[Federal Register: March 18, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 51)]
[Notices]               
[Page 11604-11605]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18mr09-80]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary

 
Combating Exploitive Child Labor Through Education

AGENCY: Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor.

ACTION: General solicitation of public comments on past solicitations 
for Cooperative Agreement Applications for projects to combat 
exploitive child labor through education published by the Office of 
Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking.

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SUMMARY: In preparation for a possible FY 2009 Notice of Availability 
of Funds and Solicitation(s) for Cooperative Agreement Applications 
(SGAs), the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking 
(OCFT) within the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Bureau of 
International Labor Affairs (ILAB), is requesting public comments on 
past SGAs published for projects to combat exploitive child labor 
internationally through education, as well as suggestions for improving 
such SGAs in the future.

DATES: Comments will be accepted until March 31, 2009.

TO SUBMIT COMMENTS, OR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Ms. Michal 
Murphy, International Relations Officer, Office of Child Labor and 
Human Trafficking, Bureau of International Labor Affairs. Telephone: 
(202) 693-4843 (this is not a toll-free number). Comments may be 
submitted by the following methods:
     E-mail: murphy.michal@dol.gov; and
     Facsimile (FAX): USDOL ILAB/Office of Child Labor, Forced 
Labor, and Human Trafficking at (202) 693-4830.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Background

    Since 1995, the U.S. Congress has appropriated over USD 660 million 
to USDOL's OCFT for efforts to combat exploitive child labor 
internationally. This funding has been used to support technical 
cooperation projects to combat exploitive child labor, including the 
worst forms of child labor, in more than 75 countries worldwide. 
Technical cooperation projects funded by USDOL's OCFT range from direct 
action programs targeting specific sectors of work to more 
comprehensive programs that support national efforts to eliminate the 
worst forms of child labor as defined by ILO Convention 182. USDOL-
funded projects generally seek to achieve five major goals:
    1. Withdrawing and preventing children from involvement in 
exploitive child labor through the provision of direct educational 
services;
    2. Strengthening policies on child labor and education, the 
capacity of national institutions to combat child labor, and formal and 
transitional education systems that encourage children engaged in, or 
at risk of engaging in, exploitive child labor to attend school;
    3. Raising awareness of the importance of education for all 
children and mobilizing a wide array of actors to improve and expand 
education infrastructures;
    4. Supporting research and the collection of reliable data on child 
labor; and
    5. Ensuring the long-term sustainability of these efforts.
    Since 2001, USDOL-funded projects have withdrawn or prevented over 
1 million children from exploitive labor.
    In preparation for possible future solicitations for cooperative 
agreement applications, OCFT is requesting comments regarding these 
past SGAs and suggestions for possible improvements. All comments 
received will be taken into consideration by ILAB's OCFT in the 
development of future SGAs for child labor and education projects.

2. Comment Submission Information

    All individuals or organizations interested in submitting comments 
should send them using the information specified above, no later than 
March 31, 2009. All comments should make reference to this notice 
requesting public comment on past OCFT SGAs to combat exploitive child 
labor through education.
    In your comments, please indicate which OCFT SGA you are basing 
your comments on [e.g., SGA 08-01 (FY 2008), SGA 07-10 (FY 2007), SGA 
06-06 (FY 2006)]. Recently published OCFT SGAs for projects to combat 
exploitive child labor through education can be found online at USDOL's 
Web site: http://www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/ocft/news.htm.

General Questions for All Organizations

    (1) Where did you first learn about OCFT's SGA?
     The Federal Register.
     Grants.gov.
     OCFT's ``EI Listserve.''
     USDOL-OCFT's Web site.
     Other--Please specify.
    (2) Please comment on the format of the SGA, including:
     Length of the SGA.
     Is the level of detail in the SGA adequate?
     Which sections of the SGA do you find most helpful?
     Which information provided in the SGA do you find least 
useful?
     Are the SGA's requirements easy to locate? Clearly 
presented? Are they reasonable? Are the costs associated with these 
requirements reasonable?
     In terms of the SGA's country scopes of work (e.g., 
Section I.B.3 in SGA 08-01), are OCFT's requirements clear? Which 
information provided in the country sections is the most helpful? Which 
information is the least helpful?
     Are any of OCFT's requirements for the technical and/or 
cost proposals (outlined in Appendices A and B of SGA 08-01) burdensome 
or unnecessary? If so, which ones?
     Are any of the criteria for evaluating applications (e.g., 
Section V.A. of SGA 08-01) unclear? If so, in what way?
     Are the instructions for preparing and submitting 
applications clear and easy to follow? If not, how could they be 
improved?
    (3) In the future, how could OCFT improve its SGAs for projects to 
combat exploitive child labor through education and make them more 
user-friendly?

[[Page 11605]]

    (4) If you have applied for an OCFT grant in the past, what factors 
led you to apply for the SGA?
     Ability to understand application requirements.
     Ability to provide responsive information.
     Knowledge of subject.
     Knowledge of countries.
     Other--Please specify.
    (5) Please comment on the level to which you feel that OCFT's SGAs 
and requirements allow you or your organizations to develop innovative 
and effective approaches to combating exploitive child labor 
internationally. What could OCFT do to encourage innovation more?
    (6) Please comment on the adequacy of the length of time provided 
to submit an application for OCFT SGAs. How long would you suggest that 
OCFT leave its SGAs open from the date of publication to the deadline 
for applications?
    (7) If you have applied for an OCFT grant in the past, please 
comment on the level of effort and time involved in preparing your 
application(s). How does the level of effort for OCFT's SGAs compare 
with the level of effort and time spent preparing applications for 
other Federal agencies?
    (8) If applicable, please comment on your experience with 
submitting your application on Grants.gov. What could USDOL do to 
improve the submission process?
    (9) If, in the past you have considered applying for an OCFT grant, 
but ultimately decided not to apply, which factor(s) influenced your 
decision not to apply? Please select all that apply.
     Countries selected.
     Cost of preparing proposal.
     Research required for proposal (i.e., needs assessment).
     Number of requirements.
     Specific requirement(s)--please specify.
     Difficulties with submitting application online using 
Grants.gov.
     Limited knowledge of child labor issues.
     Limited knowledge of target countries.
     Past experience implementing USG project.
     Past experience implementing USDOL project.
     Other--Please specify.
    (10) In the future, what specific actions could OCFT take to 
encourage you or your organization to apply for OCFT SGAs for 
international projects to combat exploitive child labor through 
education?

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 13th day of March 2009.
Marcia Eugenio,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary, Bureau of International Labor Affairs.
 [FR Doc. E9-5821 Filed 3-17-09; 8:45 am]

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