$1.5 million in funding available from US Department of Labor to strengthen labor inspections and courts in El Salvador and Honduras

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $1.5 million competitive solicitation to fund one or more projects to strengthen the information systems used to manage labor inspections and labor cases in El Salvador and Honduras.

As part of the Dominican Republic-Central America-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, signatory countries are obligated to effectively enforce their labor laws. This project will provide technical assistance designed to integrate the labor case management systems of the labor inspectorates and the labor courts within each of the two countries, thereby making it possible to track labor cases from intake by labor inspectorates through resolution in the labor courts.

One or more qualifying organizations capable of effectively implementing the project's objectives will be selected under the solicitation. In addition to proposing technological solutions, applicants must propose specific activities to reduce the time for completing labor violations cases, improve worker and stakeholder confidence in the process and strengthen collaboration between labor inspectorates and courts through the use of effective case tracking systems.

Applications must be submitted by Aug. 8, 2013, at 5 p.m. EDT electronically via http://www.grants.gov or as hard copy to the U.S. Department of Labor, Procurement Services Center, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-4307, Washington, D.C. 20210, Attention: Helen Williams or Brenda White.

All cooperative agreement awards will be made by Sept. 30, 2013. The solicitation for cooperative agreement applications (SCA 13-09) is available online at http://www.dol.gov/ILAB/grants/main.htm and http://www.grants.gov.

ILAB leads the Department of Labor's efforts to ensure that workers around the world are treated fairly and are able to share in the benefits of the global economy. ILAB's mission is to use all available international channels to improve working conditions, raise living standards, protect workers' ability to exercise their rights, and address the workplace exploitation of children and other vulnerable populations.