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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary
Combating Child Labor in Pakistan Through Education
AGENCY: Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for
Cooperative Agreement Applications (SGA 02-05).
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This Notice Contains All of the Necessary Information and Forms
Needed To Apply for Cooperative Agreement Funding.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor
Affairs, will award up to U.S. $5 million in funds through a
cooperative agreement to an organization or organizations to develop
and implement an education project in Punjab province, Pakistan as a
means to combat child labor. The education project will work towards
reducing child labor by increasing school attendance, reducing school
dropout rates and developing labor skills for older children in areas
of high prevalence of working children. The program will integrate
children removed from child labor into educational settings, and
support improvements in the quality of transitional and non-formal
education that precedes integration into the formal school system or
vocational training. The program will build capacity and mobilize
resources to complement the Government of Pakistan's National Plan to
Combat Child Labor and Education Sector Reforms Action Plan.
DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications is July 9, 2002.
Applications must be received by 4:45 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) at
the address listed below. No exceptions to the mailing and hand-
delivery conditions set forth in this notice will be allowed.
Applications that do not meet the conditions set forth in this notice
will not be honored. Facsimile (FAX) applications will not be honored.
ADDRESSES: Application forms will not be mailed. They are published in
this Federal Register Notice, and in the Federal Register which may be
obtained from your nearest U.S. Government office or public library or
online at http://www.nara.gov/fedreg/nfpubs.html. Applications must be
delivered to: U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center,
200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N-5416, Attention: Lisa Harvey,
References: SGA 02-05, Washington, DC 20210.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Harvey. E-mail address: harvey-
lisa@dol.gov. All inquires should reference SGA 02-05. All applicants
are advised that U.S. mail delivery in the Washington, DC area has been
slow and erratic due to the recent concerns involving anthrax
contamination. All applicants must take this into consideration when
preparing to meet the application deadline. It is recommended that you
confirm receipt of your application by contacting Lisa Harvey, U.S.
Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-
4570 (this is not a toll-free number), prior to the closing deadline.
All inquiries should reference SGA 02-05.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of International Labor Affairs
(ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL or Department), announces the
availability of funds to be granted by cooperative agreement to expand
access to education in Punjab province, Pakistan to children engaged in
child labor or at risk of entering the work force. The cooperative
agreement 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 using education as a means of
reducing child labor in Pakistan.
I. Background and Program Scope
A. USDOL Support of the Global Elimination of Child Labor
The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 250
million working children between the ages of five and 14 in developing
countries, about half of whom work full-time. Full-time child workers
are generally unable to attend school, and from an early age part-time
child laborers must balance economic survival with schooling, often to
the detriment of their education.
[[Page 36245]]
The existence of child labor has many implications for a country.
Education is a key investment that has been linked to the acceleration
of a nation's productivity and socioeconomic development. Poorly
educated workers tend to earn less, live in poverty, and may need to
send their own children to work at a young age.
Since 1995, as mandated by the U.S. Congress, USDOL has supported a
worldwide technical assistance program by the International Labor
Organization's International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor
(ILO/IPEC). USDOL contributions to date to ILO/IPEC have amounted to
some $112 million, making the United States the program's largest donor
and a leader in global efforts to combat child labor. In USDOL's FY
2001 and FY 2002 appropriations, in addition to $90 million in funds
earmarked for ILO/IPEC, the Department received $74 million for an
Education Initiative that will fund programs that increase access to
quality, basic education in areas with a high incidence of child labor.
The cooperative agreement awarded under this solicitation will be
funded by this new initiative.
USDOL's Child Labor Education Initiative nurtures the development,
health, safety and enhanced future employability of children around the
world by increasing access to basic education for children removed from
child labor or at risk of entering it. Child labor elimination will
depend in part on improving access to, quality of, and relevance of
education. Without improving educational quality and relevance,
children withdrawn from child labor may not have viable alternatives
and could resort to other forms of hazardous work.
The Education Initiative has the following four goals:
1. Raise awareness of the importance of education for all children
and mobilize a wide array of actors to improve and expand education
infrastructures;
2. Strengthen formal and transitional education systems that
encourage working children and those at risk of working to attend
school;
3. Strengthen national institutions and policies on education and
child labor; and
4. Ensure the long-term sustainability of these efforts.
B. USDOL Involvement in Combating Child Labor in Pakistan
USDOL's ICLP has been involved in combating child labor in Pakistan
since 1997. Appendix C highlights some of the projects that USDOL has
supported in the country. In June 2001, the ICLP engaged in
consultations with the Pakistan Ministries of Education and Labor to
discuss means by which the Department could further support efforts to
combat child labor with funding from the USDOL's Child Labor Education
Initiative. These discussions led to an agreement between USDOL and the
Ministry of Education to finance a U.S. $5 million project to support
the education of child laborers and children at risk of entering the
child labor market in the province of Punjab, with interventions
focusing on districts with a high incidence of child labor.
The USDOL project will operate within a complex implementing
environment that is described in Appendix D. Key considerations within
this implementing environment are the barriers to education that
working children and those at risk of entering the work force must
confront. Other significant factors are Government of Pakistan policy
frameworks including the National Policy and Action Plan to Combat
Child Labor and the Education Sector Reforms Action Plan, both of which
identify strategies and support emerging approaches to addressing the
issues of child labor and barriers to education.
The objective of USDOL's continued involvement in Pakistan and the
funding provided under this solicitation is to: (1) Address barriers to
education faced by working children or those at risk of working; (2)
complement the Child Labor and Education Sector Reform Action Plans of
the Government of Pakistan, and (3) build on the achievements and
lessons learned by child labor and education projects that have already
been implemented in that country. It is USDOL's intent that Child Labor
Education Initiative funding be used to support the education component
of child labor projects of organizations already combating child labor
in Punjab province. It is also USDOL's intent to encourage innovative
ideas from other organizations that would bring more of the targeted
children into educational settings and prevent them from reentering the
labor force.
C. Barriers to Quality Education for Working Children in Pakistan
Within the context of the implementing environment described in
Appendix D, there are a number of obstacles and barriers that affect
the decisions or ability of Pakistani families, and in particular
families of working children, to send their children to school. The
barriers have an impact on the high rate of dropout from school and
entry of children into the labor force at an early age also described
in Appendix D. The applicant needs to consider these barriers in the
development of responses to this solicitation. Some of the major
barriers to education in Pakistan include:
1. Lack of Knowledge and Awareness
There are a number of factors in this category that act as
impediments for working children to gain access to school. These
include:
Parents' illiteracy and resignation
Parents of working children in Pakistan are often themselves
uneducated or illiterate. Because of the multiple economic and social
constraints that they and their children face, they are often reluctant
to send their children to school rather than to work. Furthermore, they
may also feel powerless to changing conditions that have reproduced
themselves for generations, and that promote child labor. Given few
other social or economic options, some families, including children
themselves, may also highly value the contribution that children make
to family survival.
Lack of awareness by social partners of their potential
role in reducing child labor and promoting school attendance
Many social partners including NGOs, the media, the military, the
corporate sector, faith-based organizations and religious leaders,
local authorities, Pakistani expatriates, and even private individuals
may be generally aware of child labor or the lack of access of these
children to school, but certain partners may not understand or have
enough information on the effects of child labor on society, and on the
specific deficiencies that manifest themselves in individual
communities. They may also not know how they could contribute to
concrete actions to reduce child labor and promote school attendance in
those communities. Often more knowledge of specific needs may be a
catalyst that enables social partners to act and to mobilize their
respective networks to combat the problem and propose viable solutions.
Lack of awareness of new child labor and education
policies and strategies
National Child Labor and Education policies and action plans, and
those of the President Musharraf's Task Force on Human Development
(TFHD), are relatively new and may not be well known or understood by
individuals, local leaders and communities. This knowledge includes the
practical aspects of decentralization promoted in education sector
reform, and the targets
[[Page 36246]]
and strategies that the government has chosen to reduce child labor and
achieve Education for All Targets (to which the Government of Pakistan
committed as part of the 2000 World Education Forum's Dakar Framework
for Action). This lack of knowledge may inhibit effective
implementation at the local level of national policies and plans.
2. Education System Constraints
There are a number of barriers of the education system that lead
children to drop out of school and join the work force. These include:
Lack of knowledge on children's education needs
Children have different learning styles and abilities. If these
differences are not understood, teachers and the school system may not
be able to improve and maximize learning outcomes. For example,
preliminary research by UNICEF in Punjab indicates that some children
may drop out early and enter the labor force because of learning
disabilities. Girls and boys, particularly those who work or who have
been removed from work, may need specific approaches to ensure their
more effective attendance and participation in school. Yet many
teachers and school administrators in Pakistan may not fully understand
these factors that would lead to a more successful integration or
reintegration of children into school settings.
Irrelevant curriculum
A recent study in Pakistan indicated that irrelevant curriculum and
harsh conditions of learning contribute to a low completion rate and a
high drop out rate (SPARC, The State of Pakistan's Children, 1999,
Islamabad, January, 2000, p. 19). A common method of teaching in
Pakistan is based on the rote memorization of lessons with little or no
attention given to the student's cognitive development and skills
associated with reading, writing, math and science, and their eventual
practical application to life and work. With school having such little
relevance to the improvement of their lives, many parents may feel that
it is unnecessary to send their children to school because the
education they are receiving is not preparing them for a productive
future. The children are then removed from school and enter the work
force.
Inadequately trained teachers with low motivation
Teachers in government-sponsored schools (where many working
children or children at risk of working attend) are largely untrained,
under-paid and have little or no previous classroom experience before
being hired. In Pakistan, hiring of teachers and school administrators
may be based on favoritism rather than skills. Many teachers are not
familiar with curriculum development or basic classroom instruction.
Even teachers working for NGOs involved in child labor projects have
had relatively little training. Furthermore, many rural teachers face
difficult working conditions with large class sizes in one room
requiring the teacher to be involved in multi-grade instruction. At the
same time lack of supervision, training and motivation by school
administrators exacerbates high teacher absenteeism. Under these
conditions, it is not surprising that child labor may appear to be a
better option for families.
Limited access to quality vocational education
The parents of many older children and the children themselves
often realize that they cannot or will not finish primary school and
continue onto secondary or university education. Often technical or
vocational education is a preferred option. In Pakistan there are many
challenges to obtaining good vocational education. Government programs
are not sufficient relative to need, are not necessarily of high
quality, nor do they lead to employment in leading sectors. They also
tend to focus on preparing boys. Programs run by the private sector or
employers associations, such as the Skills Development Council of
Punjab, tend to be of higher quality and lead to better employment
after completion. This is in part because of the labor market research
done by the private sector before launching skills training programs.
Yet working children may not be able to gain access to these programs
because they are unaffordable, or because they do not meet minimum
literacy and numeracy requirements. If they are school dropouts, they
likely do not meet the minimum age or prerequisite academic standards.
Ill prepared academically and unable to obtain more desirable and
marketable skills, older children, although still below legal working
age, may have little recourse than to enter into less attractive
apprenticeships or employment that may be exploitative and abusive.
3. Institutional and Policy Challenges
Lack of data on educational access and performance to
inform policy
There are many challenges to estimating the number of children
engaged in child labor, and even less is known about their education
needs, and the correlations among school attendance and performance,
drop out and child labor. This is one reason why Government of Pakistan
action plans on child labor and education identify database and
information collection as areas of need. Lack of data is a major gap to
developing improved policies and programs.
Limited coordination among social actors
Pakistan's National Policy and Action Plan to Combat Child Labor
highlights the importance of coordination among social actors. The
experience of the National Steering Committee formed as part of ILO/
IPEC efforts to address child labor show that it is a continuing
challenge to achieve and sustain coordination, particularly at both
national and provincial levels, among different government agencies,
non-governmental organizations and employers.
Limited local government capacity to implement devolution
and decentralization of education
Although decentralization of education has begun as part of the
sector's reform, it will test the abilities of local government
structures. These organizations may not have experience or capacity in
many areas such as educational planning, resource allocation,
monitoring, and accountability to communities for educational quality.
Limited community capacity to implement decentralization
and improve monitoring and performance of education
The education reform counts on community structures and
organizations to improve educational quality and performance. For
example, the Local Government Ordinance of 2001 calls for the
establishment of Citizen Community Boards and Monitoring Committees in
order to ensure effective community participation. Other community
organizations include School Management Committees (SMCs), School
Councils, Community Public Partnerships (CPPs), Parent Teacher
Associations (PTAs) and mother's groups. Yet in many communities in
Punjab province these organizations are non-existent, embryonic or
weak.
The level of inequality found in the rural areas of Punjab also
affects community capacity to monitor the quality of education. The
rural population tends to be marginalized from the county's mainstream
economy and political influence. A majority of children in rural areas
in Punjab enroll in government-sponsored schools, many of which are not
suited to deliver quality education. Those at the bottom of the social
ladder may also feel powerless to influence the quality of the
education received by their children. This phenomenon explains the
[[Page 36247]]
emphasis that Child Labor and Education Sector Reform Action Plans give
to community mobilization and empowerment.
4. Resource Constraints
Poverty and the inability to pay fees associated with
school attendance
One reason for the high school dropout rate is that parents with
low wages are unable to cover the fees associated with paying for
textbooks, supplies and other school costs. In Pakistan these direct
costs can reach up to 20 percent of a family's income, making education
unaffordable to many families. When these fees are compounded with the
lost wages of the child removed from labor, the costs are prohibitive
and are a disincentive to school attendance.
Nonexistent or poor school infrastructure
The abject condition of Pakistan's physical school infrastructure
due to misappropriation or lack of resources has also seriously
weakened the county's education system. According to the U.S. Embassy
in Islamabad (U.S. Embassy, Pakistan, ``The Dismal State of Education
in Pakistan,'' p. 3), it is estimated that in Pakistan there are 19,000
schools that do not have any type of formal structure and are simply
known as ``shelter-less'' schools. Furthermore, in some places there
are no schools or ``ghost schools'' that should have been constructed
but were not because of misappropriation of resources. The Embassy also
reports that approximately 93,000 schools have no electricity, 68
percent lack running water, and 70 percent lack latrines. The lack of
proper hygienic facilities has played a key role in parents not
allowing their daughters to attend school.
In the case of child workers or children removed from labor, there
may not be alternative schools or infrastructure to support non-formal
or transitional education that precedes their integration into formal
or vocational school. For these children the Ministry of Education has
encouraged the use of government school facilities. The infrastructure
at these facilities is often deficient. Also, since classes are often
held outside of normal school hours children may be too tired after
work to fully concentrate. Children may thus not even complete non-
formal and transitional programs and return to child labor.
Limited resources for education
Although the public sector resources devoted to education have
dramatically increased under the education sector reform plan, they are
still insufficient relative to need and the Government of Pakistan has
admitted that the public sector cannot do it alone. In the case of
resources devoted to the education of child laborers, these resources
have also been limited when compared to needs. Schools that have opened
under child labor projects have tended to generate demand for education
by families of children not included in the project. For example, many
of the beneficiaries of the schools for child carpet weavers are girls.
Although parents have enthusiastically enrolled them in project-
sponsored schools, they also complain that there are no similar
facilities for their boys who may not be able to go to school at all.
Because of resource constraints the government has encouraged other
alternatives that mobilize resources for education. These include those
that bring in the private sector and civil society as detailed in
Appendix D.
All of the above-cited barriers to school attendance manifest
themselves acutely in the province of Punjab where this project will be
implemented. Punjab has one of the largest populations in Pakistan and
one of its most widespread problems is illiteracy. A 1998 government
census reported the total literacy rate for rural areas in Punjab to be
just above 40 percent, while the literacy rate in urban areas of the
province is nearly 65 percent. The recent National Literacy Campaign,
which is being sponsored by the government and will run from 2001-2004,
is aimed at increasing literacy and granting access to quality
education.
II. Authority
ILAB is authorized to award and administer this program as set
forth in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001, Public Law 106-554,
114 Stat. 2763A-10 (2000).
III. Application Process
A. Eligible Applicants
Any commercial, international, or non-profit organization capable
of successfully developing and implementing education programs for
child labor is eligible for this cooperative agreement. Although only
one cooperative agreement will be awarded, partnerships of more than
one organization are also eligible, and applicants are strongly
encouraged to consider working with organizations already in Pakistan
(See Appendix E). In the case of partnerships, a lead organization must
be identified. The capability of an applicant or applicants to perform
necessary aspects of this solicitation will be determined under the
Rating Criteria.
Please note that eligible cooperative agreement applicants must not
be classified under the Internal Revenue Code as a 501(c)(4) Entity.
See 26 U.S.C. 501 (c)(4). According to section 18 of the Lobbying
Disclosure Act of 1995, an organization, as described in section
501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that engages in
lobbying activities will not be eligible for the receipt of federal
funds constituting an award, grant, or loan.
B. Submission of Applications
One (1) ink-signed original, complete application in English plus
two (2) copies of the application, must be submitted to the U.S.
Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, 200 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Room N-5416, Washington, DC 20210, not later than 4:45
p.m. Eastern Time, July 9, 2002. Accompanying documents must also be in
English. To aid with review of applications, USDOL also encourages
applicants to submit two additional paper copies of the application
(five total). Applicants who do not provide additional copies will not
be penalized.
The application must consist of two (2) separate parts. Part I of
the application must contain the Standard Form (SF) 424, ``Application
for Federal Assistance'' (Appendix A) (The entry on SF 424 for the
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA) is 17.700) and
sections A-F of the Budget Information Forms SF 424A (Appendix B). Part
II must contain a technical proposal that demonstrates capabilities in
accordance with the Statement of Work and the selection criteria.
To be considered responsive to this solicitation, the application
must consist of the above-mentioned separate parts, not to exceed 30
single-sided (8 \1/2\# x 11#), double-spaced, 10-12 pitch typed pages.
ANY APPLICATIONS THAT DO NOT CONFORM TO THESE STANDARDS MAY BE DEEMED
NON-RESPONSIVE TO THIS SOLICITATION AND MAY NOT BE EVALUATED. Standard
forms and attachments are not included in the page limit. Each
application must include a table of contents and an abstract
summarizing the proposal in not more than two (2) pages. These pages
are also not included in the page limits.
Upon completion of negotiations, the individual signing the SF 424
on behalf of the applicant must be authorized to bind the applicant.
C. Acceptable Methods of Submission
The grant application package must be received at the designated
place by
[[Page 36248]]
the date and time specified or it will not be considered. Any
application received at the Office of Procurement Services at 4:45 pm
Eastern Time, July 9, 2002, will not be considered unless it is
received before the award is made and:
1. it was sent by registered or certified mail not later than the
fifth calendar day before July 9, 2002;
2. it is determined by the Government that the late receipt was due
solely to mishandling by the Government after receipt at the U.S.
Department of Labor at the address indicated; or
3. it was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day
Service-Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5 pm at the place of
mailing two (2) working days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays,
prior to July 9, 2002.
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
receiving clerk on the ``Express Mail Next Day Service-Post Office to
Addressee'' label and the postmark on the envelope or wrapper and 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
the U.S. Department of Labor is the date/time stamp of the Procurement
Services Center on the application wrapper or other documentary
evidence or receipt maintained by that office.
Applications sent by e-mail, telegram, or facsimile (FAX) will not
be accepted. Applications sent by other delivery services, such as
Federal Express, UPS, etc., will be accepted, however, the applicant
bears the responsibility for timely submission. Because of delay in the
receipt of mail in the Washington, DC area, it is recommended that you
confirm receipt of your application by contacting Lisa Harvey, U.S.
Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-
4570 (this is not a toll-free number), prior to the closing deadline.
All inquiries should reference SGA 02-05.
D. Funding Levels
Up to US $5 million is available for this program. Although USDOL
will award only one cooperative agreement (hereafter referred to as
``grant''), a partnership of more than one organization may apply to
implement the program. (See Section III.B, Submission of Applications).
E. Program Duration
The duration of the activities funded by this SGA is four (4)
years. The start date of activities will be negotiated upon awarding of
grant.
IV. Requirements
A. Statement of Work
The applicant will propose creative and innovative approaches aimed
at reducing child labor in Pakistan by increasing school attendance and
developing youth labor skills in areas of high prevalence of
economically active children. In proposing approaches the applicant
should explain how the activities or services provided under this grant
will address the barriers to education cited in Section I.C above and,
where relevant, suggest ways to use emerging approaches to address
these barriers (see Appendix D). The project's geographical target area
is the province of Punjab, which has a high incidence of child labor
and low educational access. The project may include the districts of
Faisalabad, Kasur, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and other districts to be
determined with the Ministries of Education and Labor during the first
three months of the project. The exact number of communities and
children to benefit from this Education Initiative project will be
identified in collaboration with local authorities, and will support
Pakistan's decentralization and devolution strategies, the federal
Ministry of Education's Education Sector Reforms Action Plan, and the
Ministry of Labor's Action Plan on Child Labor. The number of
communities and beneficiaries chosen should correspond to the budget
proposed for the major activities deemed essential to desired project
outcomes.
In developing a proposal, the applicant should take into account
the challenges to preventing child labor, reintegrating working
children into educational settings, promoting school attendance,
addressing the high dropout rate, and improving school relevance. They
should also consider the implementing environment in Pakistan outlined
in Appendix D of this solicitation, and background information (See
Appendix F) available from Lisa Harvey, U.S. Department of Labor,
Procurement Services Center, telephone (202) 693-4570 (this is not a
toll-free number), e-mail address: harvey-lisa@dol.gov. All inquires
should reference SGA 02-05.
The applicant will propose approaches that will meet the education
needs of the identified target beneficiaries in Pakistan: (1) Children
of primary school age (ages five-ten) through grade 5 at risk of
dropping out of school and entering child labor, (2) children under age
10 not attending school and already engaged in child labor, and (3)
older youth (ages 10-18) requiring pre-vocational and vocational
education to enhance job and self-employment skills. The approach
suggested by the applicant will include actions that promote an
enabling environment at the national and provincial levels, and
specific interventions at the local level in support of the education
of target children. The expected outcomes of the project will be to:
(1) Decrease school dropout of primary school aged children who are at
risk of entering the labor force by increasing the quality of
education; (2) increase educational opportunities (including
mainstreaming into the formal school or vocational system) for primary
school age children who have dropped out of school and have entered the
labor force; and (3) increase access of older children (above age ten)
to skills and vocational education leading to improved employment at
legal working age. Within these groups, special attention should be
given to children in the worst forms of child labor. The applicant is
also encouraged to include as project beneficiaries children in areas
where USDOL-funded IPEC project are operating. (See Appendix C).
The project shall support the goals of USDOL's Child Labor
Education Initiative: (1) Raise awareness of the importance of
education for all children and mobilize a wide array of actors to
improve and expand education infrastructures; (2) Strengthen formal and
transitional education systems that
[[Page 36249]]
encourage working children and those at risk of working to attend
schools; (3) Strengthen national institutions and policies on education
and child labor; and (4) Ensure the long-term sustainability of these
efforts.
In order to avoid duplication, enhance collaboration, expand
impact, and develop synergies, the organization(s) awarded the
cooperative agreement (hereafter referred to as ``Grantee'') will
consult with Pakistani stakeholders in developing project
interventions. The Federal Ministry of Education is the lead ministry
for this initiative, but close coordination and consultation will also
be required with the federal Ministry of Labor, Secretary of Labor and
Manpower-Punjab, Punjab Commission for Child Welfare and Development,
the village, local and District Coordination Officer, non-governmental
organizations, national steering/advisory committees on child labor and
education, and child laborers, those at risk and their families.
Below is a summary of specific requirements to guide applicants in
the development of responses to this solicitation. Although the USDOL
is open to all proposals for innovative solutions to address the
challenges of providing access to education to the target population,
the applicant must at the minimum propose approaches to address
barriers to education in the following areas of implementation:
1. Awareness raising to reduce child labor and promote school
attendance
This component aims to use awareness raising campaigns to inform
and mobilize strong local and national commitment to support concrete
actions that reduce child labor and promote school attendance.
a. Development of communication strategy. The applicant should
propose an approach to develop a communication strategy to raise
awareness and influence behavior of multiple key actors to promote
school attendance and reduce child labor. On the basis of the strategy,
the applicant should propose key audiences for awareness raising
campaigns.
b. Approaches to community mobilization. The applicant should
suggest approaches to mobilize local communities to increase parental
participation and encourage the establishing and strengthening of
community structures. The approach can include ideas to promote the
development of working and task-oriented multi-sectoral or public-
private partnerships at the community and regional levels to combat
child labor, promote school attendance, and improve education
infrastructure in areas of high incidence of child labor. The suggested
approach should support Pakistan's decentralization and devolution
process, and Local Government Ordinance of 2001.
c. Mobilization of Pakistani expatriates. The applicant should
propose how to support the Ministry of Education's newly developed
initiative aimed at facilitating support to education in target areas
of project intervention by Pakistani expatriates. The applicant should
propose how to coordinate this strategy with the Ministry of Labor and
Overseas Pakistanis.
2. Strengthening of education systems to reduce child labor,
promote school attendance, and reintegrate child laborers into
education settings
Strategies to strengthen the education systems to address needs of
target children should focus on: (1) Younger children still within the
formal education system to prevent their dropout into child labor and
increase their completion of primary school; (2) out-of-school children
of primary school age who are working, and (3) older children (above
age 10) to either reintegrate them into school, or improve their job
and self-employment skills once they reach legal working age. The
latter approach may have to vary depending on the age of the children
and their former experience in the education system. As part of its
proposed strategies the applicant should suggest activities in the
areas listed below and, if deemed important, alternate innovative areas
not identified in this solicitation.
a. Identification of beneficiaries. The applicant should propose an
approach to identify the number and location of target communities,
interventions and the numbers of children to be targeted. The applicant
should propose an approach to collect baseline data on these
beneficiaries.
b. Professional development for teachers and administrators. The
applicant should identify how to improve the knowledge, skills, morale
and professionalism of teachers and education administrators so that
they may better address the education needs of the target population,
especially children who have dropped out to work or have never been to
school. To encourage sustainability, suggested approaches to teacher
training should indicate what links might be forged with existing
teacher training institutions in Pakistan.
c. Methods to assess learning, aptitudes and skills. The applicant
should suggest a simple, yet effective approach to assess the learning,
aptitudes and skills of children to be targeted by the project. In
developing the approach, the applicant should indicate how it would
design the program so that it relates to the goals of Pakistan's
National Education Assessment System (NEAS). The applicant should also
identify what instruments it might use for data collection, how the
data would be synthesized, and how it would be fed back to educators
and planners working in the areas of education and child labor.
d. Development of targeted vocational education programs. The
applicant should suggest approaches to develop and implement pre-
vocational and vocational training skills for employment and self-
employment that lead to enhanced future employability of youth. The
applicant should also suggest what approaches might be used for job
placement or self-employment after training.
e. Development of school enrichment programs. The applicant should
suggest means to develop school enrichment programs or other programs
that would motivate parents to send their children to school. The
approaches suggested should be innovative and can include public-
private partnerships, development of volunteer programs, or other
incentives.
3. Strengthening of institutions and policies to reduce child
labor, promote school attendance, and reintegrate child laborers into
education settings.
This component should promote approaches to create accountability
mechanisms to document the problem and monitor (in partnerships with
civil society organizations) the progress in reaching target
communities in the prevention of child labor through school retention,
and reintegration of children into education settings in lieu of work.
The purpose of institutional strengthening would be to develop
responsive, participatory and accountable systems of educational
governance and management that directly impact the education of target
children. Specifically the applicant should propose approaches to
implementation in the following areas:
a. Data Collection and Policy Analysis. The applicant should
suggest an approach to improve the capacity of governmental and non-
governmental organizations to collect data to inform policy on
education and child labor and allocate government resources to further
increase the quality of education. These data could include
correlations among school attendance, performance, dropout and child
labor. The approach should take into consideration data
[[Page 36250]]
collection systems of the Ministries of Education and Labor.
b. Strengthening Capacity to Implement Decentralization. The
applicant should suggest which major institutions and individuals could
be targeted, and what types of capacity building activities could be
undertaken to enable them to engage in actions that benefit target
children and their families and support the Ministry of Education's
decentralization strategy. As part of this approach the applicant
should propose how the project could provide assistance to strengthen
the capacity of community organizations or form new ones that would
effectively advocate for quality education for target children.
c. Strengthening of Monitoring Capacity. The applicant should
suggest approaches to strengthen the capacity of government and key
civil society and community organizations to monitor and follow up on
the education of child laborers and children at risk of being recruited
into the work force. The applicant should suggest how community
monitoring would complement and strengthen government monitoring, and
how this capacity would be developed.
d. Facilitation of Inter-Institutional Coordination. The applicant
should suggest what approaches could be used to facilitate and enhance
inter-institutional coordination capacity of major actors working in
education and child labor. These would include governmental and non-
governmental organizations. Specifically, the applicant will identify
what would be the expected outcome of the improved coordination (e.g.,
improved implementation of existing policies and laws on school
attendance and child labor in target areas of project intervention;
coordinated planning, etc.).
4. Resource Mobilization.
This component will build capacity to mobilize resources for public
or other schools in areas of high child labor where project
interventions are located.
a. Internal Resource Mobilization. The applicant should suggest
ways to mobilize resources for education within Pakistan such as
through public-private partnerships like the Adopt-a-School programs
(see Appendix D), corporate and private sector contributions and
philanthropy, volunteer programs, and resource mobilization by
community and faith-based organizations. These resources would be used
specifically to address the education needs of child laborers and
children at risk of entering child labor. The approach suggested should
include ways in which gaps and barriers to the education of target
children would be identified; how education infrastructure might be
built and/or repaired; what incentives would be provided for training
and professional development of school staff members, and how schools
supported by these efforts would make education relevant and inclusive
of those children who have been traditionally excluded from quality
education.
b. Cost of Schooling. Since the direct cost of schooling is a major
problem for families of working children in Pakistan, the applicant
will propose approaches to address this impediment.
c. Mobilizing Resources from Overseas Pakistanis. The applicant
should propose a mechanism to support and implement the Ministry of
Education's newly developed initiative aimed at facilitating support to
education by Pakistani expatriates. The applicant should show how the
proposed approach would be linked to the awareness-raising strategy
previously proposed, and how it would be targeted specifically to
schools benefiting from the project interventions.
In implementing the proposed scope of work, the applicant should
design approaches that encourage sustainability of impact on
individuals, organizations and system-wide.
In addition to meeting these requirements, the Grantee also will be
expected to monitor the implementation of the program, report to USDOL
on a quarterly basis, and evaluate program results. The grant will
include funds to plan, implement and evaluate programs and activities,
conduct various studies pertinent to project implementation, and to
establish education baselines to measure program results. The Grantee
must develop annual work plans that will be approved by USDOL.
Corresponding indicators of performance will also be developed by the
Grantee and approved by USDOL.
B. Deliverables
Unless otherwise indicated, the Grantee must submit copies of all
required reports to ILAB by the specified due dates. Other documents,
such as project design documents, are to be submitted by mutually
agreed upon deadlines.
1. Project Design. A project document to be established by ILAB in
the logical framework format will be used, and will include a
background/justification section, project strategy (objectives,
outputs, activities, indicators, means of verification), project
implementation timetable and project budget. The project design will be
drawn from the proposal written in response to this solicitation and
negotiations with ILAB on final design. The document will also include
sections that address coordination strategies, project management and
sustainability. The time for delivery of this document will be
negotiated at the time of the award.
2. Technical and Financial Progress Reports. The Grantee must
furnish a typed technical report to ILAB on a quarterly basis by 31
March, 30 June, 30 September, and 31 December. The Grantee must also
furnish a separate financial report (SF 272) to ILAB on the quarterly
basis mentioned above. The format for the technical progress report
will be the format developed by ILAB and must contain the following
information:
a. For each project objective, an accurate account of activities
carried out under that objective during the reporting period;
b. An accounting of staff and any subcontractor hours expended;
c. An accounting of travel performed under the cooperative
agreement during the reporting period, including purpose of trip,
persons or organizations contacted, and benefits derived;
d. A description of current problems that may impede performance,
and proposed corrective action;
e. Future actions planned in support of each project objective;
f. Aggregate amount of costs incurred during the reporting period;
and
g. Progress on indicators (to be reported annually).
3. Annual Work Plan. An annual work plan will be developed within
two months of project award and approved by ILAB so as to ensure
coordination with other relevant actors in Pakistan. Subsequent annual
work plans will be delivered no later than one year after the previous
one.
4. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. A monitoring and evaluation plan
will be developed, in collaboration with ILAB, including beginning and
ending dates for the project, planned and actual dates for mid-term
review, and final end of project evaluations. The plan will identify
indicators of performance to be reported annually. The monitoring plan
will be prepared after completion of baseline surveys, including
revision of indicators provided in project document, targets, and means
of verification.
5. Evaluation Reports. The Grantee and the Grant Officer's
Technical Representative (GOTR) will determine on a case-by-case basis
whether mid-term evaluations will be conducted by an internal or
external evaluation team. All final evaluations will be external in
nature. The Grantee must respond to any comments and recommendations
[[Page 36251]]
resulting from the review of the mid-term report.
C. Production of Deliverables
1. Materials Prepared Under the Cooperative Agreement. The Grantee
must submit to ILAB all media-related and educational materials
developed by it or its sub-contractors before they are reproduced,
published, or used. ILAB considers that educational materials include
brochures, pamphlets, videotapes, slide-tape shows, curricula, and any
other training materials used in the program. ILAB will review
materials for technical accuracy. The Grantee must obtain prior
approval from the Grant Officer from all materials developed or
purchased under this cooperative agreement. All materials produced by
Grantee must be provided to ILAB in a digital format for possible
publication by ILAB.
2. Acknowledgement of USDOL Funding. In all circumstances the
following must be displayed on printed materials:
``Preparation of this item was funded by the United States
Department of Labor under Cooperative Agreement No. E-9-X-X-XXXX.''
When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals,
bid solicitations, and other documents describing projects or programs
funded in whole or in part with Federal money, all Grantees receiving
Federal funds, including State and local governments and recipients of
Federal research grants, must clearly state:
1. The percentage of the total costs of the program of project
which will be financed with Federal money;
2. The dollar amount of Federal funds for the project or program;
and
3.The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the
project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.
In consultation with ILAB, USDOL's role will be identified as one
of the following:
a. The USDOL logo may be applied to USDOL-funded material prepared
for world-wide distribution, including posters, videos, pamphlets,
research documents, national survey results, impact evaluations, best
practice reports, and other publications of global interest. The
Grantee will consult with USDOL on whether the logo should be used on
any such items prior to final draft or final preparation for
distribution. In no event will the USDOL logo be placed on any item
until USDOL has given the grantee written permission to use the logo,
after obtaining appropriate internal USDOL approval for use of the logo
on the item.
b. If ILAB determines the use of the logo is not appropriate and
does not give written permission, the following notice must appear on
the document:
``The document does not necessarily reflect the views or policies
of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names,
commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S.
Government.''
D. Administrative Requirements
1. General. Grantee organizations are subject to applicable Federal
laws (including provisions of appropriations law) and the applicable
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars. Determinations of
allowable costs will be made in accordance with the applicable Federal
cost principles. The cooperative agreement awarded under the SGA is
subject to the following administrative standards and provision, if
applicable:
29 CFR Part 36--Federal Standards for Nondiscrimination on the
Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal
Financial Assistance.
29 CFR Part 93--New Restrictions on Lobbying.
29 CFR Part 95--Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and
Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other
Non-Profit Organizations, and with Commercial Organizations, Foreign
Governments, Organizations Under the Jurisdiction of Foreign
Governments and International Organizations.
29 CFR Part 96--Federal Standards for Audit of Federally Funded
Grants, Contracts and Agreements.
29 CFR Part 98--Federal Standards for Government-wide Debarment and
Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Government-wide Requirements for Drug-
Free Workplace (Grants).
29 CFR Part 99--Federal Standards for Audits of States, Local
Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.
2. Sub-contracts. Sub-contracts must be awarded in accordance with
29 CFR 95.40-48. In compliance with Executive Orders 12876 as amended,
13230, 12928 and 13021 as amended, the Grantee is strongly encouraged
to provide sub-contracting opportunities to Historically Black Colleges
and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and
Universities.
3. Key Personnel. The applicant shall list individual(s) who has
(have) been designated by the Grantee as having primary responsibility
for the conduct and completion of all project work. The applicant will
submit written proof that key personnel will be available to begin work
on the project no later than three weeks after award. The Grantee
agrees to inform the GOTR whenever it appears impossible for these
individual(s) to continue work on the project as planned. The Grantee
may nominate substitute personnel and submit the nominations to the
GOTR; however, the Grantee must obtain prior approval from the Grant
Officer for all key personnel. If the Grant Officer is unable to
approve the personnel change, he/she reserves the right to terminate
the cooperative agreement.
4. Encumbrance of Cooperative Agreement Funds. Cooperative
agreement funds may not be encumbered/obligated by the Grantee before
or after the cooperative agreement obligations period may be liquidated
(paid out) after the end of the cooperative agreement period. Such
encumbrances/obligations shall involve only specified commitments for
which a need existed during the grant period and which are supported by
approved contracts, purchase orders, requisitions, invoices, bills, or
other evidence of liability consistent with the Grantee's purchasing
procedures and incurred within the cooperative agreement period. All
encumbrances/obligations incurred during the cooperative agreement
period shall be liquidated within 90 days after the end of the grant
period, if practicable.
5. Site Visits. USDOL, through its authorized representatives, has
the right at all reasonable times, to make site visits to review
project accomplishments and management control systems and to provide
such technical assistance as may be required. If USDOL makes any site
visit on the premises of a Grantee or sub-contractor(s) under this
grant, the Grantee shall provide and shall require its sub-contractors
to provide all reasonable facilities and assistance for the safety and
convenience of the Government representatives in the performance of
their duties. All site visits and evaluations shall be performed in a
manner that will not unduly delay the work.
V. Review and Selection of Applications for Grant Award
A. The Review Process
USDOL will screen all applications to determine whether all
required elements are present and clearly identifiable. Each complete
application will be objectively rated by a technical panel against the
criteria described in this announcement. Applications are advised that
the panel recommendations to the Grant Officer are advisory in nature.
The Grant Officer may elect to select a Grantee(s) on the basis of the
[[Page 36252]]
initial proposal submission; or, the Grant Officer may establish a
competitive or technically acceptable range for the purpose of
selecting qualified applicants. If deemed appropriate, following the
Grant Officer's call for the preparation and receipt of final revisions
of proposals, the evaluation process described above will be repeated
to consider such revisions. The Grant Officer will make final selection
determination based on what is most advantageous to the Government,
considering factors such as: panel findings and the availability of
funds, and other factors. The Grant Officer's determination for award
under this SGA 02-05 is final.
Note: Selection of an organization as a cooperative agreement
recipient does not constitute approval of the cooperative agreement
application as submitted. Before the actual cooperative agreement is
awarded, USDOL may enter into negotiations about such items as
program components, funding levels, and administrative systems. If
the negotiations do not result in an acceptable submission, the
Grant Officer reserves the right to terminate the negotiation and
decline to fund the proposal.
B. Rating Criteria and Selection
The technical panel will review applications against the various
criteria on the basis of 100 points with an additional five points
available for non-federal or leveraged resources.
The factors are presented in the order of emphasis that they will
receive.
1. Approach, Understanding of the Issue, and Budget Plan (40
points).
a. Overview. This section of the proposal must explain:
(1) The applicant's proposed innovative method for performing all
the specific areas of work requirements presented in this solicitation.
(2) The expected outcomes over the period of performance for each
of the tasks; and
(3) The approach for producing the expected outcomes.
The applicant must describe in detail the proposed approach to
comply with each requirement in Section IV.A of this solicitation,
including all tasks and methods to be utilized to implement the
project. Also, the applicant must explain the rationale for using the
approach. In addition, this section of the application must demonstrate
the applicant's thorough knowledge and understanding of the issues
involved in providing education to children engaged in child labor or
those at risk of being recruited into the labor force; best-practice
solutions to address their needs; and the implementing environment in
Pakistan.
b. Implementation Plan. The applicant must submit an implementation
plan, preferably with a visual such as a Gantt chart for the project in
Pakistan. The implementation plan should list the outcomes, objectives
and activities during the life of the project, and scheduling of time
and staff starting with the execution of the grant and ending with the
final report. In describing the implementation plan, the applicant must
address the following points:
(1) Describe the use of existing or potential infrastructure and
use of qualified personnel, including qualified nationals, to implement
the project. The applicant also must include a project organizational
chart, demonstrating management structure, key personnel positions, and
indicating proposed links with Government, civil society leaders,
educators, and other significant local actors.
(2) Develop a list of activities and explain how each relates to
the overall development objective of reducing child labor in Pakistan
through education.
(3) Explain how appropriate awareness raising, training and
pedagogic materials will be developed.
(4) Demonstrate how the organization will strengthen national
institutions and policies on education and to combat child labor.
(5) Demonstrate how the organization would systematically report on
project performance to measure the achievement of the project
objective(s).
(6) Demonstrate how the organization would build national and local
capacity to ensure project efforts to reduce child labor and the
effects of child labor through the provision of education are sustained
after completion of the project.
c. Budget Plan. Develop a country-specific budget of up to US $5
million for the implementation of the project in Pakistan. This section
of the proposal must explain the costs for performing all of the
requirements presented in this solicitation and for producing all
required reports and other deliverables presented in this solicitation;
costs must include labor, equipment, travel, and other related costs.
Preference may be given to applicants with lower administrative costs.
d. Management and Staff Loading Plan. This section also must
include a management and staff loading plan. The management plan is to
include the following:
(1) A project organization chart and accompanying narrative which
differentiates between elements of the applicant's staff and sub-
contractors or consultants who will be retained;
(2) A description of the functional relationship between elements
of the project's organization; and
(3) The identity of the individual responsible for project
management and the lines of authority between this individual and other
elements of the project.
The staff loading plan must identify all key tasks and the person-
days required to complete each task. Labor estimates for each task must
be broken down by individuals assigned to the task, including sub-
contractors and consultants. All key tasks must be charted to show time
required to perform them by months or weeks.
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) and
with ILAB budget requirements contained in the application instructions
in Section III of this solicitation.
2. Experience and Qualifications of the Organization (35 points).
The evaluation criteria is this category are as follows:
a. The organization applying for the award has experience in basic,
non-formal and vocational education programs that address issues of
access, quality and policy reform for working children.
b. The organization has a field presence in Pakistan, or could
rapidly establish an office that gives it the capability to work
directly with government ministries, educators, civil society leaders,
and other local organizations, e.g., community-based or faith-based
groups; the organization can document that it has already established
relations of this nature in Pakistan or can show that it has the
capacity to readily establish such relations.
The proposal must include information about previous grants or
contracts relevant to this solicitation including:
a. The organization for which the work was done;
b. A contact person in that organization with their current phone
number;
c. The dollar value of the grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement for the project;
d. The time frame and professional effort involved in the project;
e. A brief summary of the work performed; and
f. A brief summary of accomplishments.
This information on previous grants and contracts shall be provided
in
[[Page 36253]]
appendices and will not count in the 30-page maximum page requirement.
3. Experience and Qualifications of Key Personnel (25 points).
This section of the application must include sufficient information
to judge the quality and competence of staff proposed to be assigned to
the project to assure that they meet the required qualifications of the
individuals committed to the project. Accordingly, in its evaluation of
the applicant's application, USDOL will place emphasis on the
applicant's commitment to personnel qualified for the work involved in
accomplishing the assigned tasks. Information provided on the
experience and educational background of personnel must indicate the
following:
a. The identity of Key Personnel assigned to the project. ``Key
Personnel'' are staff who are essential to the successful operation of
the project and completion of the proposed work and, therefore, may not
be replaced or have their hours reduced without the approval of the
Grant Officer.
b. The educational background and experience of all staff to be
assigned to the project.
c. The special capabilities of staff that demonstrate prior
experience in organizing, managing and performing similar efforts.
d. The current employment status of staff and availability for this
project. The applicant must also indicate whether the proposed work
will be performed by persons currently employed or is dependent upon
planned recruitment or subcontracting. Key Personnel must sign letters
of agreement to serve on the project, and indicate availability to
commence work within three weeks of grant award.
The following information must be furnished:
a. The applicant must designate a Project Director (Key Personnel)
to oversee the project and be responsible for implementation of the
requirements of the cooperative agreement. The Project Director must
have a minimum of three years of professional experience in a
leadership role in implementation of complex basic education programs
in developing countries in areas such as education policy; approaches
to decentralization of education; improving educational quality and
access; teacher training and materials development; education
assessment of disadvantaged students; development of community
participation in the improvement of basic education; and monitoring and
evaluation of basic education projects. Points will be given for
candidates with additional years of experience. Preferred candidates
will also have knowledge of child labor issues and experience in the
development of non-formal, formal, and vocational education of children
removed from child labor.
b. The applicant must designate an Education Specialist (Key
Personnel) who will provide leadership in developing the technical
aspects of this project in collaboration with the Project Director.
This person shall have at least three years experience in basic
education projects in developing countries in areas including student
assessment, teacher training, educational materials development,
educational management, and educational monitoring and information
systems. This person shall have experience in working successfully with
ministries of education, networks of educators, employers'
organizations and trade union representatives or comparable entities.
Additional experience with child labor, psychosocial counseling,
education statistics, vocational education of child removed from child
labor, and education monitoring and evaluation is an asset.
c. The applicant must specify other personnel proposed to carry out
the requirements of this solicitation.
d. The applicant must include a description of the roles and
responsibilities of all personnel proposed for this project and a
resume for each professional person to be assigned to the program.
Resumes will be attached in an appendix. At a minimum, each resume must
include: The individual's current employment status and previous work
experience, including position title, duties performed, dates in
position, and employing organizations and educational background.
Duties must be clearly defined in terms of role performed, i.e.,
manager, team leader, consultant, etc. Indicate whether the individual
is currently employed by the applicant, and (if so) for how long.
e. The applicant must indicate whether proposed personnel are
currently employed by the organization or are dependent upon planned
recruitment or sub-contracting. Note that management and professional
technical staff members comprising the applicant's proposed team should
be individuals who have prior experience with organizations working in
similar efforts, and are fully qualified to perform work specified in
the Statement of Work. Where sub-contractors or outside assistance are
proposed, organizational control must be clearly delineated to ensure
responsiveness to the needs of USDOL.
4. Leverage of Federal Funding (5 points).
The Department will give up to five (5) additional rating points to
applications that include non-Federal resources that significantly
expand the dollar amount, size and scope of the proposal. Of special
interest is organizations' ability to provide income-generation and/or
credit programs or other material incentives to benefit families of
target children, or for older children who complete education programs
and are ready for self-employment. These programs will not be financed
by the project, but can supplement and enhance project objectives. The
applicant may include any leveraging or co-funding anticipated. To be
eligible for the additional points in the criterion, the applicant must
list the source(s) of funds, the nature, and possible activities
anticipated with these funds under this cooperative agreement and any
partnerships, linkages or coordination of activities, cooperative
funding, etc.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 17th day of May 2002.
Lawrence J. Kuss,
Grant Officer.
List of Appendices
Appendix A. SF 424--Application Form.
Appendix B. SF 424A--Budget Information Form.
Appendix C. Background Information on USDOL-Funded Projects in
Pakistan.
Appendix D. Implementing Environment in Pakistan.
Appendix E. Organizations Involved in Education and/or Child Labor in
Pakistan.
Appendix F. List of Background Materials Available Upon Request.
BILLING CODE 4510-28-P
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Instructions for Part II--Budget Information
Section A--Budget Summary by Categories
1. Personnel: Show salaries to be paid for project personnel which
you are required to provide with W2 forms.
2. Fringe Benefits: Indicate the rate and amount of fringe
benefits.
3. Travel: Indicate the amount requested for staff travel. Include
funds to cover at least on trip to Washington, DC for project director
of designee.
4. Equipment: Indicate the cost of non-expanded personal property
that has a useful life of more than one year with a per unit cost of
$5,000 or more. Also include a detailed description of equipment to be
purchased including price information.
5. Supplies: Include the cost of consumable supplies and materials
to be used during the project period.
6. Contractual: Show the amount to be used for (1) procurement
contracts (except those which belong on other lines such as supplies
and equipment); and (2) sub contracts/grants.
7. Other: Indicate all direct costs not clearly covered by line 1
through 6 above, including consultants.
8. Total, Direct Costs: Add lines 1 through 7.
9. Indirect Costs: Indicate the rate and amount of indirect costs.
Please include a copy of your negotiated Indirect Cost Agreement.
10. Training/Stipend Cost: (If allowable)
11. Total Federal Funds Requested: Show total of lines 8 through
10.
Section B--Cost Sharing/Matching Summary
Indicate the actual rate and amount of cost sharing/matching when
there is a cost sharing/matching requirement. Also include percentage
of total project cost and indicate source of cost sharing/matching
funds, i.e., other Federal source or other Non-Federal source.
Note: Please include a detailed cost analysis of each line item.
Appendix C: Background Information on USDOL-Funded Projects in Pakistan
The United States Department of Labor has funded several child
labor projects in Pakistan, which are detailed below.
Elimination of Child Labor in the Soccer Ball Industry in
Sialkot (US $1.8 million, 1997). The primary objective of the
project is to prevent and eliminate child labor in the production of
soccer balls in Sialkot through workplace monitoring and provision
of alternatives to children and their families. The project, which
is a result of an agreement between the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce
and Industry (SCCI), ILO and UNICEF, has achieved several important
results. Manufacturers who participate in the project have shifted
their production of soccer balls from homes to stitching centers
that are registered and monitored by the ILO/IPEC. Over 90 percent
of the soccer ball export production is being monitored through this
program. IPEC monitors conduct unannounced inspections of the
centers to ensure that children are not stitching soccer balls.
The project has succeeded in removing more than 6,000 children
from soccer ball stitching and providing them with non-formal
education and/or skills training. Over 1,900 of these children have
been mainstreamed into the formal education system. The project,
currently in its second phase, continues to provide education to
former child laborers, as well as any new children found working in
the industry. In addition, 2,000 parents of former child stitchers
will benefit from income generating activities. One of the
objectives of the second phase of the project is to plan for a
sustainable phase out strategy for IPEC. To that end, the project
will work to establish a local independent monitoring body to
succeed the current IPEC monitoring system. This project has
benefited from the continued support and active participation of the
SCCI in addressing the issue of child labor in the soccer ball
industry. The industry has contributed about US $400,000 to project
activities. They have also established the Child and Social
Development Program within SCCI to ensure that child labor and other
social issues are addressed effectively in the industry.
Combating Child Labor in the Carpet Industry (US $2 million,
1999). This three-year project seeks to reduce the incidence of
child labor in the carpet sector in Punjab. Working in partnership
with the Pakistan Carpet Manufactures and Exporters Association
(PCMEA), the project has established a monitoring system to identify
working children and ensure their gradual withdrawal from carpet
weaving. Approximately 8,000 carpet-weaving children aged 14 and
below and 2,000 of their younger siblings are targeted for non-
formal education. Children will also benefit from other support
services including health, recreation, and counseling. In addition,
2,000-3,000 parents of carpet-weaving children will receive training
and access to micro-credit to start their own income-generating
enterprises.
To date the project has managed to provide nearly 8,000 children
with non-formal education and prevented about 1,000 younger siblings
from entering work. More than 100 children have been mainstreamed
into the formal education system. Based on surveys conducted in the
two districts, the number of carpet weaving children far exceeds the
project's target group. USDOL is exploring funding a second phase to
the project, which would expand services provided to include
additional carpet weaving children in the two current districts of
Sheikhupura and Gujranwala, as well as expanded program activities
to cover additional areas in Punjab where carpet-weaving takes
place.
Appendix D: Implementing Environment in Pakistan
Although Pakistan's Employment of Children Act of 1991 prohibits
the employment of children less than 14 years of age in occupations
deemed to be hazardous to their health, according to Pakistan's
National Policy and Action Plan to Combat Child Labor a National
Child Labor Survey conducted in 1996 found about 3 million children
aged five to 14 engaged in child labor in Pakistan (see Government
of Pakistan, The Child Labour Unit of the Ministry of Labor,
Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis, National Policy and Action Plan to
Combat Child Labor, Islamabad, n.d., p. 10). Punjab province alone
accounts for about 59 percent of the total child labor in Pakistan.
Most of these children worked on a full-time basis. In 1999, the ILO
estimated that 16 percent of children between the ages of 10 to 14
in Pakistan were working.
In Pakistan, children are most commonly found working in the
agricultural and manufacturing sectors, in the manufacture of soccer
balls, surgical instruments, textiles and bricks. They also work in
automobile workshops, and tanneries. There are reports that some
children and their families are part of a system of debt bondage in
the brick kilns. Children also engage in garbage scavenging and
carpet weaving, and are used in the smuggling of contraband and
drugs.
In the province of Punjab, where this project will be
implemented, a survey by the Punjab Labor and Manpower found that 54
percent of children enter the workforce to assist household
enterprises; 27 percent enter to supplement household income; and 14
percent are the family's sole income earners. The majority of
children have been employed in the surgical instruments industry,
football-manufacturing sector, steel furnace and spare parts sector,
as well as in auto repair workshops and brick kilns. At home, girls
are generally employed in work such as carpet weaving. About 80
percent of Pakistan's carpet production takes place in the province
of Punjab. Since poverty is so widespread in the rural areas there
is little opportunity for children to attend school and a majority
must turn to carpet weaving as a source of income. The children,
mostly young girls, work an average of six to 10 hours per day and
earn less than a dollar a day.
The extent of child labor in Pakistan has engaged Pakistani and
international organizations to take action to reduce and/or
eliminate it. In March 1998, the Government of Pakistan established
a Task Force on Child Labor to formulate policies on the elimination
of child and bonded labor. Following task force recommendations, the
Federal Cabinet approved a National Policy and Action Plan to Combat
Child Labor. This action plan targets children in the age group five
to 14, who are economically active and part of the labor force, and
who generally are not in school.
Pakistan's National Action Plan for the elimination of child
labor focuses on the following components: awareness raising;
withdrawal of child engaged in the worst
[[Page 36258]]
forms of child labor; community mobilization; situational analysis
and development of a database on child labor; law enforcement;
capacity building of relevant ministries/departments; enhancing
education and skills training opportunities for children;
empowerment of poor families, and promoting coordination with
functional and social partners (National Policy and Action Plan to
Combat Child Labor, p. 11).
Members of the international community such as the ILO have also
been involved on the child labor issue in Pakistan. In 1994, the
Government of Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the
ILO that allowed ILO/IPEC to launch child labor eradication
activities in collaboration with several government ministries,
NGOs, employers, trade unions and a National Steering Committee.
IPEC child labor programs, including USDOL-funded projects (see
Appendix C), can be found throughout the country and cover multiple
sectors including soccer ball manufacturing, domestic work, leather
tanning, automobile work, and occupations in the informal sector.
The ILO is in the process of designating Timebound status to
Pakistan. A Timebound program is a set of integrated approaches and
policies to prevent and eliminate a country's worst forms of child
labor within a defined period of time. These programs place emphasis
on social mobilization, and economic and social policies to combat
poverty and promote universal basic education.
Although no single intervention can eradicate child labor, one
critical component of a comprehensive strategy is to make education
accessible to working children as is emphasized in Pakistan's
National Plan to Combat Child Labor. Unfortunately, the education
system in Pakistan is in a poor state with current indicators for
literacy, enrollment, and retention rates far below those found in
much of the developing world. A survey of Pakistan's education
system conducted by the Social Policy and Development Center
reported the following alarming statistics (Social Policy and
Development Center, Social Development in Pakistan, Annual Report,
Karachi, 1999 as cited in SPARC, The State of Pakistan's Children,
1999, Islamabad, January 2000, pp. 31-38). The nation's literacy
rate is 45 percent, with a 50 percent literacy rate for males and 24
percent for females. Currently, Pakistan accounts for nearly 27
percent of the dropout rate in South Asia and it is estimated that
by the year 2005, Pakistan will account for nearly 40 percent of the
dropout rate in the entire region. Furthermore, 37 percent of boys
and 55 percent of girls of primary age are not in school. More
seriously, 70 percent of students drop out in the first five years
of school. Dropping out of school makes them prime candidates to
enter the labor market, which they often do. Overall, the average
number of years of schooling in Pakistan is 1.9, compared to 3.9
years in developing countries. In Punjab the mean number of years of
schooling is 2.3 (3.4 years for boys, and 1.1 years for girls). The
primary enrollment ratio in Punjab is 69.4 for males, and 58.1 for
females.
Emerging Approaches To Address Barriers to Education in Pakistan
A number of potential solutions have emerged to address the
challenge of the education sector in Pakistan including the
emergence of private schools, public-private partnerships, community
and religious schools. Through existing child labor projects, NGOs
and employers have also developed models for non-formal and formal
schools for children engaged in child labor. Among the models that
are currently being used or may be further developed to address the
education needs of working children or those at risk of dropping out
of school and entering the labor force are the following:
Public-private partnerships (Adopt-a-School). Capacity building
and the strengthening of education institutions are integral to the
emergence of public-private partnerships. In Pakistan, members of
the private sector have taken the responsibility of overseeing the
daily operations of several government schools. This initiative has
led to the active participation of the private sector in the Adopt-
a-School program that is implemented mainly in the rural areas of
the nation. The adoption of schools by the private sector has
relieved pressure on the government by developing sustainable
education options, building and repairing infrastructure, improving
transparency and accountability as well as providing incentives,
training and professional development for staff members. The
proposed package of incentives for the private sector, particularly
in rural areas and also urban slums include provisions of land free
of cost and or at concessional rates. Private sector institutions,
which are involved in educational partnerships, will also receive
exemption of custom duties on import of educational equipment and
exemption of 50 percent income tax for faculty, support and
administrative staff. Government reports estimate that the private
sector supplements 40 percent of the nation's education.
Community-based schools. Community-based schools have also been
established by members of NGOs or Community Based Organizations.
Many of the schools have been successful in raising the literacy
rate in the northern rural areas of the country by establishing a
community-based social and economic approach. This method includes
improvement in physical infrastructure, adult education classes, and
skills training. A majority of NGO-sponsored schools have
concentrated their efforts on expanding the availability of
universal primary education (UPE), which includes increasing access,
quality, sustainability, research, and policy advocacy. Many of the
community-based schools also implement and promote interventions in
maternal and child health, nutrition, microcredit finance, and
skills training.
Non-formal school programs. These programs have been implemented
by NGOs or employers as part of an ILO or other donor child labor
project. They often run on the premises of government schools at
times when formal school is not in session, or they may also hold
classes in separate locales. They vary in instructional quality, the
level of training provided to teachers and other incentives provided
to children and families to promote school attendance. Some
employer-sponsored schools such as in the carpet sector allow
children to combine work with school. Employer sponsored schools
include those of the SCCI (soccer ball production), Carpet
Manufacturer's and Exporters Association, and Surgical Instruments
Manufacturer Association of Pakistan.
Religious schools (madrassas). Madrassas are religious schools
where a body of knowledge is passed down from teacher to student
encouraging the memorization of religious text. While the curriculum
in the school may be limited, its attraction is that students
receive an education while being provided housing, food, and
clothing. There are 8,000 madrassas registered with the government
and some have tended to foster a conservative education that has
sometimes resulted in religious extremism across parts of Pakistan
and Afghanistan.
Private schools. The demand for private schools has increased in
the last few years because of the quality of education they are able
to provide. Students who attend private schools are usually from
Pakistan's social elite. Most private schools are not supervised by
any government agency and therefore free to establish their own
curriculum, teaching methods and hiring practices. Education experts
feel that involvement by the government would stifle the progress
made by private schools and the institutions would lose their
advantage of being able to provide quality education.
The development of these different approaches to improve school
access and quality support Pakistan's Ministry of Education's
education reform that has been in development since 1999. In
November 2001, the Minister of Education announced the educational
policies and reforms through which, for the first time in the
history of Pakistan, the education budget would be increased by 150
percent. The bulk of the budget will be spent on literacy in formal
and non-formal schools, technical and skills training, teacher
training, development of school infrastructure and the establishment
of public-private partnerships.
In January 2002, the Government of Pakistan Ministry of
Education published Education Sector Reforms. Action Plan 2002-2004
(Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Education, Education Sector
Reforms. Action Plan 2002-2004, Jan. 2002, p. 75). As part of the
strategy the government will make educational programs available for
children above age 10 who are at risk of dropping out of school,
involved in child labor or living in remote areas of the country. To
address weak education indicators, the Government of Pakistan is
giving priority to UPE and has recently passed a regulation making
primary education compulsory. Content areas of the reform include
literacy in formal and non-formal schools, technical and skills
training, teacher training, development of school infrastructure and
the establishment of public-private partnerships.
This plan specifically addresses the education needs of child
laborers. Its strategies are similar to those of the Child
[[Page 36259]]
Labor Action Plan and include awareness-raising, development and
dissemination of information, community mobilization, situation
analysis, establishment of monitoring and evaluation system,
withdrawal of children from exploitative labor on a priority basis,
and special protection to the most vulnerable groups of child labor
(Education Sector Reforms. Action Plan 2002-2004, Jan. 2002, p. 75).
As part of its educational reform plan, the Government of
Pakistan has attached special importance to decentralization of the
education sector. Through devolution of administrative authority,
local government will undertake educational development. The
devolution plan was launched in 2001 and actions are being developed
to ensure that the process is successful.
As part of the decentralization and devolution process all
provinces will become more active in education planning and
implementation. Under Local Government Ordinance 2001, the province
of Punjab has been assigned the responsibility of establishing
Citizen Community Boards (CCBs). The function of the CCB is to
ensure effective participation at the community level. The boards
can form stakeholders associations such as Parent-Teacher
Associations or Community Public Partnerships for community
involvement in the improvement and maintenance of educational
programs. Under this plan the local community will be involved in
such issues as hiring of local teachers, involvement in the schools'
annual development plan, and management and operation of school-
related funds. The government ordinance also calls for the
establishment of School Management or Monitoring Committees, which
will ensure accountability and transparency at the district level.
The education reform plan also aims to encourage Pakistani
expatriates to support the education sector in needy areas of
Pakistan. Many overseas Pakistanis are economically prosperous and
are a source of remittances that improve the social and economic
conditions in their country of origin. Since the portfolio of the
Ministry of Labor also includes Overseas Pakistanis, this approach
could lead to interesting synergies between the Ministries of
Education and Labor.
President Musharraf has also been instrumental in initiating
educational reforms and poverty alleviation programs. This
commitment to implement social change led to the creation of a Task
Force on Human Development in June 2001. The task force is comprised
of representatives from civil society, NGOs, academics, government,
and field practitioners who are working to complete the reforms
initiated by the government in various social sectors. The vision of
the task force is to enable the people of Pakistan to reach their
maximum potential by approaching development issues through a
holistic approach. In January 2002, the Government of Pakistan and
international donors including USDOL met at the Human Development
Forum that included participation by President Musharraf and U.N.
Secretary General Kofi Annan. At this forum practitioners presented
innovative approaches to education and human resource development in
Pakistan including many of the models cited above.
Appendix E: Organizations Working on Education and Child Labor in
Pakistan
A number of organizations work on education and child labor
programs in Pakistan. If partnerships are envisioned, the Applicant
should not limit consideration to what is listed below.
The Aga Khan Foundation
The Aga Khan Foundation is a private, non-denominational
development agency. Its mission is to promote creative and effective
solutions to problems that impact social development. As part of the
government curriculum reform initiative, the Aga Khan Foundation has
started a Teacher Resource Center, which is focused on early
childhood education that works with public and government schools.
The Ali Institute of Education
The Ali Institute was established in 1992 with a grant from the
UNDP to improve quality education. The Institute is currently
involved in the Adopt-a-School program, and is working to raise
educational standards through teacher training for underprivileged
communities at nine Training and Resource Centers.
The Asia Foundation
The Asia Foundation is a private, nonprofit, nongovernmental
organization dedicated to advancing the mutual interest of the
United States and the Asia Pacific region and has been operating in
Pakistan since 1954. Working in close partnerships with Pakistani
NGOs and individuals, the Foundation has sought to develop
sustainable models of community participation for a wide variety of
services and contribute to an agenda for institutional reform and
long-term good governance. The Foundation focuses on five key issues
related to universal primary education: quality, access,
sustainability, research and policy advocacy. In December 2000, the
Asia Foundation co-sponsored a policy dialogue to present research
findings and suggest policy initiatives on basic education. The Asia
Foundation has also been instrumental in conducting comparative
analysis of government, private and NGO schools to identify policy
lessons.
International Labor Organization (ILO)
The ILO brings together governments, workers, and employers in a
common endeavor to improve social protection and conditions of life
and work throughout the world. The ILO, through the work done by the
International Program to Eliminate Child Labor (IPEC), has
implemented a large number of programs and activities aimed at
combating child labor by creating awareness, promoting education and
integrating social and economic development policies.
Save the Children-UK
Save the Children-UK is the leading charity in the United
Kingdom working to create a better world for children. Save the
Children works in over 70 countries helping the children in the most
impoverished communities. In Pakistan, Save the Children is involved
in alternative education projects such as night schools for working
children and credit and savings programs for the parents of working
children. It has been the lead agency in combating child labor in
the carpet industry in the Tharparkar district of southern Pakistan.
Skill Development Council of Punjab
The Council was established in June 1995 because of the lack of
highly trained employees needed to run technical and skilled
manpower projects. One of its first initiatives was to create
advocacy groups that would lobby organizations to provide funds to
support basic skills training. The Council is a tripartite
organization with employers taking the lead and members of the
government and council taking active roles. Currently, the Council
supports 30 Non-Formal Education (NFE) and Skill Training Centers.
The Skill Training Centers allow older youth to be better equipped
and have the knowledge necessary to find employment in more
technically advanced labor sectors. Members of the Council are also
active in conducting seminars and raising awareness on the child
labor situation in Pakistan.
Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC)
SPARC is a Pakistani NGO working for the rights of the child and
for the worldwide promotion of human rights. SPARC is instrumental
in raising public awareness and producing research on child laborers
in Pakistan through books, newsletters, brochures, and reports.
SUDHARR
SUDHARR is a Pakistani NGO that established NFE programs in
1995. Since then the organization has had great success
mainstreaming urban children into formal school settings. SUDHARR
cites grassroots mobilization as its foundation for success using
the concept of Family Education and Village Education Committees.
Through its approach, the school becomes the center of community
life. Current programs also focus on training and motivating
teachers and district school administrators.
Technical Training Institute-Lahore
The Technical Training Institute is focused on improving
training for those in the industrial sector. The institute has two
areas of focus, which include technical training and apprenticeship
training. Students interested in pursuing careers as electricians or
other science/math-based careers must have matriculated before being
accepted into the institute. Currently there are 11,000 students in
the full-time training program (two years) and nearly 3,000 in the
apprenticeship program a three-year program. The institute has
initiated short courses, which are between six months to one year.
Recent additions to the curriculum include graphic/fine arts,
medical assistant and computer training.
[[Page 36260]]
UNESCO
UNESCO action in education strategy is shaped by three
objectives which include promoting education as a fundamental human
right; improving the quality of education for all children; and
promoting experimentation, innovation and the diffusion and sharing
of information and best practices as well as policy dialogue in
education. The Government of Pakistan has responded favorably to
UNESCO's Education For All commitment. Current UNESCO projects in
Pakistan focus on street and working children as well as children
working in the carpet industry in Lahore. UNESCO has also undertaken
a teacher-training program that incorporates using the resources and
infrastructure of national and regional teacher training colleges
and has also been involved in the development and improvement of
student assessment tools.
UNICEF
UNICEF operates in over 161 countries, areas and territories on
solutions to problems facing children and their families and on ways
to realize their rights. Work is carried out in partnership with
governments, civil society organizations and communities to offer
children the best possible start in life. Programs focus on
policies, legislation and programmatic support to protect children
in vulnerable situations. Their work reaches out to those who have
been traditionally forgotten, including child laborers. In the last
three years, UNICEF has worked with the Department of Education,
Government of the Punjab to implement the Universal Primary
Education Project. This project has worked in several districts and
has fully involved communities and teachers in combating child labor
and increasing enrollment. The project's major objectives have been:
(1) To enroll every child in the age group of five to seven years
and retain them for the entire primary cycle; (2) to provide quality
education, and (3) to bring attitudinal change among communities to
make them supportive of UPE. In Pakistan, UNICEF is interested in
vocational skills training for older youth involved in work.
Appendix F: List of Background Materials Available Upon Request
The following additional background materials are available from
USDOL upon request.
Government of Pakistan. Education Sector Reforms: Action Plan
2001-2004.
Government of Pakistan. National Policy and Action Plan to
Combat Child Labor.
[FR Doc. 02-12961 Filed 5-22-02; 8:45 am]
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