considered.
a. A Project Director to oversee the project and be responsible for
implementation of the requirements of the cooperative agreement. The
Program Director must have a minimum of three years of professional
experience in a leadership role in implementation of complex basic
education programs in developing countries in areas such as education
policy; improving educational quality and access; educational
assessment of disadvantaged students; development of community
participation in the improvement of basic education for disadvantaged
children; and monitoring and evaluation of basic education projects.
Consideration will be given to candidates with additional years of
experience including experience working with officials of ministries of
education and/or labor. Preferred candidates will also have knowledge
of exploitive child labor issues, and experience in the development of
transitional, formal, and vocational education of children removed from
exploitive child labor and/or victims of the worst forms of child
labor. Fluency in English is required and working knowledge of the
official language(s) spoken in the target countries is preferred.
b. An Education Specialist who will provide leadership in
developing the technical aspects of this project in collaboration with
the Project Director. This person must have at least three years
experience in basic education projects in developing countries in areas
including student assessment, teacher training, educational materials
development, educational management, and educational monitoring and
information systems. This person must have experience in working
successfully with ministries of education, networks of educators,
employers' organizations and trade union representatives or comparable
entities. Additional experience with exploitive child labor/education
policy and monitoring and evaluation is an asset. Working knowledge of
English preferred, as is a similar knowledge of official language(s)
spoken in the target region/countries.
c. A Monitoring and Evaluation Officer who will serve at least
part-time and oversee the implementation of the project's monitoring
and evaluation strategies and requirements. This person should have at
least three years progressively responsible experience in the
monitoring and evaluation of international development projects,
preferably in education and training or a related field. Related
experience can include strategic planning and performance measurement,
indicator selection, quantitative and qualitative data collection and
analysis methodologies, and knowledge of the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA). Individuals with a demonstrated ability to build
capacity of the project team and partners in these domains will be
given special consideration.
ii. Other Personnel--The applicant must identify other program
personnel proposed to carry out the requirements of this solicitation.
iii. Management Plan--The management plan must include the
following:
[[Page 25428]]
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.
iv. 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 sub-contractors and consultants. All key tasks
should be charted to show time required to perform them by months or
weeks.
v. Roles and Responsibilities--The applicant must include a resume
and description of the roles and responsibilities of all personnel
proposed. Resumes must be attached in an appendix. At a minimum, each
resume must include: the individual's current employment status and
previous work experience, including position title, duties, dates in
position, employing organizations, and educational background. Duties
must be clearly defined in terms of role performed, e.g., manager, team
leader, and/or consultant. Indicate whether the individual is currently
employed by the applicant, and (if so) for how long.
D. Leverage of Grant Funding (5 Points)
USDOL will give up to five (5) additional rating points to
applications that include non-Federal resources that significantly
expand the dollar amount, size and scope of the application. These
programs will not be financed by the project, but can complement and
enhance project objectives. Applicants are also encouraged to leverage
activities such as micro-credit or income generation projects for
adults that are not directly allowable under the cooperative agreement.
To be eligible for the additional points, the applicant must list the
source(s) of funds, the nature, and possible activities anticipated
with these funds under this cooperative agreement and any partnerships,
linkages or coordination of activities, cooperative funding, etc.
2. Review and Selection Process
USDOL will screen all applications to determine whether all
required elements are present and clearly identifiable. Each complete
application will be objectively rated by a technical panel against the
criteria described in this announcement. 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 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 geographic distribution of the
competitive applications, cost, the availability of funds and other
factors. The Grant Officer's determinations for awards under this
solicitation are final.
Note: Selection of an organization as a cooperative agreement
recipient does not constitute approval of the cooperative agreement
application as submitted. Before the actual cooperative agreement is
awarded, USDOL may enter into negotiations about such items as
program components, funding levels, and administrative systems 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. Award may also be contingent upon an
exchange of project support letters between USDOL and the relevant
ministries in target countries.
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Designation decisions will be made, where possible, within 45 days
after the deadline for submission of proposals.
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/ILAB's Management Procedures and Guidelines (MPG). Non-
Designation Letter: Any organization not designated will be notified
formally of the non-designation and given the basic reasons for the
determination.
Notification by a person or entity other than the Grant Officer,
that an organization has or has not been designated, is not valid.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
A. General
Grantee organizations are subject to applicable U.S. Federal laws
(including provisions of appropriations law) and the applicable Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars. If during project
implementation, a Grantee is found in violation of U.S. government
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. Determinations of allowable costs will be made in
accordance with the applicable U.S. Federal cost principles. Grantees
will also be required to submit to an annual independent audit, and
costs for such an audit should be included in direct or indirect costs,
whichever is appropriate.
The cooperative agreements awarded under this solicitation are
subject to the following administrative standards and provisions, and
any other applicable standards that come into effect during the term of
the grant agreement, if applicable to a particular Grantee:
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.
29 CFR Part 32--Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap In
Programs and Activities Receiving or Benefiting from Federal
Financial Assistance.
29 CFR Part 33--Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of
Handicap In Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department of
Labor.
29 CFR Part 36--Federal Standards for Nondiscrimination on the Basis
of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal
Financial Assistance.
29 CFR Part 93--New Restrictions on Lobbying.
29 CFR Part 95--Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and
Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and
other Non-Profit Organizations, and with Commercial Organizations,
Foreign Governments, Organizations Under the Jurisdiction of Foreign
Governments and International Organizations.
29 CFR Part 96--Federal Standards for Audit of Federally Funded
Grants, Contracts and Agreements.
29 CFR Part 98--Federal Standards for Government-wide Debarment and
Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Government-wide Requirements for
Drug-Free Workplace (Grants).
29 CFR Part 99--Federal Standards for Audits of States, Local
Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.
Applicants are reminded to budget for compliance with the
administrative
[[Page 25429]]
requirements set forth. This includes the cost of performing
administrative activities such as annual financial audits, closeout,
mid-term and final evaluations, document preparation, as well as
compliance with procurement and property standards. Copies of all
regulations referenced in this solicitation are available at no cost,
on-line, at http://www.dol.gov.
Grantees should be aware that terms outlined in this solicitation,
the cooperative agreement, and the MPGs are applicable to the
implementation of projects awarded under this solicitation.
B. Sub-contracts
Sub-contracts must be awarded in accordance with 29 CFR 95.40-48.
In compliance with Executive Orders 12876, as amended, 13230, 12928 and
13021, as amended, Grantees are strongly encouraged to provide sub-
contracting opportunities to Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and
Universities. To the extent possible, sub-contracts granted after the
cooperative agreement is signed must be awarded through a formal
competitive bidding process, unless prior written approval is obtained
from USDOL/ILAB.
C. Key Personnel
The applicant shall list the individual(s) who has/have been
designated as having primary responsibility for the conduct and
completion of all project work. The applicant must submit written proof
that key personnel will be available to begin work on the project no
later than three weeks after award. Grantees agree to inform the Grant
Officer's Technical Representative (GOTR) whenever it appears
impossible for this individual(s) to continue work on the project as
planned. A Grantee may nominate substitute key personnel and submit the
nominations to the GOTR; however, a Grantee must obtain prior approval
from the Grant Officer for all changes to key personnel (Project
Director, Education Specialist, and Monitoring and Evaluation Officer).
If the Grant Officer is unable to approve the key personnel change, he/
she reserves the right to terminate the cooperative agreement.
D. 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 shall involve only
specified commitments for which a need existed during the cooperative
agreement period and which 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 shall be
liquidated within 90 days after the end of the cooperative agreement
period, if practicable.
All equipment purchased with project funds should be inventoried
and secured throughout the life of the project. At the end of the
project, USDOL and the Grantees will determine how to best allocate
equipment purchased with project funds in order to ensure
sustainability of efforts in the projects' implementing areas.
E. Site Visits
USDOL, through its authorized representatives, has the right, at
all reasonable times, to make site visits to review project
accomplishments and management control systems and to provide such
technical assistance as may be required. If USDOL makes any site visit
on the premises of a Grantee or a sub-contractor(s) under this
cooperative agreement, a Grantee shall provide and shall require its
sub-contractors 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 shall be
performed in a manner that will not unduly delay the implementation of
the project.
3. Reporting and Deliverables
In addition to meeting the above requirements, a Grantee will be
expected to monitor the implementation of the program, report to USDOL
on a quarterly basis, and undergo evaluations of program results.
Guidance on USDOL procedures and management requirements will be
provided to Grantees in MPGs with the cooperative agreement. The
project budget must include funds to: Plan, implement, monitor, and
evaluate programs and activities (including mid-term and final
evaluations and annual audits); conduct studies pertinent to project
implementation; establish education baselines to measure program
results; and finance travel by field staff key personnel to meet
annually with USDOL officials in Washington, DC. Applicants based both
within and outside the United States should also budget for travel by
field staff and other key personnel to Washington, DC at the beginning
of the project for a post-award meeting with USDOL. Indicators of
performance will also be developed by a Grantee and approved by USDOL.
Unless otherwise indicated, a Grantee must submit copies of all
required reports to ILAB by the specified due dates. Specific
deliverables are the following:
A. Project Design Document
Applicants will prepare a preliminary project document in the
format described in Appendix A, with design elements linked to a
logical framework matrix. (Note: The supporting logical framework
matrix will not count in the 45-page limit but should be included as an
annex to the project document. To guide applicants, a sample logical
framework matrix for a hypothetical Child Labor Education Initiative
project is available at http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/grants/sga0406/bkgrdSGA0406.htm.
). The project document will include a background/
justification section, project strategy (goal, purpose, outputs,
activities, indicators, means of verification, assumptions), project
implementation timetable and project budget. The narrative will address
the criteria/themes described in the Program Design/Budget-Cost
Effectiveness section below.
Within six months after the time of the award, the Grantee will
deliver the final project design document, based on the application
written in response to this solicitation, including the results of
additional consultation with stakeholders, partners, and ILAB. The
final project design document will also include sections that address
coordination strategies, project management and sustainability.
B. Progress and Financial Reports
The format for the progress reports will be provided in the MPG
distributed after the award. Grantees must furnish a typed technical
progress report and a financial report (SF269) to USDOL/ILAB on a
quarterly basis by 31 March, 30 June, 30 September, and 31 December of
each year during the cooperative agreement period. Also, a copy of the
PSC 272 should be submitted to ILAB upon submission to the Health and
Human Services--Payment Management System (HHS-PMS).
C. Annual Work Plan
An annual work plan will be developed within six months of project
award and approved by ILAB so as to ensure coordination with other
relevant social actors throughout the region.
[[Page 25430]]
Subsequent annual work plans will be delivered no later than one year
after the previous one.
D. Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
A performance monitoring and evaluation plan will be developed, in
collaboration with USDOL/ILAB, including beginning and ending dates for
the project, indicators and methods and cost of data collection,
planned and actual dates for mid-term review, and final end of project
evaluations. The performance monitoring plan will be developed in
conjunction with the logical framework project design and common
indicators for GPRA reporting selected by ILAB. The plan will include a
limited number of key indicators that can be realistically measured
within the cost parameters allocated to project monitoring. Baseline
data collection will be tied to the indicators of the project design
document and the performance monitoring plan. A monitoring and
evaluation plan will be submitted to ILAB within six months of project
award.
E. Project Evaluations
Grantees and the GOTR will determine on a case-by-case basis
whether mid-term evaluations will be conducted by an internal or
external evaluation team. All final evaluations will be external and
independent in nature. A Grantee must respond in writing to any
comments and recommendations resulting from the review of the mid-term
report. The budget must include the projected cost of mid-term and
final evaluations. Note to All Applicants: USDOL provides its Grantees
with training and technical assistance to refine the quality of
deliverables. This assistance includes workshops to refine project
design and improve performance monitoring plans, and reporting on Child
Labor Education Initiative common indicators.
Exact timeframes for completion of deliverables will be addressed
in the cooperative agreement and the MPGs.
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 N-5416, Washington, DC 20210;
telephone (202) 693-4570 (this is not a toll-free-number) or e-mail:
harvey.lisa@dol.gov.
VIII. Other Information
Production of Deliverables
1. Materials Prepared Under the Cooperative Agreement
Grantees must submit to USDOL/ILAB, for approval, all media-
related, awareness-raising, and educational materials developed by it
or its sub-contractors before they are reproduced, published, or used.
USDOL/ILAB considers that materials include brochures, pamphlets,
videotapes, slide-tape shows, curricula, and any other training
materials used in the program. USDOL/ILAB will review materials for
technical accuracy.
2. Acknowledgment of USDOL Funding
USDOL has established procedures and guidelines regarding
acknowledgement of funding. USDOL requires, in most circumstances, that
the following be displayed on printed materials: ``Funding provided by
the United States Department of Labor under Cooperative Agreement No.
E-9-X-X-XXXX.'' With regard to press releases, requests for proposals,
bid solicitations, and other documents describing projects or programs
funded in whole or in part under this cooperative agreement, all
Grantees are required to consult with USDOL/ILAB on: Acknowledgment of
USDOL funding; general policy issues regarding international child
labor; and informing USDOL, to the extent possible, of major press
events and/or interviews. More detailed guidance on acknowledgement of
USDOL funding will be provided upon award to the Grantee(s) in the
cooperative agreement and MPG.
In consultation with USDOL/ILAB, USDOL will be acknowledged in one
of the following ways:
A. The USDOL logo may be applied to USDOL-funded material prepared
for worldwide distribution, including posters, videos, pamphlets,
research documents, national survey results, impact evaluations, best
practice reports, and other publications of global interest. A Grantee
must consult with USDOL/ILAB on whether the logo may be used on any
such items prior to final draft or final preparation for distribution.
In no event will the USDOL logo be placed on any item until USDOL/ILAB
has given a Grantee written permission to use the logo on the item.
B. The following notice must appear on all documents: ``This
document does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S.
Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial
products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.''
In addition, any information submitted in response to this solicitation
will be subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act and the Freedom of
Information Act, as appropriate. 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, USDOL's acceptance
of a proposal and/or award of Federal funds do not waive any
cooperative agreement requirements and/or procedures.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 30th day of April, 2004.
Lisa Harvey,
Acting Grant Officer.
Appendix A: Project Document Format
Executive Summary
1. Background and Justification
2. Target Groups
3. Program Approach and Strategy
3.1 Narrative of Approach and Strategy (linked to Logical
Framework Matrix)
3.2 Project Implementation Timeline (Gantt Chart of Activities
linked to Logical Framework)
3.3 Budget (with cost of Activities linked to Outputs for Budget
Performance Integration)
4. Project Monitoring and Evaluation
4.1 Indicators and Means of Verification
4.2 Baseline Data Collection Plan
5. Institutional and Management Framework
5.1 Institutional Arrangements for Implementation
5.2 Collaborating and Implementing Institutions (Partners) and
Responsibilities
5.3 Other Donor or International Organization Activity and
Coordination
5.4 Project Management Organizational Chart
6. Inputs
6.1 Inputs provided by the DOL
6.2 Inputs provided by the Grantee
6.3 National and/or Other Contributions
7. Sustainability
Annex A: Full Presentation of the Logical Framework Matrix
Annex B: Out-Put Based Budget Example
(A worked example of a Logical Framework matrix, an Out-put Based
Budget, and other background documentation for this solicitation are
available from the USDOL/ILAB Web site at http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/grants/sga0406/bkgrdSGA0406.htm.
)
Appendix B: Country Background Section
Central America and the Dominican Republic
Costa Rica
In 2002, the Costa Rican Multiple Purpose Household Survey
reported that 11.4 percent of children ages 5 to 17, or 127,077
children, were working. Children in Costa Rica work
[[Page 25431]]
in agriculture, both on small family farms as well as in commercial
coffee and sugarcane, construction, carpentry, a variety of service
occupations, and street vending. Children are also engaged in
prostitution and pornography, sometimes as a result of the sex
tourism industry. Many of the children working in commercial
agriculture in Costa Rica are native Nicaraguans. Despite Costa
Rica's relatively high enrollment rates, 44 percent of working
children leave the education system, while the remainder combines
school and work.
Barriers to education for working children still exist in Costa
Rica. Because education for working children is a complex issue, it
requires new levels of collaboration across government agencies.
Although Costa Rica has a long history of well-established
government institutions, agencies are still faced with the challenge
of coordinating their actions on exploitive child labor. There is a
tendency to fit the problem of exploitive child labor and education
to the budget and mandate of an agency, rather than to develop
strategies to link the energy and efforts of the various agencies in
order to better confront the problem. There is also a need to move
beyond localized, fragmented agreements in order to develop broader
collaborative policies to promote working children's access to
education.
In addition to a lack of interagency cooperation, there is also
a lack of government to civil society collaboration on issues of
education and exploitive child labor. The country's education system
is extremely centralized, and there are few examples of community
involvement in schooling. There is a need to engage parents,
communities, and NGOs more openly in the education system. By
involving the community in the process of education, awareness about
the importance of schooling instead of exploitive child labor can be
nurtured. Although some private sector organizations have become
involved in the issue, for the most part, businesses and labor
unions in Costa Rica have not been involved in the promotion of
schooling for working children. NGOs in Costa Rica that have been
very involved in issue of exploitive child labor have not yet had
the opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge with the
government.
El Salvador
In 2001, the Government of El Salvador's Multiple Purpose
Household Survey reported that 11.5 percent of children ages 5 to 17
(222,479 children) in El Salvador were working. Most working
children live in rural areas and work in agriculture, while others
work in activities such as fishing, fireworks production, garbage
scavenging, and street vending, drug trafficking, and commercial
sexual exploitation. Approximately 35 percent of children who work
in agriculture and related activities do not attend school, while 27
percent who work in services and 24 percent who work in
manufacturing remain outside of the education system.
Despite the number of efforts in the country to date, there
remain a number of barriers to education for working children.
Despite a growing national consciousness to address the issue of
education for working children, there is still a need for public
policies that address the special challenges that working children
face when attempting to access basic education. In addition,
government agencies need to further develop their capacity to
address these issues. Among the challenges is the area of
information gathering on exploitive child labor and education, given
limited resources to continually conduct statistical surveys. There
is also little knowledge about the problem of exploitive child labor
in the informal sector, and in such specific activities as domestic
service. Furthermore, there is no system for monitoring a child's
attendance in school. Finally, there is a lack of collaboration
among government agencies, and between government and civil society,
on the issue of education for working children. Although various
groups exist in the country that are dedicated to promoting
education for working children, there is a need for more inclusive
efforts on the issue.
Guatemala
In 2000, the Government of Guatemala's National Living
Conditions Survey (ENCOVI) reported that 23.6 percent of children
ages 5 to 17 years (approximately 947,000 children) in Guatemala
were economically active. Children are engaged in work on family
farms and in the harvesting of commercial crops such as coffee,
sugarcane, and broccoli. Children also work in stone quarries, as
vendors on city streets, and, in some cases, become victims of
commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. Approximately half
of the working children in the country did not attend school. For
those that attend school, many complete much fewer years of
instruction than non-working children; working children tend to
complete only 1.8 years of schooling, roughly half the average years
completed by non-working children.
Working children in Guatemala still face very significant
obstacles in accessing basic education. No public/government
programs that promote basic education address the special challenges
faced by working children. Further, while MINEDUC has collaborated
with ILO/IPEC projects at a local level, programs such as PRONADE
have not been involved in exploitive child labor issues at the
national level. In addition, although traditionally Guatemala had
the benefit of school ``supervisores'' to conduct some monitoring of
children's school attendance, reforms meant to decentralize the
education system changed their roles, and have had the unintended
effect of removing one of the few monitoring mechanisms for school
attendance. Teachers in Guatemala are not afforded sufficient
training on exploitive child labor and lack incentives for high
performance. Accordingly, these teachers have little motivation to
be supportive of working children in their classrooms. Finally,
although there have been important efforts in Guatemala to engage
communities on the issue of education, there have been very few
efforts to involve civil society in dialogue on exploitive child
labor, and how it relates to education.
Honduras
In 2002, the Government of Honduras' Multiple-Purpose Household
Survey reported that 15.4 percent of children ages 5 to 17 years
(approximately 356,000 children) in Honduras were working. Children
work in sectors such as agriculture, fishing, manufacturing,
construction, commerce, domestic service, and mining. Some children
are engaged in commercial sexual exploitation and drug trafficking.
Of working children, almost 60 percent did not attend school. Among
working children who have some education, only an estimated 34
percent complete primary school.
Access to education for working children or children at risk of
working is very limited, and resources are not always allocated to
the schools or districts where they are most needed. The Ministry of
Education has limited information management capabilities, and
student attendance in school is reportedly tracked only at the
individual school level. Because of this lack of information,
planners within the Ministry do not have the data necessary to
formulate strategies to promote attendance in particular regions or
schools. Furthermore, teacher training is reported to be of low
quality, and few teachers are trained on exploitive child labor. The
Honduran system also lacks incentives to encourage high quality
teacher performance. Teachers are not encouraged to address the
issue of exploitive child labor in their communities or to engage
working children in their classrooms. In addition, Honduran civil
society lacks awareness about the problems created by exploitive
child labor and lack of schooling, as well as the capacity to
address such issues. Finally, information on the incidence of
exploitive child labor, as well as best practices for addressing it,
are not widely shared.
Nicaragua
In 2000, a Ministry of Labor Survey on Child Labor estimated
that 314,000 or 17.7 percent of children between the ages of 5 to 17
years in Nicaragua worked. Children work in such sectors and
occupations as agriculture, fishing, stockbreeding, garbage
scavenging, street vending, and domestic service. They also engage
in the trafficking of drugs and commercial sexual exploitation.
Approximately 50 percent of working children do not attend school.
A significant percentage of Nicaragua's education budget
continues to be earmarked to support tertiary, rather than basic,
education. There is a need to strengthen the commitment of
Nicaraguan society at large--communities, the private sector,
teachers, teachers unions, and government agencies--to the
importance of primary education for all of the country's children,
including working children. In addition, and as with other countries
in the region, teachers receive little training on the issue of
exploitive child labor, and are provided few incentives for good
performance, such as encouraging students to attend, or spending
extra time to assist children who combine school and work. Although
student attendance is monitored at the national level, there is room
for more incentives from schools and the Ministry of Education to
encourage school
[[Page 25432]]
attendance. Finally, after many years of civil conflict, the
political tensions that continue to exist in the country have slowed
the exchange of information on exploitive child labor and on
strategies to promote education for working children.
The Dominican Republic
The Ministry of Labor's National Child Labor Survey, published
in 2002, estimates that 18 percent of children ages 5 to 17 years
(428,720) are working. Children can be found working in agriculture,
services in the informal sector (shoe shiners, street vendors),
domestic service, and prostitution. In addition, reports indicate
that Haitian children may be found working in the Dominican
Republic. There are also reports that some Haitian children have
been trafficked to the Dominican Republic, including for purposes of
exploitive child labor.
In the Dominican Republic, many gaps and challenges remain that
hamper efforts to prevent exploitive child labor through education,
and provide access to education for child laborers. These include a
highly centralized education administration, lack of school access
in rural areas, lack of vocational schools, and a less than adequate
system for measuring and monitoring education results. Moreover,
lack of official identity papers and documentation are serious
barriers to school enrollment and affects thousands of children most
vulnerable to exploitive child labor--rural children, and those of
Haitian descent. Several programs have been developed to address the
problem of lack of documentation, but none has been broadly
successful. Haitian children are also likely to face language
barriers to education.
Many Dominican teachers lack motivation to improve their
teaching style or to comply with school schedules because of low
salaries. Teacher strikes for higher pay are frequent. Time in-class
and time spent on learning tasks are lower in the Dominican Republic
than in most other Latin American countries. Teachers in rural areas
may also miss school because of transportation difficulties. In most
Dominican classrooms there is a lack of active, participatory,
student-centered pedagogy. Also, teachers are not prepared to deal
with children with special needs such as those of working children,
and children at risk of or engaged in commercial sexual
exploitation.
Furthermore, the high levels of overage students relative to
grade discourages many children from continuing altogether, and
results in permanent desertion and premature entry into labor.
Southern Africa
Botswana
In 2001, the ILO estimated that 13.95 percent of children ages
10 to 14 in Botswana were working. In urban areas, increasing
numbers of street children, many of them abandoned or HIV/AIDS
orphans, engage in begging, or work in the informal sector and
prostitution. In rural areas, young children work as cattle tenders
and domestic servants and help their families with subsistence
agriculture and household chores. Young girls who are pregnant or
who have had children often drop out of school and are sometimes
forced to work as domestic servants or prostitutes. Children of
migrant workers are often found assisting their parents at the
workplace.
Most children who work in the street are from very poor
families, live in abject poverty, have low levels of literacy and
education, and have parents who are un-or under-employed. These
families cannot afford to send their children to school or provide
for their basic necessities. Necessity forces these children to beg
on the streets and/or to work in order to help provide for
themselves and their families. Abandoned children and HIV/AIDS
orphans are often homeless and are at even greater risk of working
in exploitive and dangerous forms of labor.
Although the government has attempted to provide opportunities
for children to obtain primary education, only 50 percent of
students who complete their Junior Community School certificate go
on to secondary school due to lack of spaces and schools. In
addition, there are inadequate vocational education opportunities
for children who complete primary school and significant disparities
in access to education between urban and rural populations. This
leaves a large number of children vulnerable to working in
exploitive labor situations.
Significant gaps/needs remain in providing access to quality
education for child laborers, including: (1) Limited public
awareness and research concerning children's participation in
exploitive labor; (2) inadequate harmonization of definitions and
laws protecting core labor standards, including exploitive child
labor issues, with provisions outlined in international conventions,
as well as poor capacity to implement and enforce laws; (3) poor
school transportation, infrastructure, and material conditions in
rural areas; and (4) lack of vocational, primary and secondary
educational opportunities for street children, abandoned children,
children-headed households, pregnant girls or teenage mothers,
children of migrant workers, HIV/AIDS orphans, and older children.
Lesotho
In 2000, the Government of Lesotho and UNICEF estimated that 29
percent of children ages 5 to 17 were working, though not in the
formal sector. Although there is very little information or research
on exploitive child labor in Lesotho, a growing number of street
children and HIV/AIDS orphans in major cities and towns are thought
to be working in the informal sector as prostitutes and street
vendors, and in other informal activities such as domestic service.
The largest number of children found working in Lesotho are herd
boys, some as young as 4, who are found in rural districts such as
Mokhotlong, Leribe and Quacha's Neck.
Herding animals is a traditional work activity for boys in
Lesotho, begun at a very young age. These boys do not usually have
the opportunity to attend school and the work becomes more difficult
in the winter when the conditions are much more harsh. Children
working in domestic work, primarily girls, work very long hours for
little pay. These girls are sometimes subjected to sexual abuse by
their employers and most often do not have the opportunity to attend
school because they cannot afford it or do not have the time to
attend. The majority of street children come from very poor families
or are HIV/AIDS orphans, which has left them as heads of household
or homeless. Increasingly, they are unable to attend school because
they must provide for sick family members, their brothers and
sisters, and themselves.
Rural districts still face difficulties in providing free
education to children due to the long distances to and from school
and inadequate facilities. Moreover, given the increased enrollment
due to the incremental introduction of free primary education (in
2004, it will be extended to grade 5), classes are overcrowded and
the quality of the teachers is sometimes substandard. Given this
situation, children who are older than the average school-going age
often lose interest and drop out.
In light of these barriers and gaps, the most immediate needs
for improving education opportunities for children working or at-
risk of working include: (1) Public awareness and research
concerning children's participation in exploitive labor; (2)
increasing capacity of the government, labor unions, and NGOs to
combat the issues relating to working children; (3) improving
primary school opportunities, counseling, and/or the provision of
life skills (including vocational or non-formal education) for
street children, domestic workers, and HIV/AIDS orphans; (4)
improving learning facilities and promoting teacher training; and
(5) vocational and skills training opportunities for older children,
dropouts, or those who do not otherwise have an opportunity to
attend primary or secondary school.
Namibia
In 2001, the ILO estimated that 16.5 percent of children ages 10
to 14 in Namibia were working. Although there are a growing number
of street children and HIV/AIDS orphans in major cities and towns,
the majority of working children live in rural areas where they work
in agriculture, domestic work, and do household chores such as
collecting firewood and fetching water. Children from disadvantaged
populations (San and Ovahimba peoples), whose parents often work on
commercial and communal farms, are also usually working
(unofficially and unpaid) in order to supplement the labor of their
parents. Young mothers, who have not completed school and find it
very difficult to later re-enroll, work as domestic servants and
must often allow their children to work for their employers in order
to help pay for boarding and food costs.
The Government of Namibia spends almost one third of its annual
budget on education. Primary education is compulsory in Namibia and
although the Constitution mandates that primary education shall be
free, in practice there are numerous fees for such items as
uniforms, books, and school improvements. The country has relatively
high school enrolment rates. However, a January 2003 report,
entitled Educationally Marginalised Children in Namibia, identified
13 groups of
[[Page 25433]]
educationally marginalized children. This report includes
recommendations on how to improve access to education for these
groups within the government's poverty reduction strategy, yet
little has been done to implement them.
School fees and other barriers to education have provoked some
children from poor households to drop out of school and work on the
streets in cities and towns. Moreover, children aged 10 or older,
who have never enrolled in school cannot enroll in grade one and are
not able to enroll in the National Literacy Program of Namibia until
they are 15. This leaves such children between the ages of 10 and 15
with virtually no opportunities for education. Children from the San
(in the Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, Oshikoto, and Ohangwena regions) and
Ovahimba populations (in the Kunene region) lack adequate
opportunities for primary, vocational, and non-formal education due
to long distances to schools and substandard educational
environments.
Given these barriers and gaps to education, the most immediate
needs for improving education opportunities are: (1) Increased
public awareness and research concerning children's participation in
exploitive labor; (2) increased capacity and promotion of
coordination between government ministries and programs relating to
exploitive child labor and education; (3) improved access to
appropriate, attractive, and relevant education (including formal,
vocational, and non-formal education) for older children with little
or no formal education and children living in remote areas; (4)
increasing the number of qualified teachers and reducing overcrowded
classrooms, especially in the north; and (5) the provision of
educational opportunities, counseling, or provision of life skills
for street children, HIV/AIDS orphans, and vulnerable children.
South Africa
In 1999, a child labor survey conducted by the South Africa
Statistical Agency estimated that 36 percent of children ages 5 to
17 in South Africa were working. Children are most often found
working in the rural agricultural sector on commercial, subsistence,
and small farms in the Eastern, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo,
Mpumalanga, North West, and Western Cape provinces. These children
have sometimes been forced into forms of indentured service on
farms, where they work alongside their parents for little or no
payment. In the wine industry in the Western and Northern Cape
provinces, the practice of ``dop'' payment (paying adults and
children with alcohol for their work) is prevalent, causing
devastation to children and families.
In urban areas, there are increasing numbers of street children
who beg, work in the informal sector, or are child prostitutes.
There is evidence that cases of children trafficked to, from, and
within South Africa for purposes of commercial sexual exploitation
are on the rise. Street children and child prostitution/trafficking
tends to be located in the cities of Johannesburg/Pretoria,
Bloemfontein, and Pietermaritzburg, as well as the port towns of
Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, and Durban. Children are
also involved in domestic service, manufacturing, construction, and
retail business.
Although there have been considerable efforts to improve the
quality of and access to basic education, children from agricultural
regions and deep rural areas of the country still have difficulties
accessing quality education due to the long travel distances to
school. School fees, uniforms, and costs of materials associated
with education still prevent some poor children from attending
school. Thirty-five percent of children who enter primary school
drop out within 5 years of enrolling, which leaves them vulnerable
to entering exploitive labor.
Inequities in the quality of education exist predominately for
black students in townships and rural areas. Approximately 80
percent of schools in the country serve black students and although
education is no longer segregated, schools that traditionally have
served black students remain under funded, have severe
infrastructure deficiencies, and have unqualified or under qualified
teachers. Another challenge facing children is the closure of ``farm
schools.'' After the change in government in 1994, the South Africa
Schools Act mandated that all ``farm schools'' meet minimum
educational standards and be transferred to the government for
conversion into public schools. Farmers have instead been closing
farm schools rather than turning them over to the government.
Although these schools are the most inferior schools in the country,
their closure signifies that thousands of children have lost their
only opportunity for education.
Despite the attempts by the government to guarantee that all
children have access to quality education, approximately 10 percent
(1.3 million) of all children of school going age (7 to 15) either
do not attend school, do not attend school regularly, or are at
significant risk of leaving formal schooling before age 15 or grade
9. The most immediate needs include: (1) Increased public awareness
and research concerning children's participation in exploitive
labor; (2) improved access to quality basic education in rural and
agricultural areas; (3) opportunities for alternative basic
education programs (including vocational, technical, and skills
training programs) for street children and children in rural and ex-
homeland areas; (4) teacher training, especially in rural and ex-
homeland areas; and (5) the provision of skills training for
teachers, government officials, and NGO stakeholders in identifying
and helping children in need (counseling, legal protection,
education, etc.).
Swaziland
In 2000, the Government of Swaziland and UNICEF estimated that
11.3 percent of children ages 5 to 14 were working. Children are
most often found working beside their parents in commercial and
subsistence agricultural (especially in the Eastern region). Young
girls often work in domestic service, sometimes facing sexual
exploitation by their employers. Boys in rural areas often work as
herders. Increasing numbers of children are being orphaned or
otherwise forced to the streets (especially in Mbabane and Manzini)
and are found begging, working in the informal sector, or in
prostitution.
The National Emergency Response Council to HIV/AIDS (NERCHA)
implements an assistance program for orphans, which provides food
and basic needs, as well as small stipends, care points, and
protection services. The emphasis of this program is to keep orphans
in their communities in an effort to discourage them from moving to
other places where they may be at greater risk of exploitation.
Siblings of children who head households are also provided with food
so that all children can attend school and do not have to work to
pay for food.
Education is neither free nor compulsory in Swaziland. However,
primary school enrollment is relatively high despite the school fees
and other associated costs that students must pay. Due to the
increasing needs of vulnerable children, at the end of 2002, the
King of Swaziland committed E16 million (US $2.5 million) to pay
school fees for orphaned children. It is envisioned that this
initiative will continue until free primary education is introduced.
Children in Swaziland still face barriers to education. The most
important needs include: (1) Increased public awareness and research
concerning children's participation in exploitive labor; (2)
improved school infrastructure and transportation to schools in
rural areas; (3) increased awareness of exploitive child labor
issues and the importance of education among parents and
communities, as well as improved coordination of non-formal and
formal education initiatives; (4) the provision or elimination of
school fees, materials, uniform or food in order to improve
children's access to education; and (5) opportunities in both urban
and rural areas for older and vulnerable children to receive non-
formal, vocational, and or technical education, as well as
counseling services.
For additional information on exploitive child labor in Central
America and the Dominican Republic, as well as Southern Africa,
applicants are strongly encouraged to refer to The Department of
Labor's 2002 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor available at
http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/media/reports/iclp/tda2002/overview.htm.
[FR Doc. 04-10306 Filed 5-5-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-28-P