$2M in funding for project to strengthen the capacity
of the Peruvian labor inspectorate available from the US Labor Department

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs today announced a $2 million competitive solicitation for a project to strengthen the capacity of Peru's labor inspectorate.

"Labor inspectors are on the front lines of enforcing labor laws in Peru by ensuring workers have the freedom to associate, bargain collectively and work under acceptable conditions of work," said Carol Pier, deputy undersecretary of labor for international affairs. "This project will help the Peruvian government in their efforts to strengthen its labor inspectorate and prevent labor rights abuses."

The goal is to build the labor law enforcement capacity of Peru's inspectorate as it transitions from a decentralized to a more centralized labor law enforcement system. These efforts will help to ensure more effective labor law enforcement at the national and regional levels, consistent with the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement.

The project will focus particularly on improving the enforcement of laws; regulations; and other legal instruments as they relate to subcontracting/outsourcing and the use of short-term employment contracts, especially in the nontraditional export sectors (e.g., mining, agriculture, fishing and textiles).

To achieve the project's goal, the successful grantee will:

• provide administration guidance for new offices created as part of centralization,
• facilitate the adoption of improved methodologies for identifying labor violations and
• train newly hired labor inspectors.

Any commercial, international, educational or nonprofit organization, including any faith-based, community-based or public international organization capable of successfully implementing the activities outlined in the solicitation is eligible to apply.

Applications must be submitted in English by Friday, Oct. 31, at 4 p.m. EDT electronically via http://www.grants.gov or in hard copy to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Grants Management, Attention: Donna Kelly, Grant Officer, Reference SCA-14-24, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room N-4716, Washington, DC 20210.

The award will be made by Dec. 31. The funding opportunity announcement (SCA-14-24) is available online at http://www.grants.gov and http://www.dol.gov/ilab/grants/.