FOA-ILAB-24-29_Tanzania.docx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of International Labor Affairs

Program Office:

OCFT

Notice of Availability of Funds and Funding Opportunity Announcement for: Project to Combat Child Labor and Promote Acceptable Conditions of Work in Tanzania’s Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector Announcement Type:

Funding Opportunity Number: FOA-ILAB-24-29

Assistance Listing Number: 17.401

Key Dates: The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is 09/23/2024. Applications must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

All technical questions related to the content of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) must be submitted no later than 10 business days prior to the close date of the FOA.

Award decisions are expected to be made between 09/30/2024 and 12/31/2024.

The Department will make its best efforts to make award decisions within this timeframe, but please be aware that there are a variety of circumstances that may result in a later or earlier than expected award decision.

To apply: Submit applications via https://www.grants.gov/ in response to this funding opportunity number.

Please refer to Section IV for application submission instructions.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL, or the Department), announces the availability of approximately $4,000,000 total costs (subject to the availability of Federal funds) for 1 cooperative agreement(s) to fund a technical assistance project(s) in the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) to improve implementation of laws, policies, and action plans to combat child labor (CL) and to promote Acceptable Conditions of Work (ACW) in artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM).

The duration of the project will be 54 months from the effective date of the award.

Eligible applicants include any commercial, international, educational, or non-profit organizations, including any faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, or public international organizations (PIOs). Please see section III of this funding opportunity announcement for complete eligibility requirements.

Project outcomes include the following:

Applicants must present a coherent strategy for collaborating with the national government and must demonstrate how proposed project interventions reflect and support relevant URT national policy documents, including, but not limited to, the National Strategy on the Elimination of Child Labor; the National Action Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children; and the National Action Plan for Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining.

In addition, applicants must select one region of the country – where ASGM represents a significant source of employment and income for local communities – as a focus area for project interventions. Applicants may choose from Mbeya, Geita, Shinyanga, or Mara for their regional focus. Applicants must utilize an integrated area-based approach to address child labor in ASGM. Applicants should coordinate with relevant governing authorities and are strongly encouraged to include in proposed projects partnerships with civil society organizations; miners’ associations, especially women miners’ associations; education and research entities; and/or worker organizations.

ILAB recognizes that the situation on the ground may be different from the time that the design was proposed or may evolve quickly. For this reason, award recipients will be required during the first 6 months of the award to carry out an in-country Stakeholder Engagement and Strategy Validation with partners and relevant stakeholders to assess, refine, and/or validate the proposed theory of change, design, and strategies of the project. The purpose of the Stakeholder Engagement and Strategy Validation is to understand the operating environment and suitability of project strategies as first proposed in the initial application submission for the current implementing context. The key methodology involved in the Stakeholder Engagement and Strategy Validation is engaging with project stakeholders to review project strategies, target populations, geographic locations, and activities.

Any post award refinements to the project strategy will be subject to approval by USDOL.

In addition to the award received by the successful applicant under this FOA, ILAB may consider a potential Phase II of the project, which could provide the recipient additional funding of approximately $4,000,000 to build upon Phase I activities. Final determination of a possible Phase II approach will be decided in consultation with, and subject to approval by, USDOL following the award of Phase I of this project and prior to the awarding of any additional funding for Phase II. Phase II is contingent upon the demonstration of a continued need for the project, the availability of Federal funds, and the recipient’s satisfactory progress/performance in Phase I, including adequate stewardship of Phase I funding.

ILAB anticipates that the successful applicant will be informed of the availability of Phase II funding by the end of Phase I of the project, at which time the recipient must submit an application package meeting USDOL requirements for Phase II funding. The period of performance for Phase II will begin immediately following the satisfactory completion of Phase I requirements and the approval of the required Phase II application package.

Applicants’ technical and financial proposals for Phase I must reflect a $4 million award over the course of approximately 54 months. It must not include anticipated Phase II funding.

Additionally, the achievement of results in Phase I must not be contingent on receipt of additional funding for a Phase II.

Table of Contents

A. PROGRAM PURPOSE

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

ILAB leads the U.S. Government’s (USG) efforts to improve working conditions and fight labor exploitation around the world. ILAB's mission is to strengthen global labor standards, enforce labor commitments among trading partners, promote racial and gender equity, and combat international child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking. ILAB’s Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking (OCFT) works to eliminate child labor, forced labor and human trafficking through international research, policy engagement, and technical cooperation. See ILAB’s webpage for additional information: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab. ILAB’s Knowledge Portal contains detailed information on OCFT’s technical assistance projects, including evaluations, lessons learned, project-produced resources, and good practices: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/ilab-knowledge-portal.

This FOA solicits applications to implement 1 project(s) with the objective of improving implementation of laws, policies, and action plans to combat child labor (CL) and promote Acceptable Conditions of Work (ACW) in artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM).

ILAB/OCFT works to reduce child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking worldwide and to safeguard dignity at work by helping to ensure that other countries meet international labor standards. This includes a focus on the most vulnerable populations and communities. ILAB is committed to addressing gender discrimination and advancing the labor rights of persons with disabilities, including by promoting their access to decent work and supporting their active participation and inclusion in programming and activities that advance their wellbeing.

Project outcomes include the following:

Applicants must present a coherent strategy for collaborating with the national government and must demonstrate how proposed project interventions reflect and support relevant URT national policy documents, including, but not limited to, the National Strategy on the Elimination of Child Labor; the National Action Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children; and the National Action Plan for Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining.

In addition, applicants must select one region of the country – where ASGM represents a significant source of employment and income for local communities – as a focus area for project interventions. Applicants may choose from Mbeya, Geita, Shinyanga, or Mara for their regional focus. Applicants must utilize an integrated area-based approach to address child labor in ASGM. Applicants should coordinate with relevant governing authorities and are strongly encouraged to include in proposed projects partnerships with civil society organizations; miners’ associations, especially women miners’ associations; education and research entities; and/or worker organizations.

ILAB recognizes that the situation on the ground may be different from the time that the design was proposed or may evolve quickly. For this reason, award recipients will be required during the first 6 months of the award to carry out an in-country Stakeholder Engagement and Strategy Validation with partners and relevant stakeholders to assess, refine, and/or validate the proposed theory of change, design, and strategies of the project. The purpose of the Stakeholder Engagement and Strategy Validation is to understand the operating environment and suitability of project strategies as first proposed in the initial application submission for the current implementing context. The key methodology involved in the Stakeholder Engagement and Strategy Validation is engaging with project stakeholders to review project strategies, target populations, geographic locations, and activities.

Any post award refinements to the project strategy will be subject to approval by USDOL.

In addition to the award received by the successful applicant under this FOA, ILAB may consider a potential Phase II of the project, which could provide the recipient additional funding of approximately $4,000,000 to build upon Phase I activities. Final determination of a possible Phase II approach will be decided in consultation with, and subject to approval by, USDOL following the award of Phase I of this project and prior to the awarding of any additional funding for Phase II. Phase II is contingent upon the demonstration of a continued need for the project, the availability of Federal funds, and the recipient’s satisfactory progress/performance in Phase I, including adequate stewardship of Phase I funding.

ILAB anticipates that the successful applicant will be informed of the availability of Phase II funding by the end of Phase I of the project, at which time the recipient must submit an application package meeting USDOL requirements for Phase II funding. The period of performance for Phase II will begin immediately following the satisfactory completion of Phase I requirements and the approval of the required Phase II application package.

Applicants’ technical and financial proposals for Phase I must reflect a $4 million award over the course of approximately 54 months. It must not include anticipated Phase II funding.

Additionally, the achievement of results in Phase I must not be contingent on receipt of additional funding for a Phase II.

This announcement is for the award of 1 new cooperative agreement(s) with the specific project objective and outcomes outlined in this FOA. As such, applicants may not submit applications to renew or supplement an existing project.

B. PROGRAM AUTHORITY

ILAB is authorized to award and administer grants and cooperative agreements by the Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2024, PL 118-47, Division D, Title I.

C. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 160 million children were engaged in child labor (CL) globally in 2020, the first time there has been an increase in 20 years.ii Research shows that Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where rates of child labor continue to increase, with an estimated 87 million children in child labor in in the region, more than in the rest of the world combined.iii Among the factors contributing to the prevalence of child labor in the region are extreme poverty, which afflicts roughly 40 percent of the regional population; high levels of labor informality, which accounts for over 80 percent of all employment; and lack of access to social protection initiatives, which cover only 17 percent of the population.iv These factors are also associated with violations of Acceptable Conditions of Work (ACW)v for adults.vi Global estimates indicate that more than one million children are engaged in child labor in mines and quarries.vii Children engage in a wide range of hazardous activities in mining, including mining ore, carrying heavy loads of rock, and using toxic chemicals to separate minerals from ore.viii Working in mines puts children’s safety and health at risk through injury, illness, and even death.ix While typically boys participate in mining at a higher rate than girls, girls are often found to work in mining-related jobs, including selling food and supplies and working as domestic servants, and may be victims of commercial sexual exploitation in and around mining sites.x Data from Tanzania’s latest child labor survey (2014) found that 28.8 percent of children aged 5- 17 years are engaged in child labor, and 21.5 percent are in hazardous child labor. Moreover, the survey found that only 49.4 percent of children in hazardous child labor attend school.xi Research shows that a lack of income is an underlying factor contributing to child labor in the country, with one in six Tanzanian children living in households with income levels that make providing food a significant challenge.xii ILAB’s 2022 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor (TDA) identified the presence of child labor in ASGM in the UTR. The TDA also found that the country had made moderate advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor, noting the release of complete information on its labor law enforcement efforts and identifying 74 child labor violations through 4,800 worksite inspections. Additionally, the government allocated financial resources to support its National Strategy on the Elimination of Child Labor. In spite of these positive developments, the report also found that children in Tanzania are subject to the worst forms of child labor not only in mining and quarrying, but also in domestic work and agriculture. It identifies gaps in the legal framework and enforcement of laws related to CL, including lack of penalties for use of children in illicit activities, lack of minimum age protections for children engaged in domestic work, and an insufficient number of labor inspectors to monitor Tanzania's labor force. ILAB’s 2022 List of Goods Produced with Child Labor or Forced Labor also identified CL in ASGM in Tanzania.

Child labor and other labor violations have long been reported in Tanzania’s artisanal and small- scale mining sector,xiii particularly in the production of gold, Tanzania’s most important export by dollar value.xiv ASGM is integral to the country’s national economy and directly employs at least 1.2 million people (about 3% of the total population) and indirectly supports over 7 million people.xv Women and girls in ASGM are estimated to represent between 20-30% of the total ASGM population.xvi In 2022, Tanzania exported $3.34 billion worth of gold, or 33 percent of the country’s total exports by value. The top export destinations for Tanzanian gold production are India, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Switzerland.xvii The latter is also the largest exporter of gold to the United States, at $8.17 billion.xviii The hidden nature of child labor complicates comprehensive analysis of child labor prevalence in ASGM. However, there remains extensive evidence of the types of tasks children endure that are pervasive in this sector in Tanzania. Recent research identifies instances of hazardous child labor in digging; crawling into tiny and unreinforced mineshafts into deep, unstable pits; working with toxic metals and chemicals, especially mercury; manually crushing ore; hauling gold ore bags; sluicing; panning; and operating heavy machinery.xix The widespread use of mercury, a toxic liquid metal that causes potentially fatal neurological damage and other developmental disorders, is an extremely serious threat to children’s well-being. The release of mercury vapors and other toxins into the surrounding environment poses long term risks for entire communities situated near ASGM sites.xx The ASGM sites where children typically work are characterized by unmarked, abandoned pits; a lack of enforcement of health and safety standards, and elevated risks of sexual harassment and violence. Children working at mine sites are at risk for respiratory and lung diseases, infections, musculoskeletal problems, other injuries, and accidents.xxi The risks faced by children in ASGM generally mirror those faced by adult workers. Many adults working in the sector experience violations of ACW. Workers are widely subject to conditions of work characterized by inadequate safety training, hazardous mine structures, unsafe work practices that lead to frequent accidents such as pit collapses or fall injuries, and exposure to mercury both in the production process itself and from the environment.xxii Because the sector is largely informal, workers lack labor protections and the purchase and use of protective equipment is generally seen as a responsibility of the individual worker.xxiii The sector is also characterized by little to no coverage by worker organizations such as unions, though cooperatives often include workers. Labor unions under the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania have explored opportunities for organizing workers.xxiv However, widespread informality and the migratory nature of much ASGM pose serious barriers to effective worker organization.xxv The sector also poses important risks across the supply chain, particularly as they relate to the mercury inputs used in the production of artisanally-produced gold, a strategic focus of the URT.xxvi Women and girls are subject to additional challenges in the sector. Women’s access to profitable opportunities are curtailed by additional burdens of expected household labor and reduced access to capital. Women are also purposefully excluded by men from profitable opportunities in the sector, and often do not have access to separate sanitary facilities in the mining sites. Women are widely employed in other job opportunities in the environs of mining sites, such as serving food, selling drinks and other items, maintenance and cleaning, and transport.xxvii The URT has signaled its renewed commitment to the elimination of child labor through its National Strategy for the Elimination of Child Labor (NS-CL), launched June 12, 2024, and its National Action Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children (NAP-EVWC), launched May 15, 2024.xxviii The NAP-EVWC calls for a wide range of approaches to address violence against women and children, including by supporting the established Child Labor Committees at national and sub-national levels to monitor and identify exploitative situations and carry out inspections to identify hazardous types of work and unsafe workplaces that violate children’s right to a safe environment. Among the approaches called for in the NS-CL are improvements to the national child labor monitoring system, strengthening coordination in addressing child labor within the government, addressing root causes of child labor, and enhancing the efficiency of services to children in child labor. These initiatives to improve systems for monitoring for child labor and coordinating across government agencies will fill gaps in the capacity of the URT to address CL in ASGM.

Acknowledging the serious challenges facing the sector, Tanzania’s National Five-Year Development Plan 2022-2026 notes the importance of ASM for employment, contributing to household income and generating revenue for efforts to address poverty in rural areas. The country’s National Action Plan for Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining 2020-2025 (NAP- ASGM) also highlights the role of ASGM in job creation and national development, while also establishing a framework for addressing the social and ecological impacts of the production process. The NAP-ASGM serves as a national framework for addressing mercury use in ASGM in accordance with the country’s 2020 ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. It also addresses environmental, health and socio-economic challenges in ASGM. In particular, the plan commits the country to reduce child labor, calling for the development and implementation of a national child labor mainstreaming plan, improved enforcement of child labor laws, and awareness raising activities in communities vulnerable to child labor in ASGM. It also includes plans for addressing other social risks that are entangled with child labor prevalence, such as health and occupational safety risks, gender inequality, and income insecurity. In addition, it highlights the role of key stakeholders, such as miners’ associations and civil society,xxix a noted area for expanded engagement.xxx However, realization of the goals of these plans will require effective action by all key stakeholders if the prevalence of child labor and violations of ACWxxxi are to be sustainably addressed.

A. AWARD TYPE AND AMOUNT

II. AWARD INFORMATION

Funding will be provided in the form of a cooperative agreement. Approximately $4,000,000 total costs is expected to be available to fund approximately 1 (one) award(s). Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $4,000,000 total costs. Awards made under this announcement are subject to the availability of federal funds. In the event that additional funds become available, USDOL reserves the right to increase the amount of an award or to use such funds to select additional recipients from applications submitted in response to this announcement.

In addition to its normal consultative role as grantor, ILAB’s substantial involvement in program activities may focus on elements that are essential to meet program requirements and ensure achievement of program objectives and outcomes. ILAB’s involvement may include, but not be limited to:

frameworks, child labor, forced labor, human trafficking, and effective enforcement, among others.

B. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The required period of performance is 54 months from the effective date of the award. This performance period includes all necessary implementation and start-up activities. Only allowable costs incurred during the period of performance may be charged to the federal award (2 CFR 200.1 Period of performance).

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

The following organizations are eligible to apply:

U.S. organizations:

· Nonprofits, including any faith-based organizations or community-based organizations

· Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education

· Private Institutions of Higher Education

· Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

· Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities

· Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions

· Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

· Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs)

· Minority Serving Institutions

· Native American tribal organizations (Federally recognized)

· For-Profit organizations Non-U.S. organizations:

· Non-U.S. Entities, including PIOs, as described in 2 CFR 200.1.

Applicants selected for award, including PIOs, must abide by DOL's requirements in the term and conditions of the award, in alignment with U.S. appropriation laws and applicable U.S. regulations.

Applicants do not need previous experience managing federal awards, but they must speak persuasively about their ability to leverage other previous experience and bring it to scale in support of a large federal investment.

The following types of organizations are not eligible to apply nor to participate as subrecipients/contractors:

USDOL award.

Foreign governments and entities that are agencies of, or operated by or for, a foreign state or government are not eligible to apply. However, they may be eligible to participate as a subrecipient in certain instances, subject to USDOL approval. NOTE: If an exception to this subrecipient eligibility criterion might be appropriate, the application must include a detailed justification for the possible exception. USDOL funds are not intended to duplicate existing foreign government efforts or substitute for activities for which such governments have already assumed responsibility. USDOL will make eligibility decisions on a case-by-case basis after receiving the application.

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

This program does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Including such funds is not one of the application screening criteria and applications that include any form of cost sharing or match will not receive additional consideration during the review process. Instead, the agency considers any resources contributed to the project beyond the funds provided by the agency as leveraged resources. Section IV.B.2 provides more information on leveraged resources.

C. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Application Screening Criteria

Use the following checklist as a guide when preparing the application package to ensure that the application has met all of the screening criteria. Note that this checklist is only an aid for applicants and should not be included in the application package. It is recommended to use this checklist to ensure that the application contains all required items. If the application does not meet all of the screening criteria, the application will not move forward to the merit review process.

The components of the application are saved in any of the specified formats and are not corrupt. (USDOL will attempt to open documents, but will not troubleshoot any problems related to opening files)

Section IV.B.3.b

Attachments to Technical Proposal Abstract Work Plan Sustainability Strategy Template Relevant Grant and/or Contract Experience Evidence of Country Presence Project Management Organizational Chart

Section IV.B.1

2. Number of Applications to be Submitted Multiple applications from an organization are not allowed. If multiple applications are received, the most recent application submitted by the deadline will be accepted. If the most recent application is disqualified for any reason, USDOL will not replace it with an earlier application. Applicant entities are not precluded from participating as partners on another entity’s application.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

This FOA, found at www.grants.gov, contains all of the information needed to apply for funding. Applicants should note that it includes hyperlinks to external forms and resources. Applicants are required to comply with all parts of the FOA, including those parts found at the hyperlinks.

B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Applications submitted in response to this FOA must consist of two separate and distinct parts:

(1) a Technical Proposal, including attachments; and (2) a Cost Proposal, including the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance and related forms identified as follows. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the funding amount requested is consistent across all parts of the application. If the funding amount is not consistent, the amount requested on the SF-424 will be considered for the purpose of the award.

1. Technical Proposal Applicants should use their technical expertise to propose how to meet the requirements of the FOA and must provide justification for their choices based on evidence (see definition in Appendix B), analysis of contextual opportunities and constraints, and available resources within the requirements of the FOA. Applicants must include specific citations to the evidence used to support their proposed project strategy. If there is limited evidence to support the proposed intervention(s), applicants may propose to pilot an innovative approach but must include and describe a plan for monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of the intervention(s).

All pages of the application must be numbered. All required documents (including attachments) must be submitted in English. Any additional documentation submitted that is not required or specifically requested under this announcement will not be considered during the merit review process.

Technical Proposals must be no more than 50 single-sided, double-spaced pages (8.5 x 11 inches with 1-inch margins). If any page limits required by this FOA for any part of the application are exceeded, the content that exceeds the page limit will not be considered during the merit review process. Font style must be Times New Roman and font size must be 12-point. The Cover Page, Acronyms List, Table of Contents, required attachments to the Technical Proposal, and the Cost Proposal do not count toward the page limit and do not have any spacing restrictions. Different fonts and font sizes may be used for tables, text boxes, and graphics. However, it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that they are legible and meet electronic submission requirements. Documents which cannot be read or accessed by the Department will not be considered during the merit review process. Please see section IV.B.3. for the file format requirements for electronic submissions.

The following instructions provide all the information needed to complete the Technical Proposal. Applicants should carefully read and consider each section and include all required information. The Technical Proposal will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria identified in Section V, Application Review Information. Applicants must use the same section headers identified in this FOA for each section of the Technical Proposal:

a. Abstract (Executive Summary) Applicants must submit as an attachment an abstract summarizing the proposed project including, but not limited to, the project objective, proposed outcomes, sub-outcomes (if included in this FOA), outputs, and activities. The abstract should describe the proposed project in plain language and include the following sections:

1) Applicant’s Name and Title for the Project. The applicant’s name and title for the proposed project.

2) Purpose. A brief description of the purpose for the award, including a description of the geographic area to be served (if applicable), population(s) to be served (if applicable), number and description of individuals, groups and institutions to be served (if applicable), and the funding level requested.

3) Activities to be Performed. A brief description of award specific activities and other deliverables.

4) Expected Outcomes. The project objective, proposed outcomes, sub-outcomes (if included in this FOA), and outputs.

5) Intended Beneficiaries. Intended beneficiary(ies) or recipient(s) of the project activities.

6) Subrecipient Activities. If sub-awards are proposed, then specify the activities to be provided and the name of each proposed sub-awardee, if known.

The abstract is limited to two double-spaced single sided 8.5 x 11-inch pages with 12-point text font, Times New Roman font style, and 1-inch margins. When submitting in Grants.gov, this document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application package and specifically labeled "Abstract."

b. Table of Contents The table of contents must list all required documents and include their corresponding page numbers.

c. Project Narrative The Project Narrative must describe in detail the applicant's response to the FOA. At minimum, the Project Narrative must contain the following sections:

1) Problem Analysis (up to 5 points) Applicants will be evaluated based on their degree of understanding of the scope and nature of the problem that forms the basis of the project design. Applicants must describe the need for assistance, including the nature and scope of the problems, and the consequences of not addressing the need. Include relevant cultural, economic, social, labor and/or legal factors contributing to the problem. This information must be supported by relevant empirical data, including citations. Applicants must identify significant gaps in laws, policies, programs and coordination efforts that contribute to the identified problem and that need to be addressed by the project.

2) Project Design (up to 33 points)

a) Project Strategy and Sustainability Strategy (up to 25 points) The applicant's Project Strategy and Sustainability section will be evaluated based on its responsiveness to the unmet need described in its Problem Analysis.

The project-level objective is to improve implementation of laws, policies, and action plans to combat CL and promote ACW in ASGM.

In support of achieving the objective, the project should be designed to achieve the following outcomes and sub-outcomes, if required:

Outcome 1: Increased capacity of key stakeholders to collect and disseminate data on CL and ACW in ASGM.

Applicants must propose a strategy to increase availability of statistical data on child labor prevalence and other labor violations in Tanzania, particularly in ASGM. Applicants should also propose strategies to support efforts by key stakeholders, including URT, to collect representative data needed for research to inform effective action. Applicants must propose an initial landscape assessment of relevant research and identify the capacity of partners to fill relevant gaps in data and research and propose a list of proposed research products to be developed by Tanzanian-led researchers and/or teams. Any proposed post-award modification to activities based on the landscape assessment are subject to approval by USDOL.

Activities under Outcome 1 may include support in areas such as the following:

Applicants may propose additional activities in coordination with the URT and should justify them by describing identified gaps and weaknesses needing to be addressed, and by identifying areas where data collection can be used to inform action to address CL and violations of ACW in ASGM.

For Outcome 1, applicants should also propose a strategy to support research efforts by other key stakeholders, such as local civil society actors, educational and/or other independent research organizations, to conduct, publish, and/or disseminate research on CL and ACW in ASGM. Applicants may propose establishing frameworks for cooperation between Tanzanian researchers and universities in the United States or other third countries where appropriate. Applicants may also propose a strategy for direct collaboration with Tanzanian universities to expand and/or mainstream labor issues related to ASGM, including but not limited to CL, informality, OSH, and gender, into curricula on mining, business, social sciences, and humanities, wherever deemed possible and acceptable to academic and institutional leadership. Applicants may also propose a strategy to support efforts by worker organizations’ labor training centers and/or colleges to disseminate information on CL and ACW in ASGM, are encouraged to consider helping in the development of revised curricula for instructional purposes.

Outcome 2: Increased monitoring, identification, and reporting of instances of CL and ACW in ASGM For Outcome 2, applicants must propose a strategy to support the URT and key stakeholders’ ability to implement interventions to increase monitoring, identification, and reporting of instances of child labor and ACW, consistent with the NS-CL, NAP-ASGM, NAP-EVWC, and other relevant policies. As part of this strategy, applicants must work in close coordination with the Prime

Minister’s Office-Labor Youth, Employment and Persons with Disability (PMO- LYED), including its child labor focal points, and/or other relevant national, regional, district, and ward and village level authorities as necessary to improve national systems for monitoring and identification of instances of child labor, especially URT’s child labor monitoring system (CLMS). Applicants should be sensitive to gaps, which impede the flow of CL data from district level reporting teams up to national level data aggregation systems, such as the use of a paper-based reporting systems. Where appropriate, applicants may consider proposing approaches to modernize CLMS and other data collection efforts with digital tools, including innovative approaches such as app-based reporting systems or use of blockchain.xxxiii Applicants that propose use of innovative digital solutions must demonstrate an understanding of the relevant technologies and explain how those technologies are practicable for use in contexts characterized by pervasive economic underdevelopment, infrastructural gaps, and rurality. Applicants may propose strategies to improve coordination between PMO-LYED and other relevant administrative authorities, especially at national, regional, and district levels, in order to promote a whole-of-government approach to CL and ACW identification, monitoring, and reporting in ASGM. If doing so, applicants should pay particular attention to improving coordination between PMO-LYED and the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups to improve monitoring and identification of ASGM child laborers, particularly girls, in vulnerable households. Applicants may also consider proposing strategies to work with ward and village level governments.

Proposals to incorporate ward and village level governments should detail a strategy to increase the capacity of local administrative leadership to understand, identify, and report instances of CL and ACW, and to conduct relevant awareness raising activities in their wards and/or villages in line with the NAP-ASGM, NAP-EVWC, NS-CL, and other relevant policies.

Applicants may consider supporting the URT efforts to improve its enforcement of CL and ACW laws in ASGM, including the effectiveness of URT conducting labor inspections in ASGM, and supporting other relevant URT labor law enforcement actions. Applicants may propose additional activities and should justify them by describing identified gaps and weakness needing to be addressed and areas where project interventions will yield measurable successes.

Outcome 3: Increased capacity of key stakeholders to address CL and promote ACW in ASGM at the local level.

For Outcome 3, applicants must propose strategies to build the capacity of the PMO-LYED and Tanzanian CSOs, NGOs, professional associations, and/or platforms to implement initiatives in alignment with the NAP-ASGM, NAP- EVWC, NS-CL, and other relevant policies that enhance their ability to conduct effective CL and/or ACW interventions in ASGM in the target region.

Applicants are encouraged to propose partnerships with Tanzanian organizations that have women in mining as an organizational focus. Proposed interventions by partners should clearly reflect the strengths and capacities of those partners.

Applicants must ensure their strategy aligns with the United States’s Department of State’s Mercury Programxxxiii so that they promote interventions in accordance with internationally recognized best practices for addressing the harmful effects of mercury use in ASGM.

Based on a robust analysis of gaps and potentials for measurable progress, applicants must propose a specific approach for piloting interventions to address CL and violations of ACW in ASGM in the target region. Where practical, applicants may propose an approach in which CSOs and government entities, including district, ward, and/or village level governments, jointly pilot an area- based approach in ASGM communities within the district(s) selected as the project’s focus. Applicants may consider, but should not limit themselves to, the following interventions to pilot:

Applicants may propose activities at the household, individual, or mine site level. For household-level approaches, applicants must propose strategies that are inclusive of female household members. This outcome might address cultural norms that were constructed based on gender, e.g., household budgeting and occupational opportunities; or differentiated constraints women and men might face when engaging in entrepreneurship or micro-enterprise ventures, including constraints in combatting child labor within those ventures and in finding childcare.

During the 6-month strategy validation period following an award, recipients must: (1) assess the capacities of the selected partners to implement interventions, including both government and civil society partners; (2) assess and revise, where necessary, the initial proposed strategy based on the analysis; and (3) harmonize efforts of the selected partners in accordance with the project objective. Applicants who propose to conduct direct services must also do a community-level needs assessment to ensure services are responsive to community needs. All proposed revisions are subject to USDOL review and approval.

Requirements Across Technical Proposal Applicants must propose a strategy to achieve the project-level objective and expected outcomes stated above. Applicants may suggest additional outcomes they deem necessary to achieve the project-level objective and a rationale for how they contribute to the achievement of the project’s overall objective. One or more existing outcomes may be revised during the project validation process post-award in consultation with ILAB. A subsequent amendment to the cooperative agreement will formally reflect the incorporation of revised outcomes.

Applicants must describe all major areas of project intervention. In describing project interventions, applicants are expected to describe specific outputs and activities and how such activities should logically lead to the project’s expected objective and outcomes in an interrelated and holistic manner. Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed strategy will address gaps identified in the problem analysis, identify any potential barriers, and describe how the project will work to overcome those barriers. Applicants must provide evidence of the effectiveness of their proposed strategy. If there is limited evidence to support the proposed intervention(s), applicants may propose to pilot an innovative approach but must include and describe a plan for monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of the intervention(s).

In addition, applicants must clearly describe in their proposed strategy how they will integrate sustainability into their project strategy, beginning in the early stages of project implementation (please see Appendix B for a definition of sustainability).

Applicants are not required to develop an integrated sustainability strategy for every outcome or sub-outcome proposed, but rather, only where appropriate and needed to maximize long term impact. Applicants shall use the Sustainability Strategy Template (please see Appendix G) to show how they plan to build sustainability into their design for applicable outcomes/elements. Successful applicants will have an opportunity to update and elaborate on this template post-award.

As part of their strategy, applicants must undertake an initial assessment of any unique needs of underserved or historically marginalized populations and the most at risk or vulnerable groups and describe how any identified needs will be addressed.

Applications must also include an integrated communications strategy to support project activities. Applicants must describe how the communications strategy will promote dialogue and awareness-raising on addressing issues of child labor and

ACW. Communications strategies must demonstrate how the following are adopted into the project design: (1) assessment of the target…