Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA ILAB 21 17
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) announced a grant opportunity (FOA ILAB 21 17) to fund a technical assistance project in Mexico aimed at improving labor rights compliance in the tomato and chile pepper supply chains. The award was structured as a single cooperative agreement, with total available funding of up to $5,000,000 (depending on federal fund availability). The project was designed as a medium-term effort with a maximum performance period of 4.5 years (54 months). Although the opportunity was posted in October 2021 and originally closed in December 2021, the description lays out a clear model for what the Department wanted the selected implementer to do: work directly with private sector actors to raise accountability and reduce labor abuses in specific agricultural sectors and regions.
The central purpose of the project is to increase private sector stakeholders' compliance with Mexican labor law and internationally recognized core labor standards as reflected in the USMCA Labor Chapter. The emphasis is on three high-priority issues: child labor, forced labor (including forced child labor), and unacceptable conditions of work. The geographic focus targets key producing states for tomatoes and chile peppers, particularly Baja California, Baja California Sur, and Chihuahua, where labor risks can be elevated due to factors such as seasonal production cycles, labor contracting practices, and the heavy reliance on migrant labor.
The grant frames its approach as explicitly worker-centered, meaning the project is expected to prioritize workers' rights, voice, and practical access to remedies rather than relying only on top-down compliance checks. ILAB identified two main outcomes. Outcome 1 is increased compliance by private sector stakeholders with laws related to child labor, forced labor, and acceptable working conditions across the tomato and chile pepper supply chains. Outcome 2 is increased use of effective and sustainable compliance and remediation systems by those same stakeholders. In practical terms, the Department was looking not only for improved awareness of legal obligations, but also for lasting systems inside companies and supply chain relationships that can prevent violations, detect problems early, and fix harms when they occur.
A major element of the opportunity is alignment with the USMCA Labor Chapter and the broader international labor framework it incorporates. The USMCA standards include the fundamental labor rights expressed in the International Labor Organization's 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the opportunity highlights enforcement related to forced labor and child labor. The notice also references other USMCA-linked expectations, such as measures to prohibit imports of goods produced by forced labor, protections for workers facing violence or retaliation when exercising labor rights like freedom of association and collective bargaining, attention to gender-based discrimination in the workplace, and ensuring migrant workers receive legal protections. Even though the project is implemented in Mexico, the supply-chain and trade context matters because the agricultural products in question can be part of North American trade flows.
The opportunity also ties the project to business and human rights norms, particularly the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Under that framework, companies are expected to avoid causing or contributing to negative human rights impacts, to address impacts that occur, and to use their leverage to prevent or mitigate harms connected to their business relationships. Consistent with that logic, ILAB expected the project to help producers and other private sector actors strengthen or build due diligence efforts that are more than paper policies. The intent is to embed practical, ongoing processes that identify labor risks, engage workers, establish credible grievance channels, and ensure remediation when violations are found.
To keep the work grounded in recognized best practices, ILAB specified that strategies should align with established due diligence and responsible sourcing guidance. Examples named in the notice include Mexico's Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) Best Labor Practices and Decent Work Accreditation System, the USDA Guidelines for Eliminating Child Labor in Agricultural Supply Chains, ILAB's Comply Chain tools, and international guidance like the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains. Taken together, these references point toward interventions such as improving internal labor management systems, training and technical support for employers and labor intermediaries, strengthening monitoring and corrective action practices, building effective remediation pathways, and centering worker voice so that compliance systems reflect real working conditions rather than only management reports.
Administratively, the funding was offered under CFDA 17.401 as a discretionary award, with ILAB as the granting agency and one expected award at the ceiling of $5 million. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced elsewhere in the full announcement, which is typical for ILAB technical assistance competitions that often attract NGOs, international organizations, and other qualified entities with labor rights and supply-chain expertise. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted, sector-specific effort to reduce severe labor risks and strengthen durable compliance and remediation systems in Mexican tomato and chile pepper production, using a worker-centered and due diligence-based model aligned with Mexican law and USMCA labor commitments.Apply for FOA ILAB 21 17
- The Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Increased compliance with Mexican labor law and international labor standards by the tomato and chile pepper sectors in Mexico" 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 Oct 04, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 06, 2021. (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 $5,000,000.00 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)
What is this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is a U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) funding announcement (FOA ILAB 21 17) for a technical assistance project in Mexico focused on labor rights compliance in the tomato and chile pepper supply chains.
Which agency is offering the funding?
The granting agency is the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB).
What type of award is being offered?
The funding was structured as a single cooperative agreement.
How many awards were expected?
ILAB expected to make one award.
What was the maximum funding amount available?
Total available funding was up to $5,000,000, depending on federal fund availability.
How long could the project run?
The maximum performance period was 4.5 years (54 months).
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted in October 2021 and originally closed in December 2021.
What is the overall purpose of the project?
The central purpose is to increase private sector stakeholders' compliance with Mexican labor law and internationally recognized core labor standards as reflected in the USMCA Labor Chapter, specifically within tomato and chile pepper supply chains.
Which labor issues are prioritized?
The project emphasizes three high-priority issues: child labor, forced labor (including forced child labor), and unacceptable conditions of work.
Where in Mexico is the project focused?
The geographic focus targets key producing states for tomatoes and chile peppers, particularly Baja California, Baja California Sur, and Chihuahua.
Why are those regions highlighted?
The description notes elevated labor risks in these areas due to factors such as seasonal production cycles, labor contracting practices, and heavy reliance on migrant labor.
What does "worker-centered" mean in this grant context?
"Worker-centered" means the project is expected to prioritize workers' rights, worker voice, and practical access to remedies, rather than relying only on top-down compliance checks.
What outcomes was ILAB looking for?
The grant identified two main outcomes: (1) increased compliance by private sector stakeholders with laws related to child labor, forced labor, and acceptable working conditions across the tomato and chile pepper supply chains; and (2) increased use of effective and sustainable compliance and remediation systems by those stakeholders.
What is the difference between improving compliance and building systems?
The opportunity distinguishes between awareness or adherence to legal obligations (compliance) and durable company and supply-chain processes (systems) that prevent violations, detect problems early, and fix harms when violations occur.
How is the USMCA Labor Chapter relevant to this project?
The project is framed to align with labor standards reflected in the USMCA Labor Chapter, including internationally recognized core labor rights expressed in the International Labor Organization's 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, with particular attention to forced labor and child labor enforcement.
Does the opportunity reference other USMCA-linked labor expectations beyond child and forced labor?
Yes. The description references expectations such as measures related to prohibiting imports of goods produced by forced labor, protections for workers facing violence or retaliation when exercising labor rights (including freedom of association and collective bargaining), attention to gender-based discrimination, and ensuring migrant workers receive legal protections.
Why does trade and supply-chain context matter if the project is implemented in Mexico?
The notice links the work to supply-chain and trade realities because tomatoes and chile peppers can be part of North American trade flows, and the USMCA framework connects labor performance and accountability to that broader context.
What role do business and human rights standards play in this project?
The opportunity ties the approach to business and human rights norms, particularly the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, emphasizing that companies should avoid causing or contributing to negative impacts, address impacts that occur, and use leverage to prevent or mitigate harms in business relationships.
What kinds of private sector stakeholders were expected to be involved?
The description indicates the selected implementer would work directly with private sector actors in tomato and chile pepper supply chains. (Specific categories of actors are not enumerated in the provided summary.)
What kinds of activities or interventions does the opportunity point toward?
Based on the guidance cited, it points toward interventions such as improving internal labor management systems, providing training and technical support for employers and labor intermediaries, strengthening monitoring and corrective action practices, building effective remediation pathways, and centering worker voice in compliance systems.
What does ILAB mean by "compliance and remediation systems"?
In this context, it refers to lasting systems inside companies and across supply-chain relationships that can prevent labor violations, identify risks and problems early, provide credible channels for workers to raise concerns, and ensure remediation when harms occur.
What is meant by due diligence in this opportunity?
Due diligence is described as more than paper policies. It is intended to be an ongoing, practical process to identify labor risks, engage workers, establish credible grievance channels, and ensure remediation when violations are found.
Which best-practice tools or guidance does the opportunity reference?
The notice references Mexico's Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) Best Labor Practices and Decent Work Accreditation System, the USDA Guidelines for Eliminating Child Labor in Agricultural Supply Chains, ILAB's Comply Chain tools, and the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains.
What is the CFDA number associated with this funding?
The opportunity was offered under CFDA 17.401.
Is this a discretionary award?
Yes. The funding was described as a discretionary award.
Who was eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility was listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement (not included in the provided summary). The description notes this is typical for ILAB technical assistance competitions that often attract NGOs, international organizations, and other qualified entities with labor rights and supply-chain expertise.
Is the project limited to government enforcement activities?
No. The opportunity emphasizes working directly with private sector stakeholders to raise accountability, reduce labor abuses, and embed compliance and remediation systems, with a worker-centered approach.
What makes this opportunity sector-specific?
It targets labor risks and compliance improvements specifically within the tomato and chile pepper supply chains, with a focus on key producing states in Mexico.
What is the high-level model ILAB wanted the implementer to follow?
The description lays out a model centered on worker voice, private-sector engagement, due diligence-based responsible sourcing, and practical remediation, aligned with Mexican labor law and USMCA labor commitments.
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