Securing Fair and Reliable Critical Mineral Supply Chains | FOA ILAB 25 15

Opportunity Information: Apply for FOA ILAB 25 15

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) is offering a discretionary funding opportunity called "Securing Fair and Reliable Critical Mineral Supply Chains" (FOA ILAB 25 15). The program is designed to reduce and prevent child labor and forced labor in high-risk critical mineral supply chains that appear on the Department of Labor's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor (the TVPRA List). In practical terms, ILAB is looking to support projects that make critical mineral sourcing more ethical, more transparent, and more compliant with international labor standards and U.S. import rules related to forced labor.

ILAB expects to make two cooperative agreement awards totaling about $9 million, depending on federal funding availability. One award will support work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with a maximum budget of $5 million, and the second will support work in Indonesia with a maximum budget of $4 million. Each project is expected to run for 54 months (about four and a half years) from the award date, although applicants are allowed to propose a shorter timeline if it fits their strategy. Applicants may apply for one country or both, but if applying for both, they must submit two separate, standalone applications.

The technical focus is country- and mineral-specific. For the DRC award, projects must address child labor and/or forced labor risks connected to at least one of these minerals: cobalt, copper, tantalum, tin, and/or tungsten. For the Indonesia award, projects must focus on nickel, and they may also include tin if relevant to the proposed supply chain strategy. Across both settings, applicants are expected to collaborate with key stakeholders in the supply chain and in government to identify where labor abuses occur, why they persist, and how to prevent them in ways that are durable and measurable.

ILAB requires applicants to build their work around two mandatory focus areas. The first focus area is Policy and Legal Frameworks. Under this component, proposed activities should help partner governments and supply chain actors strengthen and align mining, labor, procurement, trade, and related rules with international standards. The solicitation explicitly emphasizes alignment with U.S. forced-labor import requirements, International Labor Organization conventions, and recognized due diligence guidelines and best practices. In other words, projects should not only raise awareness of abuses, but also help close regulatory gaps, improve compliance expectations, and make it easier for both public institutions and private companies to follow credible responsible sourcing approaches.

The second focus area is Capacity Building for Monitoring, Identification, Enforcement, and Remediation. This part is about improving the real-world systems that detect and respond to child labor and forced labor. Applicants must propose ways to strengthen national and local capacity to monitor and identify labor abuses in critical mineral supply chains, and also to bolster the ability of public and private actors to take action. That includes enforcement steps (such as inspections, investigations, and administrative or legal actions where appropriate) and remediation measures for children and other individuals who have been subjected to child labor or forced labor. The remediation requirement signals that ILAB is looking for strategies that go beyond detection and penalties to include victim-centered support and pathways out of exploitative work.

In addition to those two focus areas, each project must include a supply chain research study carried out in close coordination with ILAB, culminating in a final report. The opportunity encourages applicants to plan to deliver the final research product within the first three years of the project period. This research element is intended to generate evidence that informs interventions, improves stakeholder understanding of risk, and supports more effective enforcement and due diligence throughout the supply chain.

Eligibility is broad. ILAB will consider applications from commercial entities, international organizations, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations, including faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, and public international organizations. The notice also highlights that faith-based organizations are encouraged to apply and makes clear that the Department of Labor will not discriminate based on an organization's religious character or affiliation in selecting recipients or administering awards.

Key administrative details include an expected total of two awards, an award ceiling of $5,000,000 (reflecting the larger DRC award), and an application deadline of September 26, 2025. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means substantial federal involvement during implementation, so applicants should be prepared for close coordination with ILAB on planning, execution, and deliverables, especially around the required research study and reporting.

• The Bureau of International Labor Affairs in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Securing Fair and Reliable Critical Mineral Supply Chains" 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 2025-08-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-09-26. (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 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for FOA ILAB 25 15

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