15PSNsol.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 for funding under the Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program, also known as Project Safe Neighborhoods. This program furthers DOJ’s mission and violent crime reduction strategy by providing support to state, local, and tribal efforts to reduce gun- and gang-related violent crime.

Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program (Project Safe Neighborhoods)

FY 2015 Competitive Grant Announcement

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are PSN Task Force fiscal agents for the U.S. Attorney districts and federally recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior. All fiscal agents must be certified by the relevant U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO). Eligible fiscal agents include states, units of local government, educational institutions, faith-based and other community organizations, private nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior. For details on the fiscal agent certification process, see www.bja.gov/programs/psn/cert_process.html.

There are categories for small, medium, and large districts as well as for federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and/or tribal organizations. Applicants may only apply to one category. The categories are:

Category 1: USAO district populations of 5 million or more.

Category 2: USAO district populations of 2 million–4,999,999.

Category 3: USAO district populations under 2 million.

Category 4: Federally recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Native tribes and/or tribal organizations. Tribes and tribal organizations must coordinate their application with the local USAO as well as provide a letter of certification from the local USAO for their application.

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 March 3, 2015 (extended from February 17, 2015).

http://www.usdoj.gov/ http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.htm https://www.bja.gov/ https://www.bja.gov/ http://www.bja.gov/programs/psn/cert_process.html http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp

BJA-2015-4047

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.

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.

Grants.Gov number assigned to announcement: BJA-2015-4047

Release date: December 18, 2014 http://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Grants-govInfo.htm 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

PSN-Specific Information

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

B. Federal Award Information

Type of Award

Budget Information

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

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

Appendix

Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program

(CFDA #16.609)

A. Program Description

Overview Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is designed to create safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in crime associated with gang and gun violence. The program's effectiveness is based on the cooperation of local, state, and federal agencies engaged in a unified approach led by the U.S. Attorney (USA) in each district. The USA is responsible for establishing a collaborative PSN task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement and other community members to implement gang and gun crime enforcement, intervention, and prevention initiatives within the district. Through the PSN task force, the USA will implement the five design features of PSN—partnerships, strategic planning, training, outreach, and accountability—to address specific gun crime and gang violence, in the most violent neighborhoods. Details on the five design features (also referred to as core elements) can be found on pages 5-6 and online at www.ncjrs.gov/html/bja/205263/.

The PSN Program continues to be a competitive-based program. In a competitive environment, “need” and use of more effective, intelligence- and data-driven strategies will be key factors for funding selections, in addition to performance results and other factors. Therefore, grant awards for FY 2015 will be made through a competitive process to encourage and focus funding on high-performing and evidence-based programs where the need is greatest and where the most violent neighborhoods, within districts, are being addressed. Funding for this initiative is anticipated through the FY 2015 appropriation.

PSN-Specific Information An evaluation of PSN, funded by the National Institute of Justice and conducted by Michigan State University (MSU),1 found that:

PSN target cities achieved a 4.1 percent decline in violent crime compared to 0.9 percent decline in non-target cities.

Of the PSN sites for which case studies were conducted, 8 out of 10 experienced statistically significant reductions in violent crime, ranging from 2 percent to 42 percent.

In addition, the evaluation suggested that key factors for success included USAO leadership, cross-agency buy-in, and the flexibility of the program to adjust to the realities of individual jurisdictions.

Because there are significant differences among U.S. communities in the level and nature of gun crime and/or gang violence, PSN needs to be able to adapt to the unique circumstances of each local jurisdiction. The PSN evaluation findings suggest that the likelihood of success of the

1 McGarrell, E.F., et al. February 2009. “Project Safe Neighborhoods—A National Program to Reduce Gun Crime:

Final Project Report.” Final Report submitted to the National Institute of Justice. Washington, D.C.: Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.

http://www.ncjrs.gov/html/bja/205263/ applicant’s PSN strategy improves depending on the extent to which the following design features are incorporated and implemented.

Required PSN Design Features There are five PSN design features that all PSN grant applicants should address in their application. The five design features are:

1. Partnerships: The PSN Program is intended to increase partnerships among federal, state, and local agencies through the formation of a local PSN task force. Coordinated by the USAO, the PSN task force typically includes both federal and local prosecutors; federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies; and correctional agencies, including local probation and parole agencies. Nearly all PSN task forces include additional members, such as representatives of local governments, social service providers, neighborhood leaders, members of the faith community, nonprofit organizations, business leaders, educators, and healthcare providers. The PSN evaluation conducted by MSU suggested that in general, the involvement of more community stakeholders translated to better case selection and greater attention being paid to both prevention and deterrence as important parts of the strategic plan—that is, a better functioning task force. MSU’s findings also suggested that the degree to which the district had a positive history of working collaboratively with state and local law enforcement agencies and community groups led to better PSN outcomes. Collaborative working relationships under strong leadership enhanced success.

2. Strategic Planning and Research Integration: PSN is a problem-solving program, based on a strategic planning process in which jurisdictions should define the specific components of their gun crime and/or gang violence problem with the help of proactive crime analysis, and research data and design focused strategies to target these problem components through enforcement/ prosecution, deterrence, and prevention. Recognizing that crime problems, including gun crime and gang violence, illegal drug sales and distribution, as well as other related violent crime and violent offenders vary from community to community across the United States, PSN includes a commitment to tailor the program to the local crime issue and to be intelligence-led and data-driven.

Specifically, PSN requires the inclusion of a local research partner to work with the PSN task force to analyze the local crime problem and help develop a proactive plan for gun crime and gang violence reduction. The goal for the research partner is to assist the task force through analysis of crime patterns and trends that could help the task force focus resources on the most serious people, places, and contexts of gun crime and gang violence. The research partner should bring evidence-based practices to the task force discussions of gun crime and gang violence reduction strategies. The inclusion of the research partner is also intended to assist in the ongoing assessment of data in order to provide feedback to the task force. MSU’s findings suggested that the extent to which a PSN task force integrated research partners and available data into its decision making matrix improved the effectiveness of the PSN strategy. MSU found that overall, PSN task forces appeared to operate more effectively when they consistently obtained quality data from reliable research partners. As such, applicants must set aside a minimum of 20 percent of their proposed budget to directly support the researcher’s operations and activities (e.g., collecting data, analyzing data, salary, etc.) to support the PSN task force, as well as attend the PSN Orientation course currently conducted by MSU for BJA.

Note: George Mason University's Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy (CEBCP), in collaboration with BJA, has formed an e-Consortium for University Centers and Researchers for Partnership with Justice Practitioners. The purpose of this e-Consortium is to provide a resource to local, state, federal, and other groups who seek to connect to nearby (or other) university researchers and centers on partnerships and projects that are mutually beneficial. Access the e- Consortium at gmuconsortium.org.

3. Training: A core component of PSN is its provision of training opportunities to local district task forces to assist them in the effective implementation of all aspects of the program. Training topics include gun crime investigations, crime gun identification and tracing, and related issues.

Training on effective prosecution of gun and gang cases has been provided to state and local law enforcement and prosecutors. Additional training has focused on strategic problem-solving and community outreach and community engagement. Training for local law enforcement on community policing can also be beneficial.

4. Outreach: This PSN component involves both local and national outreach efforts. Locally, districts should be sending a deterrent message to would-be criminals stressing “hard time for gun and gang-related crime,” with simultaneous promotion of educational, intervention/ prevention, reentry, and employment alternatives. The increased sanctions would have the most impact if accompanied with a media campaign to communicate the message of the likelihood of federal prosecution for illegal possession and use of a gun.

5. Accountability and Data-Driven Efforts: This element emphasizes that PSN will focus on outcomes—i.e., reduced gun crime and gang violence—as opposed to a focus on outputs such as arrests and cases prosecuted. That is, PSN’s success is ultimately measured by the reduction in gun crime and gang violence. This accountability component is linked to strategic planning whereby PSN task forces, working with their local research partner, are asked to monitor crime data over time as related to the targeted problems and/or targeted areas.

Leveraging Other Resources in FY 2015 and Beyond PSN should be a part of an overall comprehensive community strategy. In light of reduced federal grant dollars in FY 2015 and in the future, applicants are encouraged to leverage other federal grant dollars and existing grant resources already in the community, and to partner with a research partner to conduct an impact evaluation to determine the results of the PSN program which may help in securing longer-term funding and sustaining the program locally.

Assistance of BJA’s Training and Technical Assistance Provider Successful applicants will work closely with one of BJA’s national PSN training and technical assistance (TTA) partners (currently MSU), to assist districts with incorporating intelligence-led, research-based policing as a fundamental element in their response to crime. Currently, MSU works directly with BJA to provide TTA information sharing sessions, facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges of information, and administer targeted subject matter expertise that is relevant to specific PSN and other violence reduction programs. A listing of additional PSN TTA providers can be found at: www.bja.gov/ProgramDetails.aspx?Program_ID=74.

Deconfliction and Officer Safety Consistent with Attorney General Holder’s stated priority on officer safety, PSN task forces should note that PSN funding can be used to address critical law enforcement officer safety concerns related to PSN target areas and activities. This includes identifying specific officer safety threats related to PSN targets and activities, addressing such threats through improved analytic capabilities locally or through the relevant state and local fusion center, improved situational awareness and information sharing, providing needed training, and protective http://www.gmuconsortium.org/ http://www.bja.gov/ProgramDetails.aspx?Program_ID=74 equipment for state, local, and tribal officers not otherwise available.2 Applicants must demonstrate a direct nexus to PSN in order for these expenses to be considered.

It is also strongly encouraged that PSN task force enforcement operations/events (e.g., surveillance, warrant service, undercover operations, take downs, and staging areas, etc.) be deconflicted through the DOJ-funded RISSafe Deconfliction System and other no-cost systems where applicable. More on RISSafe can be found at www.riss.net/Resources/RISSafe.

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables The purpose of PSN is to reduce gun crime and gang violence by the most violent offenders in the most violent neighborhoods by employing a research-driven, intelligence-led, and problem-solving approach to reduce firearms and gang violence through enforcement, deterrence, and prevention. BJA is seeking proposals from applicants interested in developing innovative, comprehensive, data-driven approaches to reduce chronic gun crime and/or gang violence in their jurisdiction. BJA expects agencies to work toward a result; a PSN result is defined as a plausible, scientifically-based finding that a solution had either an effect or no effect on the problem. The involvement of a research partner is indispensable to achieving this result

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices OJP places a strong emphasis on the use of data and evidence in policy making and program development in criminal justice. 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; and 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 website is one resource that applicants may use to find information about evidence-based programs in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services.

2 In terms of information sharing, training and equipment, applicants should note that the DOJ-funded Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) Program provides state, local, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies with secure methods for sharing criminal intelligence information, no-cost analytic services, training and loans of specialized investigative equipment and confidential funds. RISS membership fees are allowable costs under this program. More on RISS can be found at www.riss.net.

http://www.riss.net/Resources/RISSafe http://www.crimesolutions.gov/ http://www.riss.net/

B. Federal Award Information

BJA estimates that it will make up to 12 awards of up to $150,000-$500,000 each for an estimated total of 24-month project period, beginning on Oct 1, 2015.

Category 1 (Competition ID: BJA-2015-4048): USAO district populations of 5 million or more. Contingent upon the availability of funds, awards of up to $500,000 will be made.

Category 2 (Competition ID: BJA-2015-4049): USAO district populations of 2 million– 4,999,999. Contingent upon the availability of funds, awards of up to $300,000 will be made.

Category 3 (Competition ID: BJA-2015-4050): USAO district populations under 2 million.

Contingent upon the availability of funds, awards of up to $150,000 will be made.

Category 4 (Competition ID: BJA-2015-4051): Federally recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Native tribes, and/or tribal organizations. Contingent upon the availability of funds, awards of up to $150,000 will be made.

Applicants selected will have 3 months to fully develop their PSN Strategic Action Plan (SAP)3 that describes their 2-year implementation and evaluation strategy. The SAP will be developed concurrently during the implementation period. An applicant’s PSN project implementation and access to award funding are contingent upon the BJA’s approval of its SAP. Additionally, as part of the SAP development all applicants selected should identify potential gaps or training needs associated with their project. Once the gaps or training needs are identified, a review of the PSN TTA Manual4 and BJA National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC)5 resources should be conducted to identify possible solutions to the gaps or training needs.

BJA may, in certain cases, provide supplemental funding in future years to awards made 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 Award6 BJA expects that it will make any award from this solicitation in the form of a grant.

3Strategic Action Plans must address: problem analysis; violence reduction strategy; strategy development and modification; organizational changes, innovations, and improved practices; police agency-research relationships and integration.

4 The PSN TTA Manual lists all of the providers as well as their specific missions and capabilities. The manual is available at: https://www.bja.gov/Programs/PSN/PSN_TTA_manual.pdf 5The BJA NTTAC works to improve the criminal justice system by providing rapid, expert, coordinated, and data-driven TTA to support practitioners in the effort to reduce crime, recidivism, and unnecessary confinement in state, local, and tribal communities. The BJA NTTAC web site can be found at: https://www.bjatraining.org/ 6 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)).

https://www.bja.gov/Programs/PSN/PSN_TTA_manual.pdf https://www.bjatraining.org/

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 OJP 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. The 2014 salary table for SES employees is available at www.opm.gov/salary-tables. 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.

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.

http://ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/14Tables/exec/html/ES.aspx http://www.ojp.gov/financialguide/PostawardRequirements/chapter15page1.htm

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, and Budget Narrative. The Budget Narrative and the Budget Detail Worksheet may be combined in one document. However, if only one document is submitted, 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 resumes be included in a single file.

http://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm

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).

2. Project Abstract Applicants should provide a 1-page abstract that clearly identifies the following:

Category under which the applicant is applying

District population

Amount of federal funds requested and proposed project period.

Goals, objectives, and brief description of the project.

Project abstracts should be— written for a general public audience.

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

double-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman) with 1-inch margins and should not exceed 1 page.

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

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

Permission to Share Project Abstract with the Public: It is unlikely that BJA will be able to fund all promising applications submitted under this solicitation, but it may have the opportunity to share information with the public regarding promising but unfunded applications, for example, through a listing on a webpage available to the public. The intent of this public posting would be to allow other possible funders to become aware of such proposals.

In the project abstract template, applicants are asked to indicate whether they give OJP permission to share their project abstract (including contact information) with the public.

Granting (or failing to grant) this permission will not affect OJP’s funding decisions, and, if the application is not funded, granting permission will not guarantee that abstract information will be shared, nor will it guarantee funding from any other source.

Note: OJP may choose not to list a project that otherwise would have been included in a listing of promising but unfunded applications, should the abstract fail to meet the format and content requirements noted above and outlined in the project abstract template.

3. Program Narrative The program narrative must respond to the solicitation (see PSN—Specific Information on pages 4-7) and the Selection Criteria (1-4). 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 12 pages. Number pages “1 of 12,” “2 of 12,” etc.

http://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/ProjectAbstractTemplate.pdf

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

Applicants are encouraged to incorporate comprehensive strategies and promising practices to address gun and/or gang crime. For more on these innovative approaches, see the Appendix.

The following sections should be included as part of the program narrative:

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,applicantsthat receive funding under this solicitation must provide data that measure the results of their work done under this solicitation. Any award recipient will be required, 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:

Objective Performance Measures Data Grantee Provides

To create safer neighborhoods by reducing gun violence and gun crime, and sustaining that reduction.

Percentage of targeted PSN sites reporting a reduction over the previous year in the number of homicides with a firearm.

Percentage of targeted PSN sites reporting a reduction in the combined number of homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies that are committed with a firearm.

Number of homicides with a firearm experienced during the current reporting period within the targeted PSN site.

Number of targeted PSN sites.

Combined number of homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies that are committed with a firearm during the current reporting period within the targeted PSN site.

Number of targeted PSN sites.

Reduce the occurrence of violent gang-related* incidents through both reactive and proactive efforts supported by enforcement planning coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement and informed by data and real-time intelligence.

The percentage of combined homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies that are gang-related.*

The total number of gang-related* homicides that occurred during the current reporting period.

The total number of gang-related* aggravated assaults that occurred during the current reporting period.

The total number of gang-related* robberies that occurred during the current reporting period.

The total number (gang-related* and non- gang-related) of homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies that occurred during the current reporting period.

Reduce the occurrence of youth gang-related* incidents and increase positive outcomes for youth at high risk for gang involvement through targeted, evidenced-based gang prevention (for grantees using funding for prevention programming).

Percentage of youth who successfully complete the program.

Total number of youth participating in the program during the current reporting period.

Number of youth that completed the program during the current reporting period.

Number of youth that exited the program during the current reporting period without completing the program.

*Note: The operational definition for "gang-related" will be established by each local district at the outset of the project and included on all progress reports. Applicants should consider measuring performance based on the following definition of “gang” as adopted by DOJ:

A. An association of three or more individuals; whose members collectively identify themselves by adopting a group identity which they use to create an atmosphere of fear or intimidation, frequently by employing one or more of the following: a common name, slogan, identifying sign, symbol, tattoo or other physical marking, style or color of clothing, hairstyle, hand sign, or graffiti;

B. Whose purpose, in part, is to engage in criminal activity and which uses violence or intimidation to further its criminal objectives; and

C. Whose members engage in criminal activity, or acts of juvenile delinquency that if committed by an adult would be crimes, with the intent to enhance or preserve the association’s power, reputation, or economic resources.

D. The association may also possess some of the following characteristics:

1. The members may employ rules for joining and operating within the association

2. The members may meet on a recurring basis

3. The association may provide physical protection of its members from others

4. The association may seek to exercise control over a particular geographic location or region, or it may simply defend its perceived interests against rivals

5. The association may have an identifiable structure

E. This definition is not intended to include drug trafficking organizations, terrorist organizations, traditional organized crime groups such as La Cosa Nostra, or groups that fall within the Department of Justice’s definition of international organized crime.

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 subject’s 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 www.ojp.gov/funding/Explore/SolicitationRequirements/EvidenceResearchEvaluationRe quirements.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.

For questions pertaining to budget and examples of allowable and unallowable costs, see the OJP 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 http://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm 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 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 set at $150,000, the application should address the considerations outlined in the OJP 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 cost categories.

For the definition of Cognizant Federal Agency, see the “Glossary of Terms” in the OJP Financial Guide. For assistance with identifying your cognizant agency, please contact the Customer Service Center at 1-800-458-0786 or at ask.ocfo@usdoj.gov. If DOJ is the cognizant federal agency, applicants may obtain information needed to submit an indirect cost rate proposal at http://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/IndirectCosts.pdf.

6. Tribal Authorizing Resolution

Tribes, tribal organizations, or third parties proposing to provide direct services or assistance to residents on tribal lands should include in their applications a resolution, a letter, affidavit, or other documentation, as appropriate, that certifies that the applicant has the legal authority from the tribe(s) to implement the proposed project on tribal lands. In those instances when an organization or consortium of tribes applies for a grant on behalf of a tribe or multiple specific tribes, the application should include appropriate legal documentation, as described above, from all tribes that would receive services or assistance under the grant. A consortium of tribes for which existing consortium bylaws allow action without support from all tribes in the consortium (i.e., without an authorizing resolution or comparable legal documentation from each tribal governing body) may submit, instead, a copy of its consortium bylaws with the application.

7. Applicant Disclosure of High Risk Status

Applicants are to disclose whether they are currently designated high risk by another federal grant making agency. This includes any status requiring additional oversight by the federal agency due to past programmatic or financial concerns. If an applicant is designated high risk by another federal grant making agency, you must email the following information to OJPComplianceReporting@usdoj.gov at the time of application submission:

The federal agency that currently designated the applicant as high risk;

Date the applicant was designated high risk;

http://ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm http://ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm http://ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm http://ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm mailto:ask.ocfo@usdoj.gov http://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/IndirectCosts.pdf mailto:OJPComplianceReporting@usdoj.gov

SAMPLE

The high risk point of contact name, phone number, and email address, from that federal agency; and

Reasons for the high risk status.

OJP seeks this information to ensure appropriate federal oversight of any grant award.

Unlike the Excluded Parties List, this high risk information does not disqualify any organization from receiving an OJP award. However, additional grant oversight may be included, if necessary, in award documentation.

8. Additional Attachments

a. Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications

Applicants are to disclose whether they have pending applications for federally funded grants or subgrants (including cooperative agreements) that include requests for funding to support the same project being proposed under this solicitation and will cover the identical cost items outlined in the budget narrative and worksheet in the application under this solicitation. The disclosure should include both direct applications for federal funding (e.g., applications to federal agencies) and indirect applications for such funding (e.g., applications to State agencies that will subaward federal funds).

OJP seeks this information to help avoid any inappropriate duplication of funding.

Leveraging multiple funding sources in a complementary manner to implement comprehensive programs or projects is encouraged and is not seen as inappropriate duplication.

Applicants that have pending applications as described above are to provide the following information about pending applications submitted within the last 12 months:

the federal or state funding agency the solicitation name/project name the point of contact information at the applicable funding agency.

Applicants should include the table as a separate attachment, with the file name “Disclosure of Pending Applications,” to their application. Applicants that do not have pending applications as described above are to include a statement to this effect in the separate attachment page (e.g., “Applicant Name on SF-424 does not have pending applications submitted within the last 12 months for federally funded grants or subgrants (including cooperative agreements) that include requests for funding to support the same project being proposed under this solicitation and will cover the identical cost items outlined in the budget narrative and worksheet in the application under this solicitation.”).

Federal or State Funding Agency

Solicitation Name/Project Name

Name/Phone/E-mail for Point of Contact at Funding Agency

DOJ/COPS COPS Hiring Program

Jane Doe, 202/000-0000; jane.doe@usdoj.gov

HHS/ Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

Drug Free Communities Mentoring Program/ North County Youth Mentoring Program

John Doe, 202/000-0000; john.doe@hhs.gov

b. Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity If a proposal involves research and/or evaluation, regardless of the proposal’s other merits, in order to receive funds, the applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation independence, including appropriate safeguards to ensure research/evaluation objectivity and integrity.

For purposes of this solicitation, research and evaluation independence and integrity pertains to ensuring that the design, conduct, or reporting of research and evaluation funded by BJA grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts will not be biased by any personal or financial conflict of interest on the part of the investigators responsible for the research and evaluation or on the part of the applicant organization. Conflicts can be either actual or apparent. Examples of potential investigator (or other personal) conflict situations may include those in which an investigator would be in a position to evaluate a spouse’s work product (actual conflict), or an investigator would be in a position to evaluate the work of a former colleague (potential apparent conflict). With regard to potential organizational conflicts of interest, as one example, generally an organization could not be given a grant to evaluate a project if that organization had itself provided substantial prior technical assistance to that project, as the organization in such an instance would appear to be evaluating the effectiveness of its own prior work. The key is whether a reasonable person understanding all of the facts would be able to have confidence that the results of any research or evaluation project are objective and reliable. Any outside personal or financial interest that casts doubt on that objectivity and reliability is a problem.

In the attachment dealing with research and evaluation independence and integrity, the applicant should explain the process and procedures that the applicant has put in place to identify and eliminate (or, at the very least, mitigate) potential personal or financial conflicts of interest on the part of its staff, consultants, and/or subrecipients. It should also identify any potential organizational conflicts of interest on the part of the applicant with regard to the proposed research/evaluation. If the applicant reasonably believes that no potential personal or organizational conflicts of interest exist, then the applicant should provide a brief narrative explanation of how and why it reached that conclusion.

Documentation that may be helpful in this regard could include organizational codes of…