Combating Exploitive Child Labor Through Education in Guyana, 24631-24644 [05-9284]

Agencies

• Office of the Secretary
• DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 10, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24631-24644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9284]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Combating Exploitive Child Labor Through Education in Guyana

May 10, 2005.
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 05-02.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: Not 
applicable.

DATES: Key Dates: Deadline for Submission of Application is July 11, 
2005.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor 
Affairs, will award up to U.S. $2 million through one or more 
cooperative agreements to an organization or organizations to improve 
access to and quality of education programs as a means to combat 
exploitive child labor in Guyana. Projects funded under this 
solicitation will provide educational and training opportunities to 
children as a means of removing and/or preventing them from engaging in 
exploitive work or the worst forms of child labor. The activities 
funded will complement and expand upon existing projects and programs 
to improve basic education in the country. Applications must respond to 
the entire Statement of Work outlined in this solicitation. In Guyana, 
activities under these cooperative agreements will provide the direct 
delivery of quality basic education to working children and those at 
risk of entering work, and will result in their enrollment, 
persistence, and completion of an education or training program.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    The U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Bureau of International Labor 
Affairs (ILAB), announces the availability of funds to be awarded by 
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 in 
work in Guyana. The overall purpose of USDOL's Child Labor Education 
Initiative, as consistently enunciated in USDOL appropriations FY 2000 
through FY 2005, is to work toward the elimination of the worst forms 
of child labor through the provision of basic education. Accordingly, 
entities applying under this solicitation must develop and implement 
strategies for the prevention and withdrawal of children from the worst 
forms of child labor, consistent with this purpose. ILAB is authorized 
to award and administer this program by the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2005, Public Law 108-447, 118 Stat. 2809 (2004). The cooperative 
agreement or cooperative agreements awarded under this initiative will 
be managed by ILAB's International Child Labor Program (ICLP) to assure 
achievement of the stated goals. Applicants are encouraged to be 
creative in proposing cost-effective interventions that will have a 
demonstrable impact in promoting school attendance and completion in 
the geographical areas where children are engaged in or are most at 
risk of working in the worst forms of child labor.

1. Background and Program Scope

A. 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

[[Page 24632]]

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, USDOL has provided close to U.S. $400 million in 
technical assistance funding to combat exploitive child labor in 
approximately 70 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. Convention 182 
lists four categories of the worst forms of child labor, and calls for 
their immediate elimination:
    [diams] All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, such 
as the sale and trafficking of children; debt bondage and serfdom and 
forced or compulsory labor; including force or compulsory recruitment 
of children for use in armed conflict;
    [diams] The use, procurement or offering of a child for 
prostitution, production of pornography or pornographic performances;
    [diams] The use, procurement or offering of a child for illicit 
activities in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs as 
defined in the relevant international treaties;
    [diams] Work which by its nature or by the circumstances by which 
it is carried out, is likely to harm the health, safety, and morals of 
children.
    In determining the types of work likely to harm the health, safety 
and morals of children, Recommendation 190 to Convention 182 considers 
the following: work which exposes a child to physical, psychological or 
sexual abuse; work underground, underwater, at dangerous heights or in 
confined workplaces; work with dangerous machinery, equipment and tools 
or handling or transporting heavy loads; work in an unhealthy 
environment including exposure to hazardous substances, agents or 
processes, or to temperatures, noise levels or vibrations damaging to 
the health; work for long hours or night work where the child is 
unreasonably confined to the premises.
    From FY 2001 to FY 2005, the U.S. Congress has appropriated over 
U.S. $180 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 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 and quality of basic 
education for working children and those at risk of entering work. The 
elimination of exploitive child labor depends, to a large extent, on 
improving access to, quality of, and relevance of education.
    In addition to providing direct education and training 
opportunities to working children and those at risk of engaging in 
exploitive work, the Child Labor Education Initiative has four goals:
    i. Raise awareness of the importance of education for all children 
and mobilize a wide array of actors to improve and expand education 
infrastructures;
    ii. Strengthen formal and transitional education systems that 
encourage working children and those at risk of working to attend 
school;
    iii. Strengthen national institutions and policies on education and 
child labor; and
    iv. Ensure the long-term sustainability of these efforts.
B. 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 entering exploitive child labor. These include: poverty; 
education system barriers; infrastructure barriers; legal and policy 
barriers; resource gaps; institutional barriers; informational gaps; 
demographic characteristics of children and/or families; cultural and 
traditional practices; and weak labor markets and enforcement.
    Although these elements and characteristics tend to exist 
throughout the world in areas with a high incidence of exploitive child 
labor, they manifest themselves in specific ways in Guyana. Therefore, 
specific, targeted interventions are required. In Guyana, this project 
must provide or facilitate the delivery of educational services to at 
risk or working children, support the collection of data on this target 
population, and build the capacity of national institutions to address 
child labor and education issues. For this project, applicants must 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 of school 
and joining the labor force, and/or children still working in a 
particular sector) and how direct education service delivery, capacity 
building and policy change can be used to address particular barriers 
and needs. Brief background information on education and exploitive 
child labor in Guyana is provided below.
    For additional information on exploitive child labor in Guyana, 
applicants are strongly encouraged to refer to The Department of 
Labor's 2003 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor, available at 
https://www.dol.gov/ILAB/media/reports/iclp/tda2003/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 Guyana
    The minimum age for employment in Guyana is 14 years. UNICEF has 
estimated that 27 percent of children ages 5 to 14, or 1,201,500 
children of a total child population of 4,450,000, were working in 
Guyana in 2000. There are reports that the prevalence of child labor 
has increased since then. The Ministry of Labor, Human Services and 
Social Security has participated in a rapid assessment carried out by 
the International Labor Organization's International Program on the 
Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC) that revealed the existence of 
the worst forms of child labor in Guyana. It is common to see children 
engaged in street trading. Children also work in sawmills and markets, 
and as porters, domestic servants. They engage in prostitution, 
agricultural work, mining, and the illicit drug trade. Girls in the 
Hinterland area in particular are hired to work as domestic servants 
and waitresses, and there are reported cases of girls as young as 11 
being recruited to work as prostitutes in bars and restaurants. 
Children are also engaged in prostitution in ports, gold mining areas, 
and in the capital city of Georgetown. Young women and children are 
known to be trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation mostly 
within the country. Foreign child victims are also trafficked to Guyana 
from Brazil and Venezuela, and may be transited through Guyana to 
Suriname.
    Primary education in Guyana is free and compulsory for children 
ages 5 to 15 years. In 1999, the gross primary enrollment rate was 
120.2 percent (118.3 percent for girls and 122.2 percent for boys), and 
the net primary enrollment rate was 98.4 percent (97.1 percent for 
girls and 99.7 percent for boys). Although the government has made 
concerted efforts to increase enrollment rates and retention, dropout

[[Page 24633]]

rates, particularly among boys, remain high. ILO-IPEC found that most 
children drop out of school by age 12. Higher dropout rates in the 
Hinterland are related to disparities in the quality of education, and 
teacher availability and training.
    The Government of Guyana has several programs to assist in the 
elimination of child labor and the improvement of access to and quality 
of basic education. The Minister of Labor leads an interagency task 
force on combating trafficking in persons in Guyana and a national 
child labor committee has been formed to formulate a national child 
labor action plan. The government is promoting pilot efforts to remove 
children from work and return them to the formal education system, 
apprenticeships, or vocational training. The government distributes 
textbooks and uniforms to those who cannot afford them to encourage 
school attendance. Also, from 2003 to 2015, Guyana will receive U.S. 
$52 million from various donors to support its Education for All (EFA) 
initiatives. The three major EFA initiatives in Guyana are: (1) 
improving the quality of the teaching force in the Hinterland; (2) 
enhancing the teaching/learning environment in primary schools; and (3) 
strengthening school community partnerships. The government is also 
implementing a Basic Education Access and Management Support Project to 
improve school performance through curricular and pedagogical reform, 
education management reform, and school infrastructure development. 
Three teachers' training centers carry out activities in the Hinterland 
as part of the Guyana Basic Education Teacher Training Program. In 
January 2004, the Ministry of Education launched the Basic Competency 
Certificate Program to provide affordable and high quality vocational 
education to older children.
    Note to Applicants: All applicants must have country presence, or 
partner with an established and eligible organization within Guyana.

2. Statement of Work

    Taking into account the challenges of educating working children in 
Guyana, the applicant must implement creative, innovative and targeted 
approaches to promote policies and services that will enhance the 
provision of educational opportunities for children involved in or at 
risk of entering exploitive child labor. Projects funded under this 
cooperative agreement solicitation must focus on direct education 
service(s) delivery to targeted children, including the provision of 
educational services that address the specific gaps/challenges that 
prevent working or at-risk children from attending or staying in 
school.
    USDOL defines educational services and/or training opportunities as 
follows: (1) Non-formal or basic literacy education, as demonstrated by 
enrollment in educational classes provided by the program. These 
classes may include transitional, leveling, or literacy classes so that 
a child may either be mainstreamed into formal school and/or can 
participate in vocational training activities; (2) Vocational, pre-
vocational, or skills training, as demonstrated by enrollment in 
training courses in order to develop a particular skill (e.g., 
mechanics, sewing, etc.); (3) Mainstreaming/Transitioning into the 
formal education system, non-formal education, vocational, pre-
vocational, or skills training after having received assistance from 
the project to enable them to enroll in such programs. The assistance 
provided by the project could include one or more of the following 
services: the provision of school meals, uniforms, books, school 
supplies and materials, tuition and transportation vouchers, or other 
types of incentives that enable the child to be enrolled in an 
education program; and (4) Formal school enrollment, by directly 
supporting a child's enrollment, retention, and completion in the 
formal school system. Similar to the assistance provided under 
mainstreaming, assistance provided by the project could include one or 
more of the following services: the provision of uniforms, books, 
school supplies and materials, tuition and transportation vouchers, or 
other types of incentives that enable the child to be enrolled and 
maintained in the formal school system.
    Activities such as awareness raising and social mobilization 
campaigns, psychosocial services for children, improvements in 
curriculum, teacher training or improvements to school infrastructure 
are important for improving access to and quality of basic education. 
While grantees are encouraged to address the needs of working children 
in a comprehensive manner, these activities will not be considered as 
direct services for individual children. Rather direct services are 
those that meet the basic needs of individual children that are direct 
beneficiaries of the project.
    Through improved policies and direct education service delivery, as 
applicable, the expected outcomes/results of the project are to: (1) 
Reduce the number of children engaged in or at risk of entering 
exploitive child labor, (2) increase educational opportunities and 
access (enrollment) for children who are engaging in or at risk of 
engaging in, and/or removed from exploitive child labor, particularly 
its worst forms; (3) encourage retention in and completion of 
educational programs; and (4) expand the successful transition of 
children from non-formal education programs into formal schools or 
vocational programs.
    The applicant must identify a target number of urban and/or rural 
children engaging in or at risk of engaging in exploitive and/or worst 
forms of child labor in Guyana, who would be the direct beneficiaries 
of a Child Labor Education Initiative project, and the geographic areas 
of greatest need (e.g., children working in farming communities, remote 
mining and logging communities and/or in commercial enterprises). 
Direct beneficiaries are children who are withdrawn or prevented from 
entering exploitive child labor, particularly its worst forms, by 
USDOL-funded projects. Children withdrawn from exploitive work are 
those children that were found working and no longer work as a result 
of a project intervention. This category also includes those children 
that were engaged in exploitive work and as a result of a project's 
intervention now work shorter hours under safer conditions. Children 
prevented from entering work are those children that are either 
siblings of (ex) working children or those children that are considered 
to be at high risk of engaging in exploitive work. In order to be 
considered withdrawn or prevented, the child must benefit from 
educational or training opportunities. This is measured by enrollment 
into school or training programs. The project's strategy must be to 
remove these children from child labor and to provide them with 
educational and other services to prevent them from returning to 
exploitive and/or worst forms of child labor.
    In preparing the application, in order to identify gaps, unmet 
needs, and opportunities that could be addressed through a USDOL Child 
Labor Education Initiative project, applicants must conduct a needs 
assessment to make a preliminary identification of the current working 
and educational status of the children that the applicant proposes as 
beneficiaries. It is expected that the information gathered during this 
assessment will be refined after award. The assessment, with data 
sources, must include information on the incidence and nature of 
exploitive child labor, particularly the worst forms, among target 
children, hours of work, age and sex distribution of the proposed 
beneficiaries, educational performance relative to other children, if 
available,

[[Page 24634]]

and any research or other data that might indicate correlations between 
educational performance and hours of work. Applicants are also 
encouraged to propose strategies for collecting further data on 
exploitive child labor and children's participation in schooling in the 
early stages of the project's baseline data collection.
    When developing their proposed strategy and writing the 
application, applicants must consult and make reference to relevant 
literature and documents relating to child labor and the education of 
target children in Guyana. Furthermore, the application must 
demonstrate familiarity with existing child labor, education and social 
welfare policies, plans and projects in Guyana, which the applicant is 
using to inform project design for target children.
    Applicants will also be evaluated on their knowledge of other 
donors' programs as they pertain to the education of target children in 
Guyana. In identifying unmet needs, gaps and opportunities not being 
addressed by existing programs and current efforts, and in proposing 
their own strategy, applicants must show how their knowledge of the 
school calendar and the requirements of basic, non-formal, and 
vocational education systems are used to develop an approach that 
successfully enrolls children in educational programs in the shortest 
delay without missing an academic year or program cycle. The applicant 
must identify the direct cost per child of maintaining the child in the 
educational program, and of withdrawing the child from exploitive/
hazardous or worst forms of child labor. These costs must be realistic, 
and based on existing costs of similar programs. Applicants must design 
and implement a project monitoring system that allows for the tracking 
of direct beneficiaries' work and school status. In addition, as child 
labor projects tend to be implemented in resource-poor environments 
where government education and labor inspection systems may be limited, 
applicants are encouraged to work with local stakeholders to develop 
sustainable child labor and education monitoring systems, including 
community based systems, that can complement government efforts to 
monitor children's working and educational status beyond the life of 
the project. The applicant must also identify organizations in Guyana, 
including organizations in the Hinterland, which could potentially 
implement or contribute to a future project. Applicants are encouraged 
to develop approaches that support youth participation within efforts 
to eliminate the worst forms of child labor.
    The application must also take into account cross-cutting themes 
that could affect project results in Guyana, and meaningfully 
incorporate them into the proposed strategy, either to increase 
opportunities or reduce threats to successful implementation. In Guyana 
these include: (1) The extension and application of ongoing Education 
For All initiatives in Guyana to target children; (2) factors 
contributing to the dropout rate up to age 15; (3) educational 
relevance of proposed programs; (4) the role of teachers, parents, and 
community organizations; (5) strengths and weaknesses in the capacity 
of local organizations, and the possibilities of collaboration among 
rural organizations; and (6) non-education system barriers that could 
prevent the withdrawal of children from work, and their participation 
in education programs.
    In the course of implementation, each project must promote the 
goals of USDOL's Child Labor Education Initiative listed above in 
Section I(1)(A). In addition, each project funded under this 
solicitation must provide educational and training opportunities to 
children as a means to remove and/or prevent them from engaging in 
exploitive work. Because of the limited resources available under this 
award, applicants are expected to implement programs that complement 
existing efforts and, where appropriate, replicate or enhance 
successful models to serve a greater number of children and 
communities. However, applicants must not duplicate the activities of 
existing efforts and/or projects and are expected to work within host 
government child labor and education frameworks. To avoid duplication, 
enhance collaboration, expand impact, and develop synergies, the 
cooperative agreement awardee (hereafter referred to as ``Grantee'') 
must work cooperatively with national stakeholders in developing 
project interventions. Applicants are expected to consider the economic 
and social contexts of Guyana when formulating project strategies and 
to recognize that approaches applicable in one country may not be 
relevant to others.
    USDOL will notify host government ministry officials of the 
proposed project. During the preparation of an application for this 
cooperative agreement solicitation, applicants may discuss proposed 
interventions, strategies, and activities with host government 
officials and civil society organizations.
    Partnerships between more than one organization are also eligible 
for award and are encouraged, in particular with qualified, target 
country based organizations in order to build local capacity; in such a 
case, however, a lead organization must be identified, and 
relationships with partner organizations receiving funds must be 
codified in an appropriate joint venture, partnership, or other 
contractual agreement. Copies of such agreements should be submitted as 
an attachment to the application, and will not count toward the page 
limit.
    Applicants are strongly encouraged to enroll at least one-quarter 
of the children targeted by the proposed program in educational 
activities during the first year of project implementation. Under this 
cooperative agreement solicitation, vocational training for adolescents 
and income generating alternatives for parents are allowable 
activities. Please note: USDOL reserves the right to approve or 
disapprove alternative income-generating activities after award of the 
cooperative agreement. Permissible costs related to alternative income-
generating activities for target families may include, but are not 
limited to, skills training, tools, equipment, guides, manuals, and 
market feasibility studies. However, as stated in Section IV(5)(B)(i), 
Grantees and sub-contractors may not provide direct cash transfers to 
communities, parents, or children.
    Although USDOL is open to all proposals for innovative solutions to 
address the challenges of providing increased access to education for 
the children targeted, the applicant must, at a minimum, follow the 
outline of a preliminary project design document presented in Appendix 
A, and, within that format, address all criteria, factors, and required 
descriptions identified in Sections IV(2), V(1)(A), VI(3)(A) and 
VI(3)(D). This response will be the foundation for the final project 
document that must be approved within six months after award of the 
cooperative agreement.
    If the application does not propose interventions aimed toward the 
target group or geographical area as identified, then the application 
will be considered unresponsive and will be rejected.
    Note to All Applicants: Grantees are expected to consult with and 
work cooperatively with stakeholders in the country, including the 
Ministries of Education, Labor, and other relevant ministries, non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), national steering/advisory 
committees on child labor, education, faith and community-based 
organizations, and working children and their families. Grantees should 
ensure

[[Page 24635]]

that their proposed activities and interventions are within those of 
Guyana's 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. As 
discussed in Section V(1)(D), up to five (5) extra points will be given 
to applications that include committed non-Federal resources that 
significantly expand the project's scope. However, applicants are 
instructed that the project budget submitted with the application must 
include all necessary and sufficient funds, without reliance on other 
contracts, grants, or awards, to implement the applicant's proposed 
project activities and to achieve proposed project goals and objectives 
under this solicitation. If anticipated funding from another contract, 
grant, or award fails to materialize, USDOL will not provide additional 
funding to cover these costs.

II. Award Information

    Type of assistance instrument: cooperative agreement. USDOL's 
involvement in project implementation and oversight is outlined in 
Section VI(2). The duration of the project(s) funded by this 
solicitation is four (4) years. The start date of program activities 
will be negotiated upon awarding of the cooperative agreement, but will 
be no later than September 30, 2005.
    Up to US $2 million will be awarded under this solicitation. USDOL 
may award one or more cooperative agreements to one, several, or a 
partnership of more than one organization(s) that may apply to 
implement the program. A Grantee must obtain prior USDOL approval for 
any sub-contractor proposed in the application before award of the 
cooperative agreement. The Grantee may not sub-grant any of the funds 
obligated under this cooperative agreement. See Section VI(2)(B) for 
further information on sub-contracts.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Any commercial, international, educational, or non-profit 
organization, including any faith-based, community-based, or public 
international organization capable of successfully developing and 
implementing education programs for working children or children at 
risk of entering exploitive work in Guyana 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 Guyana, particularly local NGOs, including 
faith-based and community-based organizations. In the case of 
partnership applications, a lead organization must be identified, and 
the relationship with any partner organizations receiving funds must be 
set forth in an appropriate joint venture, partnership, or other 
contractual agreement. An applicant must demonstrate a country 
presence, independently or through a relationship with another 
organization(s) with country presence, which gives it the ability to 
initiate program activities upon award of the cooperative agreement. 
See Section V(1)(B)(ii). Please note: Applications from foreign 
government and quasi-government agencies will not be considered.
    Please note: All applicants are requested to complete the Survey on 
Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants (OMB No. 1225-0083), which is 
available online at https://www.dol.gov/ilab/grants/bkgrd.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 (Section V(1)).
    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 codified at 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 directed 
toward the U.S. Government will not be eligible for the receipt of 
Federal funds constituting an award, grant, cooperative agreement, or 
loan.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

    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 and is a rating factor worth 
up to five (5) additional points.

3. Other Eligibility Criteria

    In accordance with 29 CFR part 98, entities that are debarred or 
suspended from receiving Federal contracts or grants shall be excluded 
from Federal financial assistance and are ineligible to receive funding 
under this solicitation. In judging organizational capacity, USDOL will 
take into account not only information provided by an applicant, but 
also information from USDOL, other Federal agencies, and other 
organizations regarding past performance of organizations that have 
implemented or are implementing Child Labor Education Initiative 
projects, or other projects or activities for USDOL and other Federal 
agencies (see Section V(1)(B)). Past performance will be rated by such 
factors as the timeliness of deliverables, and the responsiveness of 
the organization and its staff to USDOL or grantor communications 
regarding deliverables and cooperative agreement or contractual 
requirements. In addition, USDOL will consider the performance of the 
organization's key personnel on existing projects with USDOL or other 
entities, the frequency of the organization's replacement of key 
personnel, and the quality and timeliness of such key personnel 
replacements. Lack of past experience with USDOL projects, cooperative 
agreements, grants, or contracts is not a bar to eligibility or 
selection under this solicitation.
    Faith-based organizations may apply for Federal funds under this 
solicitation. Neutral, non-religious criteria that neither favor nor 
disfavor religion will be employed in the selection of cooperative 
agreement recipients. Similarly, neutral, non-religious criteria that 
neither favor nor disfavor religion must be employed by Grantees in the 
selection of project beneficiaries and sub-contractors.
    In addition, per the provisions outlined in Section 2 of Executive 
Order 13279 and 29 CFR 2.33(b), the U.S. Government is generally 
prohibited from providing direct financial assistance for inherently 
religious activities. Funds awarded under this solicitation may not be 
used for religious instruction, worship, prayer, proselytizing or other 
inherently religious activities.

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. 
Additional copies of the Federal Register may be obtained from your 
nearest U.S. Government office or public library or online at https://
www.archives.gov/federal_register/.

[[Page 24636]]

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    Applicants must submit one (1) blue ink-signed original, complete 
application in English, plus two (2) copies of the application.
    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 than two (2) pages. The table of contents and the abstract are not 
included in the 45-page limit for Part II. Applicants should number all 
pages of the application.
    Part I of the application, the cost proposal, 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 https://www.dol.gov/ilab/grants/bkgrd.htm. Copies of these 
forms are also available online from the General Services 
Administration Web site at https://contacts.gsa.gov/webforms.nsf/ 0/
B835648D66D1B8F 985256A72004C58C2/ $file/sf424.pdf and https://
contacts.gsa.gov/webforms.nsf/ 0/5AEB1FA6FB3B832 385256A72004C8E77/ 
$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 and any other accompanying charts or graphs must be written in 
10-12 pitch font size.
    Part II, the technical proposal, 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 the applicant will carry 
out the Statement of Work (Section I(2) of this solicitation) and 
address each of the Application Evaluation 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, and must include responses to the application evaluation 
criteria outlined in Section V(1) of this solicitation. Part II must 
include a preliminary project design document submitted in the format 
shown in Appendix A and discussed further in Section VI(3)(A). The 
application must 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 Unresponsive To this Solicitation and May 
Be Rejected. Standard forms and attachments are not included in the 45-
page limit for Part II. However, any additional information not 
required under this solicitation will not be considered.

3. Submission Dates, Times, and Address

    Applications must be delivered (by hand or mail) by 4:45 p.m., 
eastern time, July 11, 2005 to: U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement 
Services Center, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5416, Washington, 
DC 20210, Attention: Lisa Harvey, Reference: Solicitation 05-02. 
Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not be 
accepted. Applications sent by non-Postal Service delivery services, 
such as Federal Express or UPS, will be accepted; however, 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 be considered unresponsive and will 
be rejected. Any application received at the Procurement Services 
Center after the deadline will not be considered unless it is received 
before the award is made and:
    A. It is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due 
solely to mishandling by the Government after receipt at USDOL at the 
address indicated; and/or
    B. It was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the 
fifth calendar day before the deadline; or
    C. It was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day 
Service-Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5 pm at the place of 
mailing two (2) working days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays, 
prior to the deadline.
    The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a 
late application sent by registered or certified mail is the U.S. 
Postal Service postmark on the envelope or wrapper and on the original 
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. 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.
    Confirmation of receipt can be obtained 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. 
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 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 is 
subject to USDOL approval and ordinarily should not exceed 10 percent 
of the project budget's direct costs and is expected to be 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 these cooperative agreements, vocational training for 
adolescents and income-generating alternatives for parents are 
allowable activities. However, Federal funds under these cooperative 
agreements cannot be used to provide micro-credits,

[[Page 24637]]

revolving funds, or loan guarantees. Please note: USDOL reserves the 
right to negotiate the exact nature, form, or scope of alternative 
income-generating activities after award of the cooperative agreement. 
Permissible costs relating to alternative income-generating activities 
may include, but are not limited to, skills training, tools, equipment, 
guides, manuals, and market feasibility studies.
    iii. Awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.
    B. The following activities are also unallowable under this 
solicitation:
    i. The Grantee may not sub-grant any of the funds obligated under 
this cooperative agreement. Sub-granting may not appear or be included 
in the budget as a line item. In addition, Grantees may not provide 
direct cash transfers to communities, parents, or children. The funding 
for this program does not include authority for sub-grants and, as a 
matter of policy, USDOL does not allow for direct cash transfers to 
target beneficiaries. USDOL, however, would support the purchase of 
incidental items in the nature of ``participant support costs'' under 
OMB Circular A-122, Attachment B, No. 34, which are necessary to ensure 
that target children have access to schooling. These participant 
support costs may include such items as uniforms and school supplies, 
and the provision of tuition and transportation costs in the form of 
vouchers to the provider of services. If an applicant proposes the 
provision of participant support costs, the applicant must specify: (1) 
Why these activities and interventions are necessary, and how they will 
contribute to the overall project goals; and (2) how will the 
disbursement of funds be administered in order to maximize efficiency 
and minimize the risk of misuse. The applicant must also address how 
participant support costs being funded by the project will be made 
sustainable once the project is completed.
    If proposed participant support costs are approved by USDOL, these 
items must be purchased or paid for directly by the Grantee or its sub-
contractor(s), as opposed to handing cash directly to children or other 
individuals.
    ii. Under these cooperative agreements, awareness raising and 
advocacy activities cannot include fund-raising or lobbying of the U.S. 
Federal, State or local governments (see OMB Circular A-122).
    iii. In accordance with OMB Circular A-122, funds awarded under 
this cooperative agreement may be used to cover the costs of meetings 
and conferences, as long as the primary purpose of such an event is the 
dissemination of technical information. These costs include meals, 
transportation, rental of facilities, speakers' fees, and other items 
incidental to such meetings or conference.
    iv. USDOL funds awarded under this solicitation are not intended to 
duplicate or substitute for host-country government efforts or 
resources intended for child labor or education programs. Thus, 
Grantees may not provide any of the funds awarded under this 
cooperative agreement to foreign government entities, ministries, 
officials, or political parties. However, sub-contracts with foreign 
government agencies may be awarded to provide direct services or 
undertake project activities subject to applicable laws and only after 
a competitive procurement process has been conducted and no other 
entity in the country is able to provide these services. The Grantee 
must receive prior USDOL approval before sub-contracting the provision 
of direct services to foreign government agencies.
    v. Applicants are reminded that U.S. Executive Orders and U.S. law 
prohibit transactions with, and the provision of resources and support 
to, individuals and organizations associated with terrorism. It is the 
legal responsibility of the Grantee to ensure compliance with these 
Executive Orders and laws. This provision must be included in all sub-
contracts issued under the cooperative agreement.
    vi. 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-contractors, 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-contractors, 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 Grantee to 
ensure its sub-contractors meet these criteria. (The U.S. Government is 
currently developing language to specifically address Public 
International Organizations' implementation of the above anti-
prostitution prohibition. If a project under this solicitation is 
awarded to such an organization, appropriate substitute language for 
the above prohibition will be included in the project's cooperative 
agreement.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Harvey. E-mail address: 
harvey.lisa@dol.gov. For a list of frequently asked questions on 
USDOL's Child Labor Education Initiative Solicitation for Cooperative 
Agreement, please visit https://www.dol.gov/ILAB/faq/faq36.htm.

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 leveraged 
resources as described below in Section V(1)(D). Applicants are 
requested to prepare their technical proposal (45 page maximum) 
organized in accordance with Appendix A, and address all 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 
design document described in Section VI(3)(A), and outlined in Appendix 
A. The applicant's proposal must describe in detail the proposed 
approach to comply with each requirement. Applicants will be rated 
based on their understanding of the child labor and education context 
in the host country, as well as on the clarity and quality of 
information provided in the project design document.
    This component of the application must 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 policy 
and implementing environment in the selected country. When preparing 
the technical proposal, the applicant must follow the outline provided 
in Appendix A, and at minimum include a description of:
    i. Children Targeted--The applicant must identify which and how 
many children are expected to receive direct and indirect services from 
the project,

[[Page 24638]]

including the sectors in which they work, geographical location, and 
other relevant characteristics. Please refer to Section I(2) for 
USDOL's definition of educational services and training opportunities 
for children targeted under this solicitation.
    Children are defined as persons under the age of 18 who have been 
engaged or at risk of engaging 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 or at risk of engaging in other 
hazardous and/or exploitive activities. Under this solicitation, at-
risk children are defined as siblings of working children, or children 
living in areas with a high incidence of exploitive child labor.
    ii. Needs/Gaps/Barriers--The applicant must describe the specific 
gaps/educational needs of the children targeted that the project will 
address.

    Note: The number of children targeted by the project must be 
commensurate with the need in the geographical area or sector where 
the project will be implemented. In addition, the budget proposed 
should take into account the type of work in which the target 
children are currently engaged.


    iii. Proposed Strategy--The applicant must discuss the proposed 
strategy to address gaps/needs/barriers of the children targeted and 
its rationale. Applicants will be rated based on the quality and 
pertinence of proposed strategies. Please refer to Section I(2) for 
USDOL's definition of educational services and training opportunities 
for children targeted under this solicitation.
    iv. Sustainability Plan--The applicant must discuss a proposed plan 
for sustainability of project efforts. To USDOL, sustainability is 
linked to project impact and the ability of individuals, communities, 
and a nation to ensure that the activities or changes implemented by a 
project endure. A project's impact is manifested at the level of 
individuals, organizations, and systems. For individual children and 
their families this would mean a positive and enduring change in their 
life conditions as a result of project interventions. At the level of 
organizations and systems, sustained impact would involve continued 
commitment and ability (including financial commitment and policy 
change) by project partners to continue the actions generated by the 
project, including enforcement of existing policies that target child 
labor and school attendance. Applicants will be rated based on the 
pertinence and appropriateness of the proposed sustainability plan.
    v. Description of Activities--The applicant must 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. The proposed approach is expected to 
build upon existing activities, government policies, and plans, and 
avoid needless duplication. Please refer to Section I(2) for USDOL's 
definition of educational services and training opportunities for 
children targeted under this solicitation.
    vi. Work Plan--The applicant must provide a detailed work plan and 
timeline for the proposed project, preferably with a visual such as a 
Gantt chart. Applicants will be rated based on the clarity and quality 
of the information provided in the work plan.


    Note: Applicants are also encouraged to enroll one-quarter of 
the targeted children in educational activities during the first 
year of project implementation.

    vii. Program Management and Performance Assessment--The applicant 
must 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 (enrollment, retention, and completion) and 
a database system for monitoring children's educational progress that 
can be used and adapted by Grantees after award. However, Grantees will 
be responsible for entering information on each project beneficiary 
into this database system. Further 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 delivery of 
direct education and training opportunities to working children and 
those at risk of engaging in exploitive work, and the four goals of the 
Child Labor Education Initiative set out in Section I(1)(A). Because of 
the potentially significant links between hours worked, working 
conditions, and school performance, Grantees are encouraged to collect 
information to track this correlation among project beneficiaries. 
Applicants proposing innovative methodologies in this area will be 
rated more highly.
    Please note: In addition to reporting on the common indicators, 
applicants will be expected to track the working status, conditions, 
and hours of targeted children, including the withdrawal of children 
from exploitive/hazardous working conditions. Applicants are also 
expected to explore cost-effective ways of assessing the impact of 
proposed services/interventions to indirect beneficiaries.
    Applicants are expected to budget for costs associated with 
collecting and reporting on the common indicators (enrollment, 
retention, and completion), data management, tracking the working 
status children, and assessing the impact of services/interventions to 
indirect beneficiaries.
    viii. Budget/Cost Effectiveness--The applicant must show how the 
budget reflects program goals and design in a cost-effective way to 
reflect budget/performance integration. The budget must be linked to 
the activities and outputs of the implementation plan listed above. The 
budget proposed should also take into account the type of work in which 
the target children are currently engaged.
    This section of the application must explain the costs for 
performing all of the requirements presented in this solicitation, and 
for producing all required reports and other deliverables. Costs must 
include labor; equipment; travel; annual single audits or attestation 
engagements (as applicable); midterm and final evaluations; and other 
related costs. Applications are expected to allocate sufficient 
resources to proposed studies, assessments, surveys, and monitoring and 
evaluation activities, including costs associated with collecting 
information for and reporting on the common indicators. In addition, 
the budget should include a contingency provision, calculated at 5% of 
the project's total direct costs, for unexpected expenses essential to 
meeting project goals, such as host country currency devaluations, 
security costs, etc. USDOL will not provide additional funding to cover 
unanticipated costs. Grantees must obtain prior approval from USDOL 
before using contingency funds. If these funds have not been exhausted 
toward the end of the project period, USDOL and the Grantee will 
determine whether it is appropriate to reallocate the funds to direct 
educational or training services or return the funds to USDOL.
    Grantees should also budget for a facilitator-led project launch 
meeting in the target country, which will allow key stakeholders to 
discuss issues of project design and monitoring.

[[Page 24639]]

    When developing their applications, applicants are also expected to 
allocate the largest proportion of resources to educational activities 
aimed at targeted children, rather than direct and/or indirect 
administrative costs. Higher ratings 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 projected costs 
should be reported, as they will become part of the cooperative 
agreement upon award. In their cost proposal (Part I of the 
application), applicants must reflect a breakdown of the total 
administrative costs into direct administrative costs and indirect 
administrative costs. 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). An example of an Outputs Based Budget has been provided as 
Annex B.
    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 at risk of or engaging in or at risk of engaging in exploitive 
child labor, preferably in the country of interest.
    ii. Country Presence--Given the need to provide children engaged in 
the worst forms of child labor with immediate assistance in accessing 
educational and training opportunities, applicants will be evaluated on 
their ability to start up project activities soon after signing a 
cooperative agreement. Having country presence, or partnering with in-
country organizations, presents the best chance of expediting the 
delivery of services to children engaged or at risk of engaging in the 
worst forms of child labor. In their application, applicants must 
address country presence; outreach to government and non-governmental 
organizations, including local and community-based organizations; and 
the ability of the organization to start up project activities in a 
timely fashion. Applicants may submit supporting documentation with 
their application demonstrating country presence and/or outreach to 
host government ministries and non-governmental organizations in the 
country. These attachments will not count toward the page limit.
    Within 60 days of award, an applicant, or its partners, must be 
formally recognized by the host government using the appropriate 
mechanism, e.g., Memorandum of Understanding or local registration of 
the organization. An applicant must demonstrate, independently or 
through a relationship with another organization(s), 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.
    iii. Fiscal Oversight--The organization shows evidence of a sound 
financial system.
    If the applicant is a U.S. based, non-profit organization already 
subject to the single audit requirements, the applicant's most recent 
single audit, as submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse, must 
accompany the application as an attachment. In addition, applications 
must show that they have complied with report submission timeframes 
established in OMB Circular A-133. If an applicant is not in compliance 
with the requirements for completing their single audit, the 
application will be considered unresponsive and will be rejected.
    If the applicant is a for-profit or foreign based organization, a 
copy of its most current independent financial audit must accompany the 
application as an attachment.
    Applicants should also submit a copy of the most recent single 
audit report for all proposed U.S.-based, non-profit partners, and sub-
contractors that are subject to the Single Audit Act. If the proposed 
partner(s) is a for-profit or foreign based organization, a copy of its 
most current independent financial audit should accompany the 
application as an attachment. Applicants may wish to review the audits 
of prospective organizations before deciding whether they want to 
partner with or sub-contract to them under an Education Initiative 
cooperative agreement.
    Note to all applicants: In order to expedite the Procurement 
screening of applications, and to ensure that the appropriate audits 
are attached to the proposals, the applicant must provide a cover sheet 
to the audit attachments listing all proposed partners and sub-
contractors. These attachments will not count toward the application 
page limit.
    USDOL reserves the right to ask further questions on any audit 
report submitted as part of an application. USDOL also reserves the 
right to place special conditions on Grantees if concerns are raised in 
their audit reports.
    Note to all applicants: If a copy of the most recent audit report 
is not submitted as part of the application, the application will be 
considered unresponsive and will be rejected. In addition, if the audit 
submitted by the applicant reflects any adverse opinions, the 
application will not be further considered by the technical review 
panel and will be rejected.
    iv. Coordination--If two or more organizations are applying for the 
award in the form of a partnership or joint venture, they must 
demonstrate an approach to ensure the successful collaboration 
including clear delineation of respective roles and responsibilities. 
Although each partner will bear independent legal liability for the 
entire project, the applicants must identify a lead organization and 
must submit the joint venture, partnership, or other contractual 
agreement as an attachment (which will not count toward the page 
limit). If a partnership between two or more organizations is proposed, 
applicants are encouraged to outline the deliverables, activities, and 
corresponding timeline for which each organization will be responsible 
for completing.
    v. Experience--The application must include information on previous 
and current grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts of the 
applicant with USDOL and other Federal agencies that are relevant to 
this solicitation, including:
    (a) The organizations for which the work was done;
    (b) A contact person in that organization with his/her 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

[[Page 24640]]

    (f) A brief summary of accomplishments.
    This information on previous grants, cooperative agreements, and 
contracts held by the applicant must be provided in appendices and will 
not count against the maximum page requirement. USDOL reserves the 
right to contact the organizations listed and use the information 
provided in evaluating applications.
    Note to All Applicants: In judging organizational capacity, USDOL 
will take into account not only information provided by an applicant, 
but also information from the Department and others regarding past 
performance of organizations already implementing Child Labor Education 
Initiative projects or activities for USDOL and others. Past 
performance will be rated by such factors as the timeliness of 
deliverables, and the responsiveness of the organization and its staff 
to USDOL or grantor communications regarding deliverables and 
cooperative agreement or contractual requirements. In addition, the 
performance of the organization's key personnel on existing projects 
with USDOL or other entities, whether the organization has a history of 
replacing key pers