Deadline: 6-Jun-24
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in strengthening the labor rights, protections, and conditions of decent work for migrant domestic workers in Malaysia.
To address these policy and enforcement gaps related to MDWs, DRL requests targeted proposals for an $800,000 project in Malaysia to achieve the following objectives, though applicants are not limited to these objectives exclusively:
- MDWs in Malaysia experience dignified working conditions due to improved enforcement of existing policies that protect their labor rights.
- Source countries and the government of Malaysia ensure the rights of MDWs are further protected to align with recognized international labor standards.
All programs should aim to have impact that leads to reforms and have the potential for sustainability beyond DRL resources. DRL’s preference is to avoid duplicating past efforts by supporting new and creative approaches. This does not exclude from consideration projects that improve upon or expand existing successful projects in a new and complementary way.
DRL is committed to advancing equity and support for underserved and underrepresented communities. In accordance with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Underserved Communities, programs should implement strategies for integration and inclusion of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries that can bring perspectives based on their religion, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, national origin, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, political affiliation, or veteran’s status. Programs should be demand-driven and locally led to the extent possible.
DRL requires all programs to be non-discriminatory and expects implementers to include strategies for nondiscrimination of individuals/organizations/beneficiaries based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or veteran’s status.
Funding Information
- Total Funding Ceiling: $800,000
- Total Funding Floor: $800,000
- Anticipated Number of Awards: 1
- Period of Performance: 12-36 months
- Anticipated Time to Award, Pending Availability of Funds: 4-6 months
Outcomes
- All proposed projects should be designed to achieve the following outcomes, though applicants are not limited to these outcomes exclusively:
- Workers’ organizations, civil society organizations (CSOs), and other allies support MDWs in Malaysia to recognize and understand their labor rights.
- MDWs have access to information and services, including physical and psychosocial support, legal assistance, and justice remedies that enable MDW extraction from dangerous working situations, as well as guidance on registration into social security and other protections, as needed.
- MDWs in source countries have resources on safe migration and fair recruitment prior to departure to Malaysia.
- MDWs and allies advocate to the Government of Malaysia for ratification of policy changes to promote protection of MDW rights, including access to social protections and legal reforms.
- MDWs and allies advocate to source country governments to enforce fair recruitment practices for sending MDWs to Malaysia.
Competitive projects should also:
- Demonstrate substantial understanding of the issues, context, local sensitivities, and stakeholders involved in MDW issues in Malaysia,
- Display knowledge of any existing programs that target or intersect with the issue of MDWs in Malaysia,
- Explain how the proposed project will learn from and build upon existing efforts to support MDWs in Malaysia,
- Demonstrate sufficient staffing and how the proposed project will be run distinct of any related concurrent programming,
- Include documentation of identified cases of abuse of MDWs and track the follow-up of legal actions taken, if any.
Where appropriate, competitive proposals may include:
- Opportunities for beneficiaries to apply their new knowledge and skills in practical efforts;
- Solicitation of feedback and suggestions from beneficiaries when developing activities in order to strengthen the sustainability of programs and participant ownership of project outcomes;
- Input from participants on sustainability plans and systematic review of the plans throughout the life of the project, with adjustments made as necessary;
- Joint identification and definition of key concepts with relevant stakeholders and stakeholder input into project activities;
- Systematic follow-up with beneficiaries at specific intervals after the completion of activities to track how beneficiaries are retaining new knowledge as well as applying their new skills.
Activities that are not typically allowed include, but are not limited to:
- The provision of humanitarian assistance;
- English language instruction;
- Development of high-tech computer or communications software and/or hardware;
- Purely academic exchanges or fellowships;
- External exchanges or fellowships lasting longer than six months;
- Off-shore activities that are not clearly linked to in-country initiatives and impact or are not necessary per security concerns.
Eligibility Criteria
- DRL welcomes applications from U.S.-based and foreign-based non-profit organizations/nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and public international organizations; private, public, or state institutions of higher education; and for-profit organizations or businesses. DRL’s preference is to work with non-profit entities; however, there may be some occasions when a for-profit entity is best suited.
- Applications submitted by for-profit entities may be subject to additional review following the panel selection process. Additionally, the Department of State prohibits profit to for-profit or commercial organizations under its assistance awards. Profit is defined as any amount in excess of allowable direct and indirect costs. The allowability of costs incurred by commercial organizations is determined in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) at 48 CFR 30, Cost Accounting Standards Administration, and 48 CFR 31 Contract Cost Principles and Procedures.
For more information, visit DRL.