Revitalizing Domestic Manufacturing by Developing the Next Generation of Americas Shipbuilders through International Partnerships

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, through its Office of Trade and Labor Affairs, has announced the availability of funding for a cooperative agreement under the program titled Revitalizing Domestic Manufacturing by Developing the Next Generation of America’s Shipbuilders through International Partnerships. This initiative is designed to strengthen the U.S. shipbuilding industry by drawing on international expertise and partnerships to expand the domestic pool of skilled workers and training institutions. The announcement was released as FOA-ILAB-25-45 with assistance listing number 17.401, and it makes available approximately $8,000,000 to support one cooperative agreement. The purpose of the program is to create and sustain an international shipbuilding fellowship and training development program. The four-year project will facilitate the training of U.S. workers in countries with advanced shipbuilding expertise, including Canada, Finland, Italy, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, among others. It will also develop an internationally recognized curriculum that will be adapted for use in U.S. educational institutions, apprenticeship programs, and training centers. This effort aligns with broader U.S. trade and workforce strategies, including the Administration’s America First Trade Policy and the Executive Order on Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance, which emphasize revitalizing domestic shipbuilding as a matter of economic and national security. The funding will be awarded through a cooperative agreement, reflecting ILAB’s substantial involvement in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of project activities. Applicants may request up to the full $8,000,000 ceiling, and the project is expected to last 48 months from the award date. The anticipated award period will fall between September 30, 2025, and December 31, 2025. All proposed expenditures must be necessary and allowable under federal cost principles, and no pre-award costs will be reimbursed. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, though applicants may include leveraged resources. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations (excluding those intending to generate profit from the project), U.S. and foreign institutions of higher education, public international organizations, community-based organizations, and faith-based groups. Certain entities are not eligible, including organizations associated with terrorism, debarred or suspended organizations, and foreign governments or agencies operated by foreign states, though some subrecipient exceptions may apply with justification. Participants targeted by the program include U.S.-based institutions, training centers, registered apprenticeship programs, and shipyards, with fellowship opportunities directed toward U.S. workers in priority trades such as boilermakers, industrial electricians, welders, and shipwrights. Veterans and spouses of veterans will receive priority of service under applicable federal law. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on September 26, 2025. Technical questions about the content of the FOA must be received at least 10 business days before the deadline. Applications must consist of a technical proposal and a cost proposal, including attachments such as an abstract, work plan, sustainability strategy template, evidence of country presence, and a project management organizational chart. The Department will not accept hardcopy, faxed, or emailed applications. Applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management and maintain an active account. Proposals will be evaluated on criteria including the quality of problem analysis, project strategy, sustainability planning, milestones and targets, monitoring and evaluation capacity, organizational qualifications, partnerships, management plan, and budget. ILAB will convene a technical merit review panel to score applications based on these criteria, with final selections made by the Grant Officer. Successful applicants must comply with federal reporting requirements, including quarterly financial reports, semi-annual technical reports, and a final technical report. Questions regarding the FOA must be directed to OGM_ILAB@dol.gov. The grant officer of record is Sue Levenstein, based in Washington, D.C., who signed the amendment to the FOA on September 2, 2025:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}:contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.