Project to Reduce the Exploitation of Children in the Sava Region of Madagascar | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is a U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) discretionary funding opportunity (FOA ILAB 16 08) to support a technical assistance project in Madagascar focused on reducing the exploitation of children and child labor linked to vanilla production in the Sava region.

2) Which U.S. agency is offering the award?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB).

3) Where will the project take place?

The project is targeted to Madagascar, specifically the Sava region, and centers on the vanilla supply chain there.

4) What sector or supply chain is being targeted?

The core focus is the vanilla supply chain in Sava, including child labor occurring at the farm level and at the collection level where vanilla is aggregated and moved toward export markets.

5) What is the primary goal of the project?

The primary goal is to reduce the exploitation of children and child labor linked to vanilla production in the Sava region by addressing both the economic drivers of child labor and the systems that prevent, detect, and respond to it.

6) How much total funding is available?

Up to approximately $4,000,000 in total funding was made available under this opportunity.

7) How will the funding be awarded (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

Funding is to be provided through one or more cooperative agreements. This means the awardee is expected to carry out the work with substantial involvement from the government agency compared to a typical grant.

8) How many awards might be made?

The Department indicated that funding could be awarded through one or more cooperative agreements, meaning there may be multiple awards under this opportunity.

9) What is the maximum project period?

The project is designed as a time-limited intervention with a maximum performance period of four years (48 months) from the award's effective date.

10) What are the major outcomes the project is organized around?

The opportunity is structured around four major outcomes: (1) reduced child labor in vanilla exporters' supply chains, including at farm and first-collection points; (2) stronger and more effective enforcement of child labor laws and policies in Sava; (3) improved community-level monitoring and referral of child labor cases; and (4) reduced household reliance on child labor as a coping strategy so beneficiary households are no longer using child labor to supplement income.

11) What does the first outcome (exporters reduce child labor in supply chains) involve?

The first outcome expects vanilla exporters to significantly reduce child labor associated with their supply chains, including at the farm level and at initial collection points. The description implies engagement with private-sector actors who can influence labor practices through purchasing requirements, monitoring, and remediation actions.

12) What does the enforcement outcome emphasize?

The second outcome emphasizes practical enforcement results in vanilla-producing areas of Sava, including the capacity of law enforcement entities to impose and collect penalties when violations occur and to refer children identified as victims of child labor to appropriate services.

13) Does the opportunity focus only on policy development?

No. The enforcement outcome specifically highlights moving beyond policy commitments toward consistent implementation, accountability for violations, and functional referral pathways for affected children.

14) What does the community monitoring outcome aim to change?

The third outcome aims for community members to actively monitor for child labor and refer victims to the proper authorities and service providers. It reflects the idea that child labor can be hidden and that local detection and reporting mechanisms are critical in rural agricultural settings.

15) What does the household-level outcome aim to accomplish?

The fourth outcome aims to reduce household reliance on child labor as a coping strategy by ensuring beneficiary households are no longer using child labor to supplement income. This speaks to the economic roots of child labor and implies technical assistance that improves household resilience and livelihoods and reduces vulnerability.

16) What types of approaches are implied by the project design?

Based on the outcomes described, the project is designed as a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder effort combining private-sector supply chain improvements, stronger law enforcement and legal follow-through, community monitoring and referral systems, and household-level changes that remove the economic incentive to use child labor.

17) What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?

The opportunity falls under the employment, labor, and training funding activity category.

18) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The associated CFDA number is 17.401.

19) When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on June 9, 2016.

20) What was the application deadline?

The application closing date was August 18, 2016.

21) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement.

22) What geography within Madagascar is emphasized and why?

The Sava region is emphasized because it is a key vanilla-producing area, and the opportunity is specifically aimed at reducing child labor linked to vanilla production and associated supply chain stages in that region.

23) Which points in the supply chain are explicitly called out?

The opportunity explicitly calls out child labor at the farm level (where vanilla is grown) and at the collection level (where vanilla is aggregated and moved toward export markets).

24) How does the opportunity define success for law enforcement efforts?

Success is framed in practical terms, including the ability to impose and collect penalties for violations and to refer children identified as victims of child labor to appropriate services.

25) How does the opportunity connect child labor reduction to household economics?

It explicitly recognizes household reliance on child labor as a coping strategy and sets an outcome that beneficiary households are no longer using child labor to supplement income, pointing toward interventions that reduce vulnerability and improve household resilience.

26) What makes this opportunity different from a typical grant?

It is structured as a cooperative agreement, indicating substantial involvement from the government agency in carrying out the work compared to a typical grant.

27) Is the project intended to be permanent or time-limited?

It is described as a time-limited intervention, with a maximum period of performance of 48 months from the award's effective date.

28) What kind of stakeholders does the opportunity anticipate engaging?

The described outcomes anticipate engagement with private-sector actors (such as vanilla exporters), law enforcement and other authorities responsible for child labor laws and penalties, community members involved in monitoring and reporting, and beneficiary households whose economic circumstances influence child labor decisions.

29) What is the relationship between community monitoring and referral systems in this project?

The opportunity emphasizes that community members should not only watch for child labor but also refer identified victims to the proper authorities and service providers, suggesting an intended link between local detection and formal response mechanisms.

30) Where can applicants find the detailed eligibility requirements?

The summary indicates eligibility as "Others" and notes that additional eligibility details are provided in the full announcement.