26K75IL000023
Cooperative Agreement
Overview
Grant Description
PACT proposes Madini Safi (?Pure Minerals?): Securing fair and reliable critical mineral supply chains in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
To reduce child labor and forced labor in the DRC cobalt, copper, and 3Ts (tin, tungsten, tantalum) supply chains, which will help secure U.S. access to reliable critical mineral supplies and level the playing field for American workers and companies.
Madini Safi will work with government and private sector stakeholders to strengthen legal and policy frameworks and improve the monitoring, identification, enforcement, and remediation of child labor and forced labor in Haut-Katanga and Lualaba provinces.
Funding level requested: $4,999,832.62.
Formative policy and systems gap analysis; structured dialogue with public, private, and civil society sector stakeholders to establish consensus for policy and systems reform priorities; reform-focused working groups to advance policy reforms; compliance training and technical assistance to supply chain actors to align due diligence guidelines with national, U.S., and international standards; upgrading the national monitoring and identification systems for child labor and forced labor; strengthen government-civil society collaboration for monitoring and enforcement; expand referral networks for remediation services for survivors; mobilize communities to support enforcement and remediation of labor violations; incubate mining company-community initiatives to address child labor and forced labor; supply chain research study on child labor and forced labor in copper-cobalt mining along the DRC-Zambia border.
Project objective: To secure America’s access to fair, reliable cobalt, copper, and 3Ts critical mineral supply chains free of child labor and forced labor in the DRC.
Outcome 1: Key DRC government and cobalt, copper, and 3Ts supply chain actors identify and agree on priority policy and systems reforms to address child labor and forced labor (cross-cutting).
Outcome 2: DRC government aligns legal, policy, and regulatory frameworks with U.S. and international trade and labor standards (focus area 1).
Outcome 3: Supply chain actors bring due diligence guidelines and protocols into alignment with DRC regulatory frameworks and U.S. and international standards (focus area 1).
Outcome 4: DRC government and civil society strengthen systems and capacity for monitoring, identifying, and enforcing child labor and forced labor within cobalt, copper, and 3Ts supply chains (focus area 2).
Outcome 5: Cobalt, copper, and 3Ts supply chain actors strengthen systems and capacity for monitoring, identifying, and remediating child labor and forced labor (focus area 2).
Intended beneficiaries. Madini Safi will directly benefit key stakeholders engaged on policy reform at the national level, including government ministries and industry associations.
In Haut-Katanga and Lualaba provinces, the project will directly benefit: supply chain actors and their industry associations; workers and their unions and organizations; government agencies; civil society organizations; and communities near mineral operations.
Stakeholders in other mineral producing provinces and other supply chains will benefit indirectly from an improved policy environment and best practices developed under Madini Safi.
U.S. workers and companies will benefit via access to fair, reliable cobalt, copper, and 3Ts supply chains and a leveled playing field.
Subrecipient activities. Sub-awardee Initiative des Femme Entrepreneurs pour le Développement Durable will implement provincial-level capacity strengthening and engagement activities targeting government agencies, supply chain actors, and communities.
The University of Lubumbashi will support data collection and analysis for the supply chain research study.
The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance will provide technical assistance to supply chain actors working to align their guidelines and practices with U.S. and international standards.
To reduce child labor and forced labor in the DRC cobalt, copper, and 3Ts (tin, tungsten, tantalum) supply chains, which will help secure U.S. access to reliable critical mineral supplies and level the playing field for American workers and companies.
Madini Safi will work with government and private sector stakeholders to strengthen legal and policy frameworks and improve the monitoring, identification, enforcement, and remediation of child labor and forced labor in Haut-Katanga and Lualaba provinces.
Funding level requested: $4,999,832.62.
Formative policy and systems gap analysis; structured dialogue with public, private, and civil society sector stakeholders to establish consensus for policy and systems reform priorities; reform-focused working groups to advance policy reforms; compliance training and technical assistance to supply chain actors to align due diligence guidelines with national, U.S., and international standards; upgrading the national monitoring and identification systems for child labor and forced labor; strengthen government-civil society collaboration for monitoring and enforcement; expand referral networks for remediation services for survivors; mobilize communities to support enforcement and remediation of labor violations; incubate mining company-community initiatives to address child labor and forced labor; supply chain research study on child labor and forced labor in copper-cobalt mining along the DRC-Zambia border.
Project objective: To secure America’s access to fair, reliable cobalt, copper, and 3Ts critical mineral supply chains free of child labor and forced labor in the DRC.
Outcome 1: Key DRC government and cobalt, copper, and 3Ts supply chain actors identify and agree on priority policy and systems reforms to address child labor and forced labor (cross-cutting).
Outcome 2: DRC government aligns legal, policy, and regulatory frameworks with U.S. and international trade and labor standards (focus area 1).
Outcome 3: Supply chain actors bring due diligence guidelines and protocols into alignment with DRC regulatory frameworks and U.S. and international standards (focus area 1).
Outcome 4: DRC government and civil society strengthen systems and capacity for monitoring, identifying, and enforcing child labor and forced labor within cobalt, copper, and 3Ts supply chains (focus area 2).
Outcome 5: Cobalt, copper, and 3Ts supply chain actors strengthen systems and capacity for monitoring, identifying, and remediating child labor and forced labor (focus area 2).
Intended beneficiaries. Madini Safi will directly benefit key stakeholders engaged on policy reform at the national level, including government ministries and industry associations.
In Haut-Katanga and Lualaba provinces, the project will directly benefit: supply chain actors and their industry associations; workers and their unions and organizations; government agencies; civil society organizations; and communities near mineral operations.
Stakeholders in other mineral producing provinces and other supply chains will benefit indirectly from an improved policy environment and best practices developed under Madini Safi.
U.S. workers and companies will benefit via access to fair, reliable cobalt, copper, and 3Ts supply chains and a leveled playing field.
Subrecipient activities. Sub-awardee Initiative des Femme Entrepreneurs pour le Développement Durable will implement provincial-level capacity strengthening and engagement activities targeting government agencies, supply chain actors, and communities.
The University of Lubumbashi will support data collection and analysis for the supply chain research study.
The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance will provide technical assistance to supply chain actors working to align their guidelines and practices with U.S. and international standards.
Awardee
Funding Goals
OUTCOME(S) PROJECT OUTCOMES WILL BE DEVELOPED POST AWARD THROUGH ILAB'S STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND STRATEGY VALIDATION
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding Agency
Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Congo (Kinshasa)
Geographic Scope
Foreign
Related Opportunity
PACT was awarded
Securing Fair and Reliable Critical Mineral Supply Chains in the DRC
Cooperative Agreement 26K75IL000023
worth $7,000,000
from the Bureau of International Labor Affairs in December 2026 with work to be completed primarily in Congo (Kinshasa).
The grant
has a duration of 4 years 6 months and
was awarded through assistance program 17.401 International Labor Programs.
The Cooperative Agreement was awarded through grant opportunity Securing Fair and Reliable Critical Mineral Supply Chains.
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 1/26/26
Period of Performance
12/31/25
Start Date
6/30/30
End Date
Funding Split
$7.0M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$7.0M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to 26K75IL000023
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
26K75IL000023
SAI Number
1605:1605:IL:26K75IL000023:1:1
Award ID URI
SAIEXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Nonprofit With 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other Than An Institution Of Higher Education)
Awarding Office
1630GM DOL (ETA) GRANTS MANAGEMENT
Funding Office
160901 DOL- BUR INTERNATIONAL LABOR AFFAIR
Awardee UEI
H2K8KJKM97V4
Awardee CAGE
3WYM4
Performance District
Not Applicable
Modified: 1/26/26