DRL Ensuring Resilient Seafood Supply Chains: Countering Forced Labor and any associated Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

The Department of State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor is soliciting a single grant award under solicitation DFOP0019538 to counter forced labor and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing within seafood supply chains. The program targets East Asia, the Pacific, and the Western Hemisphere, specifically focusing on countries with Agreements on Reciprocal Trade, though Indonesia and the Philippines are excluded. With a total available funding amount of 1,973,359 dollars, the project is designed for a 24-month performance period starting September 30, 2026. The initiative aims to enhance supply chain resilience through the development of risk mitigation tools, improved traceability and transparency systems, targeted analysis of high-risk actors, and increased stakeholder engagement between industry and civil society. Eligible applicants include U.S. and foreign NGOs, educational institutions, and for-profit organizations, although for-profits cannot earn a profit from the award. Applications must be submitted via MyGrants or Grants.gov by September 3, 2026, and require a 15-page proposal narrative, a detailed line-item budget, and key personnel position descriptions. Evaluation is based on program planning, budget realism, the monitoring and evaluation plan, sustainability, and experience managing subawards. In the event of a tie in scoring, preference is given to the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate. All recipients must maintain active SAM.gov registration and adhere to strict Department of State branding and trafficking in persons compliance guidelines.