AS PART OF AN OVERALL FEDERAL EFFORT TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY, THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT-RELATED ASSISTANCE TO MIGRANT AND OTHER SEASONAL FARMWORKERS THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ACT (CETA). THE NATIONAL FARM WORKERS SERVICE CENTER, 1 OF 43 ORGANIZATIONS APPLYING FOR FARMWORKER ECONOMIC STIMULUS PROGRAM FUNDS, WAS AWARDED $800,000 IN CETA FUNDS, ALTHOUGH LABOR POORLY MANAGED THE AWARDS, CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO DELAYS IN GRANT NEGOTIATIONS AND CONFUSION ABOUT PROGRAMS TO BE FUNDED. IN ADDITION, THE CENTER WAS AWARDED A CONTRACT FOR $120,925 TO FOSTER AGRICULTURAL APPRENTICESHIP BY STUDYING JOBS AND TRAINING NEEDS IN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY AND BY DEVELOPING NEW JOB CLASSIFICATIONS AND A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR FARMWORKERS. THE CENTER WAS AWARDED THE CONTRACT WITHOUT COMPETITION FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. LABOR SHOULD DISCONTINUE THE PRACTICE OF ROUTINELY AWARDING PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS AS THERE IS NO EVIDENCE FOR ITS EFFECTIVENESS. GAO ALSO FOUND THAT THE CENTER LACKED EXPERIENCE IN EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, THAT IT DID NOT ESTABLISH THE NECESSITY FOR A RESIDENTIAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING PROGRAM, AND THAT LABOR CANNOT ASSURE NONPARTICIPATION OF ILLEGAL ALIENS IN FARMWORKER PROGRAMS. LABOR INTENDS TO VISIT THE CENTER SIX TIMES DURING THE 18-MONTH GRANT PERIOD AND PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE CENTER.