15justicesysstratsol.pdf

OMB No. 1121-0329

U.S. Department of Justice Approval Expires 07/31/2016

Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications to: 1) develop a clearinghouse to provide information about risk and needs assessment to criminal justice practitioners and stakeholders, and 2) provide training and technical assistance to practitioners regarding women in the criminal justice system. This program furthers the Department’s mission by disseminating evidence-based information to criminal justice practitioners.

National Initiatives: Promoting Effective Justice Systems Strategies

FY 2015 Competitive Grant Announcement

Eligibility Eligible applicants are limited to public and private entities, including for-profit (commercial) and nonprofit organizations (including tribal for-profit or nonprofit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). For-profit organizations must agree to forgo any profit or management fee. Applicants must also have experience in delivering training and technical assistance nationwide.

BJA welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program.

Only one application per lead applicant will be considered; however, subrecipients may be part of multiple proposals.

BJA may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.

For additional eligibility information, see Section C. Eligibility Information.

Deadline Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. All applications are due to be submitted and in receipt of a successful validation message in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on June 16, 2015.

All applicants are encouraged to read this Important Notice: Applying for Grants in

Grants.gov.

For additional information, see How to Apply in Section D. Application and Submission Information.

http://www.justice.gov/ http://www.ojp.gov/ https://www.bja.gov/ https://www.bja.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp http://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Grants-govInfo.htm

BJA-2015-4200

Contact Information For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035, or via e-mail to support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays.

Applicants that experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond their control that prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the BJA contact identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline and request approval to submit their application. Additional information on reporting technical issues is found under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How to Apply section.

For assistance with any other requirement of this solicitation, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Response Center: toll-free at 1-800-851-3420; via TTY at 301-240-6310 (hearing impaired only); email responsecenter@ncjrs.gov; fax to 301-240-5830;

or web chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp. The NCJRS Response Center hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time on the solicitation close date.

Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement: BJA-2015-4200

Release date: April 23, 2015 mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp mailto:responsecenter@ncjrs.gov https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp

Contents A. Program Description

Overview

Project-Specific Information

Category 1 Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

Category 2 Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices

B. Federal Award Information

Type of Award

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

Budget Information

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement

Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable)

C. Eligibility Information

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement

Limit on Number of Application Submissions

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include

How to Apply

E. Application Review Information

Selection Criteria

Review Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices

Administrative, National Policy, and other Legal Requirements

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

H. Other Information

Provide Feedback to OJP

Application Checklist

National Initiatives: Promoting Effective Justice Systems Strategies

(CFDA #16.827 and 16.738)

A. Program Description

Overview The purpose of this program is to provide state and local criminal justice practitioners and stakeholders with objective information, resources, and training and technical assistance (TTA) on timely and emerging criminal justice issues and actionable information to improve the uptake and quality of evidence-based practice.

Category 1 of this solicitation seeks a provider to develop content for a web-based clearinghouse and provide technical assistance to criminal justice practitioners and stakeholders regarding the science and practice of risk and needs assessment to inform decisions at various points in the criminal justice system. Category 1 is funded through the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) appropriation, under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Pub. L. 113-235.

Category 2 of this solicitation seeks to identify a provider or team of providers to leverage and bolster the successful work to date of the National Resource Center on Justice-Involved Women. Category 2 is funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. The JAG Program (42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq.) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, and JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system. The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Pub. L. No. 113-76, 128 Stat. 5, 68, Title II Sec. 213(1) provides that “up to 3 percent of funds made available to the Office of Justice Programs for grant or reimbursement programs may be used by such Office to provide training and technical assistance.”

Project-Specific Information

Category 1: Risk Assessment Clearinghouse. Competition ID: BJA-2015-4201 Through BJA’s strategic plan, BJA has committed to supporting “effective criminal justice policy, programs, information sharing, and collaborations within state, local, and tribal agencies and communities” by “promot[ing] the use of risk and needs assessment throughout the criminal justice system” and “creat[ing] practical tools that communicate criminal justice solutions to the field.” Use of validated risk and needs assessments is the foundation for implementing evidence-based practices. Assessment and use of risk, needs, and responsivity (RNR) information can improve criminal justice decisions regarding appropriate placement and targeting scarce resources for the highest-risk offenders while preventing over-programming of low-risk offenders, which can result in increased recidivism. As the use of RNR assessment increases, criminal justice practitioners and stakeholders have a correspondingly increased need to understand the state of the field and science of assessment.

Category 1 Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables To that end, BJA seeks a provider to develop content for a BJA web resource and deliver distance training and targeted technical assistance to provide criminal justice practitioners and stakeholders with credible, evidence-based information regarding risk and needs assessment.

While BJA anticipates that the web site and content management system will be developed, hosted, and maintained by an existing OJP contractor, BJA is seeking an entity to develop the content that will be featured on this site to address, at a minimum, the following issues in clear, concise, and easily-accessible language:

Explanation of the history of risk and risk/needs assessment instruments in the criminal justice system, including a discussion of the generations of risk assessment and the RNR model and its evidentiary basis.

Description of current state of the field regarding the use of risk or risk/needs instruments at different decision points (e.g., arrest, pretrial, prosecutorial charging, sentencing, prison, supervision intake, and parole), and for different purposes (e.g., diversion, pretrial release/bail determination, treatment needs and matching, setting conditions of supervision, release decisionmaking).

Information about commonly used instruments that would be relevant to organizations and practitioners considering which tool(s) to adopt, for example, the level of training or credentials required for assessors; the evidence base for instruments in common use and the populations and purposes for which the instruments’ use is supported by the evidence; the average time to complete; the number of items; the domains measured;

type and source of data required, such as administrative data and/or interview; cost information, including whether proprietary or non-proprietary; and automation options for integration into information systems.

Best practice in development/construction, validation, norming, and revision/revalidation of instruments, including how tool design is informed by its purpose (e.g., treatment matching, arrest or detention decision, diversion); how variables are tested, selected, and weighted; how cut points are selected; how instruments can be designed to limit or eliminate the use of factors that are associated with disproportionate impact; the range of accuracy that can reasonably be expected from the tools; the purpose and content of a validation study; the importance and recommended frequency of re-validation or revision; and the importance of norming.

Best or promising practice in use of the tools, including recommended training; agency policies regarding when to assess, how frequently to re-assess, and use of the information gathered; explanation of how the information can support decisions, i.e., linking assessment results with programs, services, and case plan goals; data collection and systems requirements; how to communicate and present RNR information effectively, for example, in pre-sentence investigation reports or transparent case management plans; and the importance of and examples of quality assurance systems to ensure, among other things, inter-rater reliability, concurrence of decisions with assessment results; and case plans informed by assessments.

Unanswered questions in risk and needs assessment; i.e., the limits of current science and the corresponding implications for practice.

BJA expects that, in developing the resource, the provider will consult with a wide range of experts and practitioners of diverse perspectives. The provider will develop the content and will be expected to work and collaborate with OJP’s existing contractor, who will design, build, host, and maintain the web site on behalf of BJA. The selected provider will also update the content and work with the contractor to refresh the site content on an ongoing basis.

In addition, BJA expects the provider to plan and host distance learning opportunities such as webinars to address priority issues relating to risk and needs assessments, with the specific topics to be determined in consultation with BJA. BJA also expects the provider to respond to requests for technical assistance. The selected provider will be expected to establish a system for receiving requests, including by phone and through the web resource, and for assessing levels of need. The provider will be expected to provide tailored distance and site-based services to state and local criminal justice agencies seeking to implement or improve risk and needs assessment. The applicant should have demonstrated expertise in delivering and managing a national-level TTA program and have particular knowledge of the science and practice of risk and needs assessment.

Category 2: National Resource Center on Justice-Involved Women. Competition ID: BJA- 2015-4202 Between 1980 and 2010, the number of women in prison in the United States increased by 646 percent, rising from approximately 15,000 to almost 114,000.1 When counting women in local jails, the total number of women who are incarcerated in this country now exceeds 205,000.2 Furthermore, from 1980 to 2010, the number of women in prison grew at nearly one and a half times the rate of men (646 percent versus 419 percent). Incarcerated women also have higher rates of serious mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse problems than their male counterparts.3 In addition, justice-involved females are more often victims of physical and sexual abuse, including partner violence and childhood sexual assault, than their male counterparts.4

Unfortunately, funding for effective, gender-responsive programming that addresses the unique characteristics of justice-involved women has decreased across the nation in recent years, and providing such programming is not always a high priority for criminal justice agencies in these challenging economic times. In addition, even when justice-involved women are a priority, justice system stakeholders do not always possess the specialized knowledge and skills necessary to implement policies and practices that fully address their needs.

The significant and increasing number of women who are incarcerated in jails and prisons across the nation, and the unique needs of these women that must be addressed in order to reduce the likelihood that they will reoffend, demonstrate the need to expand and enhance the National Resource Center on Justice-Involved Women (the Resource Center). See www.cjinvolvedwomen.org. The Resource Center, funded by BJA since FY 2010, provides specialized support and assistance to enable state and local criminal justice agencies to provide gender-responsive programs and services to justice system involved women.

1 The Sentencing Project (September, 2012) Incarcerated Women. Retrieved February 10, 2015 www.sentencingproject.org.

2 Johnson, K A., & Lynch, S. M. Predictors of Maladaptive Coping in Incarcerated Women Who are Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Journal of Family Violence (2013) 28:43-52.

3 Lynch, S. M., DeHart, D.D., Belknap, J, Green, B.L. Women’s pathways to jail: The roles & intersections of serious mental illness & trauma, submitted to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (September 2012).

4 Lynch, S. M., DeHart, D.D., Belknap, J, Green, B.L. Women’s pathways to jail: The roles & intersections of serious mental illness & trauma, submitted to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (September 2012).

http://www.cjinvolvedwomen.org/ http://www.sentencingproject.org/

The funding available for this program will build upon the work of the existing Resource Center to assist criminal justice policymakers and practitioners nationwide, in transforming their policies and practices to address the needs of justice-involved women more effectively, through the use of technical assistance and other resources. In order to carry out this transformation, policymakers and practitioners must fully understand—and possess the capacity to apply—the contemporary research related to justice-involved women and their effective management, and to leverage the promising work on this issue that is occurring in jurisdictions nationwide. The assistance and resources provided will focus on promoting and supporting the successful implementation of gender-responsive, evidence-based programming that reflects the significant differences between males and females in the justice system.

Category 2 Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables Category 2 of this solicitation seeks to identify a provider or team of providers to leverage and bolster the successful work to date of the Resource Center. The provider or team of providers will be responsible for carrying out activities and producing deliverables related to four broad categories of work:

1. Provision of state-of-the-art training to the field on issues related to managing justice-involved women effectively.

2. Creation of strategic opportunities for criminal justice practitioners and others who work with justice-involved women to build peer-to-peer support networks, and share promising and best practices with one another.

3. Development of communication strategies for making the needs of justice-involved women a higher priority for jails and corrections agencies across the nation.

4. Delivery of targeted technical assistance designed to assist agencies in their efforts to provide gender-responsive programs and services to women.

Training Currently, there are only limited opportunities for corrections professionals and others to participate in training that addresses the complex needs of justice-involved women, and focuses on best practices related to their management. This dearth of training negatively impacts the ability of professionals to implement gender-responsive policies and practices that promote the success of justice-involved women and reduce the likelihood of recidivism.

The funding available under this program will be used to implement a robust, national training program that builds upon the training resources currently available through the Resource Center and other sources (e.g., National Institute of Corrections, etc.). The training must be cost-effective and employ a variety of approaches and techniques, including classroom and web-based offerings as well as the development and dissemination of curricula. Key topics to be covered by the training include, but are not limited to, the following:

Classification, assessment, and case management strategies for justice-involved women;

Working with justice-involved women effectively in correctional settings;

Effective reentry strategies for justice-involved women;

Trauma-informed treatment interventions and services for justice-involved women and their families;

Community management and supervision of justice-involved women; and

Quality assurance and evaluation of management strategies for justice-involved women.

The quality and impact of the national training program that is implemented must be evaluated by the selected provider or team of providers, and the outcomes will be used to continuously improve and guide future training that is provided to the field.

Networking Opportunities for criminal justice policymakers and practitioners to share current, relevant information with one another about what works most effectively to promote positive outcomes with justice-involved women are very limited. As such, the activities supported under this program will include ongoing efforts to design and implement opportunities for those in the criminal justice field to share information about best practices related to managing justice-involved women, address the challenges they are facing related to the successful implementation of gender-responsive programs and services, and enhance their work with women offenders. The networking efforts may include the convening of another “National Summit for Justice-Involved Women,” as well as other cost-effective strategies that promote and sustain meaningful, ongoing peer-to-peer networking and support among policymakers and practitioners nationwide.

Communication Strategies Women are a faster-growing criminal justice population than men, yet criminal justice policies and practices in many jurisdictions and agencies still reflect what seems to work with justice-involved males only. Therefore, the primary purpose of the awareness-raising activities and strategies to be supported under this program is to build and sustain a strong commitment to meaningful changes in how the criminal justice system responds to justice-involved women. If this program is successful, addressing the needs of justice-involved women will become and remain a higher priority for state and local corrections and criminal justice agencies across the country. The specific objectives of the awareness raising activities and strategies include, but are not limited to, the following:

Communicate key messages broadly and effectively to the field about justice-involved women, their unique pathways to involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of gender-responsive management strategies that promote positive outcomes and reduce the likelihood of recidivism; and

Increase support across the nation for addressing the needs of justice-involved women using evidence-supported, data-driven, and gender-responsive policies and practices.

The quality and impact of the awareness-raising activities and strategies that are implemented must be evaluated by the provider or team of providers that is selected to carry out this program, and the outcomes must be used to make adjustments that enhance effectiveness.

Providing Technical Assistance A critical component of the work associated with expanding and enhancing the Resource Center is providing targeted technical assistance to state and local agencies where there is a demonstrated commitment to improving how justice-involved women are managed, and their recidivism outcomes. This program will include a robust technical assistance initiative that includes an application process which requires agencies seeking support to articulate and describe:

The challenges they are facing;

Efforts undertaken to date to address these challenges;

The resources that can be provided by the agency to support the technical assistance process;

The roles of agency leadership in the effort, and how they will support and participate directly in the assistance; and

The level of commitment of the agency to participate in a follow up evaluation after the assistance is delivered to measure its effectiveness and impact.

The lessons learned from the technical assistance process will be made available to the field through the creation and dissemination of a variety of written materials (e.g., white papers, fact sheets, case studies, etc.). These materials will help others to learn from the outcomes of the technical assistance process, and to replicate promising practices resulting from the assistance.

TTA Provider Requirements for Categories 1 and 2 BJA TTA providers are required to coordinate all TTA activities with BJA’s National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC). The successful applicant will be required to comply with NTTAC protocols in order to ensure coordinated delivery of services among TTA providers and effective use of BJA TTA grant funding. BJA reserves the right to reasonably modify these protocols at any time at its discretion.

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices OJP strongly emphasizes the use of data and evidence in policy making and program development in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. OJP is committed to:

Improving the quantity and quality of evidence OJP generates

Integrating evidence into program, practice, and policy decisions within OJP and the field

Improving the translation of evidence into practice

OJP considers programs and practices to be evidence-based when their effectiveness has been demonstrated by causal evidence, generally obtained through one or more outcome evaluations. Causal evidence documents a relationship between an activity or intervention (including technology) and its intended outcome, including measuring the direction and size of a change, and the extent to which a change may be attributed to the activity or intervention. Causal evidence depends on the use of scientific methods to rule out, to the extent possible, alternative explanations for the documented change. The strength of causal evidence, based on the factors described above, will influence the degree to which OJP considers a program or practice to be evidence-based. OJP’s CrimeSolutions.gov web site is one resource that applicants may use to find information about evidence-based programs in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services.

B. Federal Award Information

Category 1 BJA estimates that it will make one award under Category 1 of up to $400,000 for a 24-month project period, beginning October 1, 2015.

Category 2 BJA estimates that it will make one award under Category 2 of up to $400,000 for a 24-month project period, beginning on October 1, 2015.

http://www.crimesolutions.gov/

BJA may, in certain cases, provide supplemental funding in future years to awards under this solicitation. Important considerations in decisions regarding supplemental funding include, among other factors, the availability of funding, strategic priorities, assessment of the quality of the management of the award (for example, timeliness and quality of progress reports), and assessment of the progress of the work funded under the award.

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

Type of Award5 BJA expects that it will make any awards from this solicitation in the form of a cooperative agreement, which is a particular type of grant used if BJA expects to have ongoing substantial involvement in award activities. Substantial involvement includes direct oversight and involvement with the grantee organization in implementation of the grant, but does not involve day-to-day project management. See Administrative, National Policy, and other Legal Requirements, under Section F. Federal Award Administration Information, for details regarding the federal involvement anticipated under an award from this solicitation.

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls If selected for funding, the award recipient must:

(a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-federal entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States and the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

(b) Comply with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal awards.

(c) Evaluate and monitor the non-federal entity's compliance with statute, regulations and the terms and conditions of federal awards.

(d) Take prompt action when instances of noncompliance are identified including noncompliance identified in audit findings.

(e) Take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable information and other information the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity designates as sensitive or the non-federal entity considers sensitive consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality.

5 See generally 31 U.S.C. §§ 6301-6305 (defines and describes various forms of federal assistance relationships, including grants and cooperative agreements (a type of grant)).

In order to better understand administrative requirements and cost principles, award applicants are encouraged to enroll, at no charge, in the Department of Justice Grants Financial Management Online Training available here.

Budget Information

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement This solicitation does not require a match. However, if a successful application proposes a voluntary match amount, and OJP approves the budget, the total match amount incorporated into the approved budget becomes mandatory and subject to audit.

Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals OJP does not typically approve pre-agreement costs; an applicant must request and obtain the prior written approval of OJP for all such costs. If approved, pre-agreement costs could be paid from grant funds consistent with a grantee’s approved budget, and under applicable cost standards. However, all such costs prior to award and prior to approval of the costs are incurred at the sole risk of an applicant. Generally, no applicant should incur project costs before submitting an application requesting federal funding for those costs. Should there be extenuating circumstances that appear to be appropriate for OJP’s consideration as pre-agreement costs, the applicant should contact the point of contact listed on the title page of this announcement for details on the requirements for submitting a written request for approval. See the section on Costs Requiring Prior Approval in the Financial Guide, for more information.

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver With respect to any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation, recipients may not use federal funds to pay total cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses) to any employee of the award recipient at a rate that exceeds 110 percent of the maximum annual salary payable to a member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an agency with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System for that year.6 The 2015 salary table for SES employees is available at the Office of Personnel Management web site. Note: A recipient may compensate an employee at a greater rate, provided the amount in excess of this compensation limitation is paid with non-federal funds. (Any such additional compensation will not be considered matching funds where match requirements apply.)

The Assistant Attorney General for OJP may exercise discretion to waive, on an individual basis, the limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award. An applicant requesting a waiver should include a detailed justification in the budget narrative of the application. Unless the applicant submits a waiver request and justification with the application, the applicant should anticipate that OJP will request the applicant to adjust and resubmit the budget.

The justification should include the particular qualifications and expertise of the individual, the uniqueness of the service the individual will provide, the individual’s specific knowledge of the program or project being undertaken with award funds, and a statement explaining that the individual’s salary is commensurate with the regular and customary rate for an individual with his/her qualifications and expertise, and for the work to be done.

6 This limitation on use of award funds does not apply to the non-profit organizations specifically named at Appendix VIII to 2 C.F.R. part 200.

http://gfm.webfirst.com/ http://ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/15Tables/exec/html/ES.aspx

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs OJP strongly encourages applicants that propose to use award funds for any conference-, meeting-, or training-related activity to review carefully – before submitting an application – the OJP policy and guidance on conference approval, planning, and reporting available at www.ojp.gov/financialguide/PostawardRequirements/chapter15page1.htm. OJP policy and guidance (1) encourage minimization of conference, meeting, and training costs; (2) require prior written approval (which may affect project timelines) of most such costs for cooperative agreement recipients and of some such costs for grant recipients; and (3) set cost limits, including a general prohibition of all food and beverage costs.

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) If an applicant proposes a program or activity that would deliver services or benefits to individuals, the costs of taking reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to those services or benefits for individuals with limited English proficiency may be allowable. Reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to services or benefits may include interpretation or translation services where appropriate.

For additional information, see the "Civil Rights Compliance" section under “Solicitation Requirements” in the OJP Funding Resource Center.

C. Eligibility Information For additional eligibility information, see Title page.

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement For additional information on cost sharing and match requirement, see Section B. Federal Award Information.

Limit on Number of Application Submissions If an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, BJA will review only the most recent system-validated version submitted. For more information on system-validated versions, see How to Apply.

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include Applicants should anticipate that if they fail to submit an application that contains all of the specified elements, it may negatively affect the review of their application; and, should a decision be made to make an award, it may result in the inclusion of special conditions that preclude the recipient from accessing or using award funds pending satisfaction of the conditions.

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications that are determined to be nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation, or that do not include the application elements that BJA has designated to be critical, will neither proceed to peer review nor receive further consideration. Under this solicitation, BJA has designated the following application elements as critical: Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet, Budget Narrative, and a Time/Task Plan.

Applicants may combine the Budget Narrative and the Budget Detail Worksheet in one http://www.ojp.gov/financialguide/PostawardRequirements/chapter15page1.htm http://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm document. However, if an applicant submits only one budget document, it must contain both narrative and detail information. Please review the “Note on File Names and File Types” under How to Apply to be sure applications are submitted in permitted formats.

OJP strongly recommends that applicants use appropriately descriptive file names (e.g., “Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” “Memoranda of Understanding,” “Resumes”) for all attachments. Also, OJP recommends that applicants include resumes in a single file.

1. Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

The SF-424 is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and related information. Grants.gov and OJP’s Grants Management System (GMS) take information from the applicant’s profile to populate the fields on this form. When selecting "type of applicant," if the applicant is a for-profit entity, select "For-Profit Organization" or "Small Business" (as applicable). The applicant should include the full amount requested for the entire 24-month project period on the SF-424

Intergovernmental Review: This funding opportunity is subject to Executive Order 12372.

Applicants may find the names and addresses of their state’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) at the following website: www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/. Applicants whose state appears on the SPOC list must contact their state’s SPOC to find out about, and comply with, the state’s process under Executive Order 12372. In completing the SF-424, applicants whose state appears on the SPOC list are to make the appropriate selection in response to question 19 once the applicant has complied with their state’s E.O. 12372 process. (Applicants whose state does not appear on the SPOC list are to make the appropriate selection in response to question 19 to indicate that the “Program is subject to E.O. 12372 but has not been selected by the State for review.”)

Selecting the Appropriate Point of Contact (POC) and the Authorized Representative.

Applicants should be cognizant that these two contacts should not be the same. The authorized representative must have the authority to enter into a legal contract with the federal government. The POC will serve as the primary point of contact and will be responsible for grant management duties such as a submission of reports. Make sure that the name, contact information, title, and solicitation is correct

2. Project Abstract

Applicants should provide an abstract identifying the applicant’s name, title of the project, and dollar amount requested. The abstract should include goals of the project, a description of the strategies to be used, a numerical listing of key/major deliverables, and coordination plans.

Applications should include a high-quality project abstract that summarizes the proposed project in 400 words or less. Project abstracts should be—

Written for a general public audience

Submitted as a separate attachment with “Project Abstract” as part of its file name

Single-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman) with 1-inch margins

As a separate attachment, the project abstract will not count against the page limit for the program narrative.

http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/

All project abstracts should follow the detailed template available at ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/ProjectAbstractTemplate.pdf.

Do not, however, submit your abstract in .PDF format. BJA requires the ability to copy and paste abstract text. Examples of usable formats include Microsoft Word and WordPerfect.

3. Program Narrative The Program Narrative must respond to the solicitation and the Selection Criteria in the order given. The Program Narrative should be double-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman is preferred) with 1-inch margins, and should not exceed 10 pages.

Number pages “1 of 10,” “2 of 10,” etc.

If the program narrative fails to comply with these length-related restrictions, BJA may consider such noncompliance in peer review and may affect final award decisions.

The following sections should be included as part of the program narrative and are described more fully in the Selection Criteria section:

a. Statement of the Problem

b. Project Design and Implementation

c. Capabilities and Competencies

d. Plan for Collecting the Data Required for this Solicitation’s Performance Measures

To assist the Department with fulfilling its responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, and the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, Public Law 111–352, applicants that receive funding under this solicitation must provide data that measure the results of their work done under this solicitation. Award recipients will be required to submit performance metric data quarterly through BJA’s online Training and Technical Assistance Reporting Portal located at www.bjatraining.org. To assist applicants in developing their plans for collecting and reporting performance measurement data that will meaningfully evaluate progress, the following measures are the core performance measures for the Training and Technical Assistance Programs. OJP will require any award recipient, post award, to provide the data requested in the “Data Grantee Provides” column so that OJP can calculate values for the “Performance Measures” column. Performance measures for this solicitation are as follows:

Objectives Performance Measure Data Grantee Provides

Categories 1 & 2: Provide state and local criminal justice practitioners and stakeholders with objective information, resources, and training and technical assistance (TTA) on timely and emerging criminal justice issues and actionable information to improve the uptake and

Number of conferences or advisory/focus groups held

Percentage of advisory/focus groups evaluated as satisfactory or better

Number of publications developed

Number of publications disseminated

For the current reporting period:

Number of conferences or advisory/focus groups held

Number of conference or advisory/focus group attendees who completed an evaluation

Number of conference or advisory/focus group attendees who rated the advisory/focus group as satisfactory or better

Number of publications/resources developed http://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/ProjectAbstractTemplate.pdf http://www.bjatraining.org/ quality of evidence-based practice

Percent of web sites developed and maintained

Percent increase in the number of visits to web sites

Percentage of information requests responded to

Number of publications/ resources disseminated

Number of web sites developed

Number of web sites maintained

Number of visits to web sites during the current reporting period

Number of visits to web sites during the previous reporting period

Number of information requests

Number of information requests responded to

Number of onsite visits completed

Percentage of requesting agencies who rated services as satisfactory or better

Percentage of requesting agencies that were planning to implement one or more recommendations

For the current reporting period:

Number of onsite visits completed

Number of reports submitted to requesting agencies after onsite visits

Number of requesting agencies who completed an evaluation of services

Number of agencies who rated the services a satisfactory or better o in terms of timeliness o quality

Number of follow-ups with requesting agencies completed 6 months after onsite visit

Number of agencies that were planning to implement at least one or more recommendations 6 months after the onsite visit

Category 2: Provide state-of-the-art training to the field on issues related to managing justice involved women effectively

Number of trainings conducted

Number of participants who attend the training

Percentage of participants who successfully completed the training

Percentage of participants who rated the training as satisfactory or better

Percentage of participants trained and subsequently demonstrated performance improvement

Percentage of scholarship recipients surveyed who reported that the training provided information that could be utilized in their job.

Number of curricula developed

Number of curricula that were pilot tested

Percentage of curricula that were revised after pilot testing

For the current reporting period:

Number of trainings (by type):

In-person

Web-based

CD/DVD

Peer-to-peer

Workshop

Number of individuals who:

Attended the training (in-person) or started the training (web- based)

Completed the training

Completed an evaluation at the conclusion of the training

Completed an evaluation and rated the training as satisfactory or better

Completed the post-test with an improved score over their pre-test

For the current reporting period, number of individuals who:

Received a scholarship

Completed the training

Completed a survey at the conclusion of the training

Reported the training provided information that could be utilized in their job

Number of training curricula:

Developed

Pilot tested

Revised after being pilot tested

Category 2: Create strategic opportunities for criminal justice practitioners and others who work with justice involved women to build peer-to-peer support networks, and share promising and best practices with one another

Percentage of peer visitors who reported that the visit to the other agency was useful in providing information on policies or practices

Percentage of peer visitors that were planning to implement one or more policies or practices 6 months after they were observed at the visited site

Percentage of requesting agencies of other onsite services who rated the services provided as satisfactory or better

Number of peer-to-peer visits completed

Number of peer visitors who completed an evaluation

Number of peer visitors who reported that the visit was useful in providing information on policies or practices

Number of follow-ups with the requesting peer visitor completed 6 months after the peer-to-peer visit

Number of peer visitors who were planning to implement at least one or more recommendations 6 months after the onsite visit

Number of other onsite services provided

Number of requesting agencies who completed an evaluation of other onsite services

Number of agencies who rated the services a satisfactory or better

BJA does not require applicants to submit performance measures data with their application. Performance measures are included as an alert that BJA will require successful applicants to submit specific data as part of their reporting requirements. For the application, applicants should indicate an understanding of these requirements and discuss how they will gather the required data, should they receive funding.

Note on Project Evaluations Applicants that propose to use funds awarded through this solicitation to conduct project evaluations should be aware that certain project evaluations (such as systematic investigations designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge) may constitute “research” for purposes of applicable DOJ human subjects protection regulations. However, project evaluations that are intended only to generate internal improvements to a program or service, or are conducted only to meet OJP’s performance measure data reporting requirements likely do not constitute “research.”

Applicants should provide sufficient information for OJP to determine whether the particular project they propose would either intentionally or unintentionally collect and/or use information in such a way that it meets the DOJ regulatory definition of research.

Research, for the purposes of human subjects protections for OJP-funded programs, is defined as, “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge” 28 C.F.R. § 46.102(d). For additional information on determining whether a proposed activity would constitute research, see the decision tree to assist applicants on the “Research and the Protection of Human Subjects” section of the OJP Funding Resource Center web page

(ojp.gov/funding/Explore/SolicitationRequirements/EvidenceResearchEvaluationRequire ments.htm). Applicants whose proposals may involve a research or statistical component also should review the “Data Privacy and Confidentiality Requirements” section on that web page.

4. Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

a. Budget Detail Worksheet A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/BudgetDetailWorksheet.pdf. Applicants that submit their budget in a different format should include the budget categories listed in the sample budget worksheet.

Personnel

Fringe Benefits

Travel

Equipment

Supplies

Consultants/Contracts

Other Costs

Indirect Costs

For questions pertaining to budget and examples of allowable and unallowable costs, see the Financial Guide at www.ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm.

b. Budget Narrative The budget narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of expense listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. OJP expects proposed budgets to be complete, cost effective, and allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and necessary for project activities).

Applicants should demonstrate in their budget narratives how they will maximize cost effectiveness of grant expenditures. Budget narratives should generally describe cost effectiveness in relation to potential alternatives and the goals of the project. For example, a budget narrative should detail why planned in-person meetings are necessary, or how technology and collaboration with outside organizations could be used to reduce costs, without compromising quality.

The narrative should be mathematically sound and correspond with the information and figures provided in the Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative should explain how the applicant estimated and calculated all costs, and how they are relevant to the completion of the proposed project. The narrative may include tables for clarification purposes but need not be in a spreadsheet format. As with the Budget Detail Worksheet, the Budget Narrative should be broken down by year.

c. Non-Competitive Procurement Contracts In Excess of Simplified Acquisition Threshold If an applicant proposes to make one or more non-competitive procurements of products or services, where the non-competitive procurement will exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (also known as the small purchase threshold), which is currently http://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/SolicitationRequirements/EvidenceResearchEvaluationRequirements.htm http://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/SolicitationRequirements/EvidenceResearchEvaluationRequirements.htm http://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/BudgetDetailWorksheet.pdf http://www.ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm set at $150,000, the application should address the considerations outlined in the Financial Guide.

d. Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals For information on pre-agreement costs, see Section B. Federal Award Information.

5. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

Indirect costs are allowed only if the applicant has a current federally approved indirect cost rate. (This requirement does not apply to units of local government.) Attach a copy of the federally approved indirect cost rate agreement to the application. Applicants that do not have an approved rate may request one through their cognizant federal agency, which will review all documentation and approve a rate for the applicant organization, or, if the applicant’s accounting system permits, costs may be allocated in the direct…