Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA ILAB 18 09
The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (USDOL-ILAB) announced a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Reducing Child Labor and Forced Labor in Palm Oil Supply Chains" (FOA ILAB 18-09). Through a competitive process and subject to the availability of funds, ILAB planned to award a single cooperative agreement to support one project focused on improving how social compliance systems are implemented in palm oil supply chains. The core purpose is to strengthen acceptable conditions of work and reduce risks and incidences of child labor and forced labor connected to palm oil production and sourcing.
The grant centers on improving "social compliance systems," meaning the policies, procedures, monitoring, remediation, and accountability mechanisms used by companies and supply chain actors to identify labor risks, prevent abuses, and respond effectively when problems are found. Rather than funding general awareness campaigns alone, the opportunity emphasizes practical improvements in how private sector partners operate and enforce labor standards across their supply chains, including how they assess suppliers, conduct oversight, and follow through with corrective actions.
ILAB outlined two intended project outcomes. The first outcome is to strengthen the capacity of private sector partner or partners in the palm oil sectors of Colombia and Ecuador to implement a robust social compliance system. In practical terms, this would likely involve helping companies and related industry actors build or upgrade tools and processes such as labor risk mapping, supplier codes of conduct, worker grievance mechanisms, training for management and labor intermediaries, internal controls, monitoring and verification approaches, and credible remediation pathways when child labor or forced labor indicators appear. For this first outcome, the project must be implemented in both Colombia and Ecuador.
The second outcome is to increase understanding at both regional and global levels of promising practices in social compliance systems specifically within palm oil supply chains. This outcome is broader and more outward-facing, aiming to generate and share lessons learned, models that work, and evidence about effective compliance approaches so that the knowledge can be applied beyond a single company or country. For this second outcome, applicants were required to implement activities across four countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru, reflecting ILAB's interest in documenting and disseminating practices across a wider palm oil region and making the results relevant to international supply chain stakeholders.
Administratively, the opportunity was offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally signals substantial involvement by the federal agency during implementation compared to a standard grant, often through collaboration on planning, oversight, and performance management. The funding opportunity listed an award ceiling of $6,000,000, with one expected award. The assistance listing is tied to CFDA number 17.401, within the Employment, Labor and Training activity category. The notice was created on July 5, 2018, and the original application deadline was August 23, 2018, with applications due by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Eligibility was not limited to a single applicant type in the summary provided and is described as "Others" with further clarification referenced in an additional eligibility section of the full announcement. Overall, ILAB's intent was to fund one sizable, focused project that both strengthens real-world corporate compliance capacity in Colombia and Ecuador and produces transferable knowledge on what works in palm oil social compliance across Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru.Apply for FOA ILAB 18 09
- The Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Reducing Child Labor and Forced Labor in Palm Oil Supply Chains" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 17.401.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 05, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 23, 2018 Applications must be received no later than 40000 p.m. Eastern Time.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $6,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Reducing Child Labor and Forced Labor in Palm Oil Supply Chains (FOA ILAB 18-09)
1) What is the official title of this funding opportunity?
The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (USDOL-ILAB) announced this discretionary funding opportunity as "Reducing Child Labor and Forced Labor in Palm Oil Supply Chains" under FOA ILAB 18-09.
2) Which federal office is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity was announced by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), specifically the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB).
3) What type of funding instrument is being used?
The award is planned as a single cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement typically indicates more ongoing involvement from the federal agency during implementation than a standard grant, often through collaboration on planning, oversight, and performance management.
4) How many awards were expected?
ILAB planned to make one award through a competitive process, subject to the availability of funds.
5) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The funding opportunity listed an award ceiling of $6,000,000.
6) What is the overall purpose of the project?
The core purpose is to strengthen acceptable conditions of work and reduce the risks and incidences of child labor and forced labor connected to palm oil production and sourcing by improving how social compliance systems are implemented in palm oil supply chains.
7) What does ILAB mean by "social compliance systems" in this FOA?
In this opportunity, "social compliance systems" refers to the practical, operational systems companies and supply chain actors use to manage labor standards, including: policies, procedures, monitoring, remediation, and accountability mechanisms that identify labor risks, prevent abuses, and ensure an effective response when problems are found.
8) Is the opportunity focused on awareness campaigns?
Not primarily. The FOA emphasizes practical improvements in how private sector partners operate and enforce labor standards across their supply chains. It is described as going beyond funding general awareness campaigns alone, and instead focusing on implementation and follow-through (assessment, oversight, corrective actions, and remediation).
9) What supply chain or industry is the grant focused on?
The project is focused on palm oil supply chains, with activities connected to palm oil production and sourcing.
10) What are the two intended project outcomes?
ILAB outlined two intended outcomes:
- Outcome 1: Strengthen the capacity of private sector partner(s) in the palm oil sectors of Colombia and Ecuador to implement a robust social compliance system.
- Outcome 2: Increase understanding at regional and global levels of promising practices in social compliance systems specifically within palm oil supply chains, with activities implemented across Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru.
11) Where must Outcome 1 activities be implemented?
For Outcome 1, the project must be implemented in both Colombia and Ecuador.
12) Where must Outcome 2 activities be implemented?
For Outcome 2, applicants were required to implement activities across four countries: Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru.
13) Does the FOA require work in multiple countries?
Yes. The FOA ties its outcomes to specific geography: capacity-strengthening implementation in Colombia and Ecuador, and broader knowledge-generation and dissemination activities across Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru.
14) Who is the project intended to support or partner with?
The FOA is centered on strengthening the capacity of private sector partner(s) operating in palm oil supply chains, particularly in Colombia and Ecuador, to implement stronger social compliance systems.
15) What kinds of improvements might be included under Outcome 1?
While the FOA does not limit activities to a single checklist, it indicates the project would likely help companies and related industry actors build or upgrade tools and processes such as:
- Labor risk mapping
- Supplier codes of conduct
- Worker grievance mechanisms
- Training for management and labor intermediaries
- Internal controls
- Monitoring and verification approaches
- Credible remediation pathways when child labor or forced labor indicators appear
16) What does "remediation" mean in the context of this FOA?
Based on the FOA description, remediation refers to credible pathways and actions that companies and supply chain actors use to respond effectively when indicators or cases of child labor or forced labor are identified, including corrective actions and accountability mechanisms.
17) What does the FOA mean by improving implementation of social compliance systems?
The opportunity emphasizes improving real-world operations: how companies assess suppliers, conduct oversight, and follow through with corrective actions and accountability when labor risks or abuses are detected.
18) What is the aim of Outcome 2 (promising practices) and who is it for?
Outcome 2 aims to generate and share lessons learned, models that work, and evidence about effective compliance approaches in palm oil supply chains so the knowledge can be applied beyond a single company or country. It is intended to be relevant to regional and global supply chain stakeholders.
19) Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. ILAB announced it as a discretionary funding opportunity, with awards made through a competitive process and subject to availability of funds.
20) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The assistance listing is tied to CFDA 17.401, under the Employment, Labor and Training activity category.
21) When was the notice created?
The notice was created on July 5, 2018.
22) What was the original application deadline and time zone?
The original application deadline was August 23, 2018, with applications due by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
23) Is funding guaranteed?
No. The FOA notes that the award is planned subject to the availability of funds, and selection is through a competitive process.
24) Who was eligible to apply based on the summary provided?
Eligibility in the summary is described as "Others", with additional clarification referenced in an additional eligibility section of the full announcement. The summary provided does not specify a single limited applicant type.
25) What is ILAB ultimately trying to achieve with this single award?
ILAB intended to fund one sizable, focused project that (1) strengthens corporate social compliance capacity in real supply chain operations in Colombia and Ecuador, and (2) produces transferable knowledge about what works in palm oil social compliance across Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru, contributing to regional and global learning.
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