Leveling the Field for American Workers in U.S.-Mexico Trade

The Bureau of International Labor Affairs within the U.S. Department of Labor has announced the availability of funding under the program titled Leveling the Field for American Workers in U.S.-Mexico Trade. This initiative is designed to address wage suppression and unfair labor practices in key Mexican trade sectors that disadvantage American workers. It aims to strengthen state labor law enforcement in Mexico, improve private sector compliance with labor standards under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and empower Mexican workers to advocate for fair wages and working conditions. The program aligns with ILAB’s mission to promote a global level playing field for U.S. workers and businesses by counteracting overseas practices that undermine competitiveness and enforcing labor provisions in trade agreements:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}. The funding opportunity will be awarded as a cooperative agreement, with one recipient expected to receive up to $10,000,000, subject to availability of federal funds. The performance period will extend 54 months from the award date, covering project start-up, implementation, and close-out. The project is expected to be implemented in three to five Mexican states, with applicants identifying priority trade sectors such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, or steel. The selected grantee will be required within the first six months to conduct in-country needs assessments and stakeholder consultations to refine project strategies, indicators, and sustainability plans. Post-award refinements will require USDOL approval:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}. Eligible applicants include U.S. and non-U.S. entities such as nonprofit organizations, public and private higher education institutions, community and faith-based organizations, international organizations, and for-profit organizations, provided they do not plan to charge a profit. Certain entities, such as foreign governments, organizations suspended or debarred by the U.S. Government, and those associated with terrorism, are ineligible. Cost sharing is not required for this program, though applicants may propose leveraging additional resources. Faith-based organizations are encouraged to apply, and eligibility determinations will be made case by case where exceptions may apply:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov no later than September 26, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Technical questions regarding the FOA must be submitted at least ten business days prior to the closing date. Hard copy, fax, or email submissions will not be accepted. Applicants are strongly advised to register with the System for Award Management and to allow time to resolve Grants.gov technical issues. The application package must include both a technical proposal and a cost proposal, with required forms such as SF-424, SF-424A, budget narrative, and supporting documentation. Technical proposals are limited to 50 pages and must include problem analysis, project design, milestones, monitoring and evaluation plans, organizational capacity, management plans, and a sustainability strategy:contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}. Evaluation of applications will be based on merit review criteria totaling 100 points. Reviewers will assess the applicant’s problem analysis, proposed geographic scope, project strategy, sustainability plan, milestones, monitoring and evaluation capacity, organizational presence and partnerships, key personnel qualifications, management plan, cohesiveness of the strategy, and quality of the budget and narrative. Applications that do not meet eligibility or screening requirements will not proceed to review. Award decisions are expected between September 30 and December 31, 2025, though the Department reserves flexibility on this timeline:contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}. Award recipients will be required to submit quarterly Federal Financial Reports, semi-annual technical progress reports, and a final technical report at the end of the performance period. Recipients must comply with all applicable administrative and legal requirements, including U.S. laws and regulations, cost principles, and audit requirements. In addition, all project-created materials must be licensed for public use under open licensing. The agency contact for this funding opportunity is the Office of Grants Management, which can be reached at ogm_ilab@dol.gov. Applicants should reference FOA-ILAB-25-43 in all correspondence:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.

Align with existing labor reform materials, map stakeholders, provide evidence-based strategies, and integrate sustainability.