15PSNTTAsol.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 Project Safe Neighborhoods National Training and Technical Assistance Program. This program furthers the Department’s mission by supporting the national delivery of training and technical assistance to communities to reduce the presence and impact of gun crime and criminal gangs throughout the nation.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)

National Training and Technical Assistance Program FY 2015 Competitive Grant Announcement

Eligibility Applicants are limited to nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit or for-profit organizations), institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education), faith-based organizations, and consortiums with demonstrated experience in addressing gun crime and anti-gang violence strategies. This includes but is not limited to prevention, enforcement, intervention, and reentry strategies. Additionally, only applicants who have experience delivering training and technical assistance on a national level are eligible to apply. For–profit organizations must agree to waive any profit or fees for service.

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 April 9, 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-2015-4091

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 Bureau of Justice Assistance 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-2015-4091

Release date: February 12, 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

Program-Specific Information

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices

B. Federal Award Information

Amount and Length of Awards

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

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) National Training and Technical Assistance Program

(CFDA #16.609)

A. Program Description

Overview BJA is seeking training and technical assistance (TTA) providers who will develop criminal justice-related curricula and deliver TTA to state and local law enforcement agencies, other justice system agencies, and communities. The providers will also be responsible for supporting all aspects of the PSN National TTA Program, a collaborative effort of the following DOJ component agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); Criminal Division; the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA); and OJP, including BJA. Funding for this initiative is anticipated through the FY 2015 appropriation.

The PSN National TTA Program is designed to provide TTA resources that are critical to communities’ efforts to reduce gun-related crimes and violent criminal gangs. In addition, the PSN National TTA Program provides comprehensive TTA that addresses a range of criminal justice subject areas impacting communities.

The goal of the PSN National TTA Program is to provide assistance to state and local law enforcement, criminal justice professionals (e.g., academic, corrections, etc.) and communities to improve the level of knowledge, communication, collaboration, and tactics involved in addressing gun crime and gang violence that impact communities throughout the nation. The PSN National TTA Program is supported by research and evidence-based practices and strategies. The program combines the leadership of DOJ and the expertise of nationally recognized criminal justice practitioners and action research experts to deliver a wide variety of TTA nationwide. Programs funded under this solicitation are intended to have a national impact.

Program-Specific Information In 2001, DOJ developed a major initiative known as Project Safe Neighborhoods, which was intended to be a comprehensive national program to reduce gun violence at the local level. It was implemented in all 94 U.S. Attorney Office (USAO) districts nationwide to respond to firearms crime problems in each respective district. At the core of the strategy was the increased federal prosecution of illegal gun use and illegal gun possession by prohibited persons. Increased federal prosecution was intended to incapacitate chronic violent offenders as well as to communicate a credible deterrent threat to potential gun offenders. However, it was also recognized that exclusive reliance on increased federal prosecution was of limited utility given the reality that most gun crime is prosecuted in state and local courts. Further, there was recognition of the large variability across communities in the United States in terms of the level and nature of gun crime, and therefore the program would need flexibility to adapt to local context as well as local site TTA needs.

This grant announcement will fund national TTA services to assist the 94 USAO District PSN Task Forces (and their selected research partners) implement and assess analysis-driven gun crime and gang violence reduction strategies. Current PSN sites are addressing gun crime and gang violence arising in the context of retaliatory violence, home invasions, drug sales, drug distribution, and other chronic or emerging problems that regularly confront PSN Task Forces.

BJA is seeking TTA providers who will develop the PSN National TTA Program to support and deliver TTA to state and local law enforcement, criminal justice professionals, research partners, and communities across the United States. The providers will also be responsible for responding to TTA requests from USAOs. These services include, but are not limited to, training sessions and educational sessions developed and conducted by relevant subject matter experts, onsite or remote guidance on gang-related violence or gun crime reduction strategies, partnerships, strategic planning, crime analysis and research integration, outreach, accountability and data-driven efforts as well as, other matters relevant to the PSN program.

PSN sites will leverage this TTA solicited through this competitive grant announcement to implement solutions to chronic problems of gang violence and gun crime. The results of these efforts will assist PSN task forces to enhance the quality and outcomes of their PSN projects.

BJA expects agencies to work toward a PSN result, defined as a plausible, scientifically-based finding that a solution had either an effect or no effect on the problem. More information about PSN is available at www.psn.gov.

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables The goal of the PSN National TTA Program is to support the needs of the local PSN sites and to provide TTA, resources, instruction, tactics, and information that will enable communities and their stakeholders to ensure that results are achieved. The general objectives of the PSN TTA Program are to:

Upon request work with PSN sites to address the negative impact gun crime and gang violence on communities.

Assist law enforcement to utilize evidence-based policies and procedures for their community-based gun crime and gang violence reduction strategies.

Assist current and future PSN sites to successfully implement data-driven and problem-solving activities in their efforts to reduce such crime.

Improve and enhance PSN partners understanding of the PSN program goals and objectives.

Engage proactively with PSN sites to assess progress, address challenges, and identify solutions.

Communicate regularly with BJA to assess the impact of TTA services on PSN program goals and progress of the individual sites.

Collaborate with local USAOs, BJA, and EOUSA to identify and provide training and/or technical assistance to address a wide range of gun crime and gang violence issues for state and local law enforcement and the community.

BJA is seeking applications to provide national TTA to existing and future funded PSN sites on data- and analysis-driven law enforcement, crime prevention, and applied research strategies.

All applicants should address the specific deliverables for the three categories. In addition, listed below are seven areas that applicants should be aware of when developing deliverables:

Provide support for the five components (partnerships, strategic planning and research integration, training, outreach, accountability and data-driven effort) of the PSN Program.

Assist current and future PSN sites to successfully implement data-driven and problem-solving activities in their efforts to reduce gang violence and gun crimes.

Provide ongoing TTA (both remote and onsite) to all PSN grantees throughout the duration of their BJA grant awards.

http://www.psn.gov/

Develop and deliver content for data- and analysis-driven law enforcement and criminal justice training and employ a variety of training delivery mechanisms, such as online trainings and other electronic or distance-learning formats, including podcasts, webinars, etc.1

Recruit, maintain, and use a cadre of subject-matter experts (SMEs) to assist PSN sites with PSN project implementation and technical assistance needs; schedule and organize training venues; market trainings and recruit participants; administer and oversee implementation of the trainings; and coordinate TTA and SME activities with BJA’s National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) and EOUSA.

Assist BJA with ongoing assessment of PSN sites’ progress and produce reports outlining PSN site progress and results.

Assist BJA in conducting national and/or regional meetings or other educational sessions for current PSN sites and other jurisdictions during the 36-month project period.

Applicants may consider partnering with other entities to garner the necessary expertise outlined in this grant announcement. Successful applicants must demonstrate the ability to provide the support, but also to identify, understand, and translate the research findings and evidence-based practices.

BJA TTA providers are required to coordinate all TTA activities with BJA’s 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 of effective programs and practices 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. The OJP 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.

1 Examples of technical assistance to PSN sites may include: assisting with research design, brainstorming on available data sources, data analysis challenges, facilitating partnerships with relevant stakeholders, and any other assistance that may assist a site’s progress in achieving positive results.

http://www.crimesolutions.gov/

B. Federal Award Information

Amount and Length of Awards BJA estimates that it will make one award for each of the three categories. Funding for each category is as follows: Category 1 up to $250,000; Category 2 up to $150,000; and Category 3 up to $600,000 for an estimated total of $1,000,000. Each award will be for a 36-month project period, beginning on October 1, 2015.

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

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.

Type of Award2 BJA expects that it will make all 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, for details regarding the federal involvement anticipated under an award from this solicitation.

Award Categories Applicants must submit a proposal that satisfies one or more of the categories described below.

Applicants must clearly indicate on the front page of the Program Abstract and Program Narrative under which category or categories they are applying.

CATEGORY 1: LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AND CRIME

PREVENTION STRATEGIES GRANT ANTICIPATED AMOUNT: $250,000. COMPETITION

ID: BJA-2015-4092

TTA through this program will be provided only with BJA pre-approval or in response to an approved request. Additionally, all TTA must be requested from a local agency through the USAO and may not be solicited or arranged independently by the technical assistance providers. BJA expects to make up to one award in this category.

Applications are solicited to provide TTA nationwide to state and local law enforcement and communities to reduce gun crime and gang violence, improve officer safety, and enhance jurisdictions’ illegal firearms interdiction and prosecution efforts.

Applications are solicited to provide customized TTA to help communities engage and empower residents to develop and implement gun crime and gang violence reduction strategies as well as consulting services, technical assistance, and training to law enforcement and criminal justice professionals in the areas of gun crime and gang violence prevention/intervention, and

2 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)).

community mobilization. Such efforts should include the following: provide technical assistance to address youth intervention and adult crime prevention issues in a range of formats, including online training, networking, and technical assistance; onsite support for strategic planning and networking; and peer-to-peer learning.

Applicants should scan the field to identify new trends and issues relating to gun crime and gang violence reduction.

Deliverables include:

Scan the field, identify forward-looking strategies that impact gun crime and gang violence, and produce 3-5 case-studies on these examples.

Respond to TTA requests from the field related to such crime and violence prevention strategies.

Develop and deliver cutting-edge instructional materials for state and local law enforcement, criminal justice stakeholders, and communities throughout the United States in response to gun crime and gang violence. Topics captured in this material and training sessions should include at a minimum:

o The techniques for handling gun crime cases, from initial detection and recovery through the investigation and processing of both the criminal defendant and the firearms evidence, toward a successful prosecution.

o The techniques used for Firearms Tracing and Investigative Tools for Firearms

Identification as well as National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN)3 and e-Trace4.

o The techniques/strategies used for gang suspect interview, interrogation, and debriefing techniques.

o The techniques for identifying/recognizing vehicles with hidden compartments, used to transport illegal drugs and contraband.

o Advanced techniques to identify/recognize armed suspects and their characteristics to improve officer safety, as well as develop training materials that address the issue of implicit bias (Lori Fridell, 20055) and the impact it can have on law enforcement personnel.

Identify promising gun crime and gang violence prevention programs nationwide through the review of the Crime Solutions6 web site and other relative sources and share those

3 The NIBIN Program automates ballistics evaluations and provides actionable investigative leads in a timely manner.

NIBIN is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in operation in the United States and is available to most major population centers in the United States.

4 eTrace is an Internet-based firearm trace request submission system, developed by ATF that provides for the electronic exchange of traced firearm data in a secure internet-based environment. Participating law enforcement agencies (domestic and foreign) with access to the internet can acquire 24/7 real-time capabilities to electronically submit firearm trace requests, monitor the progress of traces, retrieve completed trace results, and query firearm trace-related data in ATF firearms registration database at the National Tracing Center.

5 Law Enforcement Agency Responses to Racially Biased Policing and Perceptions of Its Practice (2005) http://fairandimpartialpolicing.com/people/fridell.html.

6 CrimeSolutions.gov: OJP uses rigorous research to determine what works in the criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. More information about CrimeSolutions.gov can be found at: www.crimesolutions.gov.

http://fairandimpartialpolicing.com/people/fridell.html http://www.crimesolutions.gov/ programs with the PSN and Violence Reduction Network7 (VRN) sites. Develop and disseminate 4-5 publications that range from policy briefs (2–5 pages) to longer documents (10–50 pages) on the following topics: gun crime and gang violence prevention for large urban and mid-sized communities; gun crime and gang violence prevention for rural and tribal law enforcement; and community mobilization strategies in response to gang violence for large urban medium-sized and rural and tribal communities

CATEGORY 2: CORRECTIONS AND REENTRY STRATEGIES. GRANT ANTICIPATED

AMOUNT: $150,000. COMPETITION ID: BJA-2015-4093

TTA through this program will be provided only with BJA pre-approval or in response to an approved request. Additionally, all TTA must be requested from a local agency through the USAO and may not be solicited or arranged independently by the TA providers. BJA expects to make up to one award in this category.

Applications are solicited to develop and deliver TTA to corrections and law enforcement professionals, allied agencies, and communities to address issues of gun crime and gang violence impacting supervised offenders, as well as provide practical, data-driven, and consensus-based strategies; increase public safety and strengthen communities; educate supervised offenders about current gun laws and anti-gang programs; assist local probation and parole officers in searching for and seizing guns held illegally; and promote reentry and anti-gang violence and gun crime programs.

Deliverables include:

Develop and deliver cutting-edge instructional materials for probation, parole, community corrections, law enforcement, criminal justice stakeholders, and communities throughout the United States in response to gun crime and gang violence. Topics captured in this material and training sessions should include at a minimum:

o Methods to improve probation and parole practices by developing and promoting the most effective community-based corrections programs.

o Guidance for development of an Electronic Home Detention Program.

o Cutting-edge training programs designed to help law enforcement personnel understand the unique value of information/intelligence available to Security Threat Group personnel (Gang Investigators in correctional facilities) that can be beneficial to law enforcement.

o Develop and deliver wide-ranging training programs to help law enforcement personnel identify correctional resources that can contribute to investigations (e.g., statutory authority, databases, information sharing, etc.) and collaborate with corrections agencies to address gun crime and gang violence.

Develop 5 publications that range from policy briefs (2–5 pages) to longer documents (10–50 pages) on the following topics: supervision of violent gang offenders, reentry of gang members, law enforcement and reentry, law enforcement and recidivism-reduction, and assessing risk of violence.

7 Violence Reduction Network (VRN): VRN is a comprehensive approach to violence reduction that compliments the U.S. Attorney General’s SMART on Crime initiative. More information about VRN can be found at:

www.bja.gov/Programs/vrn.html.

http://www.bja.gov/Programs/vrn.html

CATEGORY 3: APPLIED EVALUATION AND SITE COORDINATION. GRANT ANTICIPATED

AMOUNT: $600,000. COMPETITION ID: BJA-2015-4094

TTA through this program will be provided only at BJA direction or in response to an approved request. Additionally, all TTA must be requested from a local agency through the USAO and may not be solicited by the TA providers. BJA expects to make one award in this category.

PSN focuses on using applied evaluation to identify the nature of local gun crime problems and the prevalence of violent criminal gangs, as well as formulate strategies to address the most critical aspects of these crime problems. PSN TTA must include strategic problem solving for communities and anti-gang task forces.

Applicants should provide technical assistance to individual state and local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, as well as communities located throughout the United States. The applicant should also coordinate the technical assistance delivered with the local USAO in the implementation, operation, and assessment of their anti-gun/gang violence strategies (e.g., Boston Ceasefire, Hot Spot Policing, Cure Violence, etc.) and Strategic Action Plans.8 This assistance must focus on all aspects of strategic problem solving to include assessing the problem, implementing strategies, monitoring implementation, and evaluating the impact of programs. In this context, technical assistance should often be delivered onsite using a cadre of experienced individuals and working in a peer-to-peer context. Technical assistance may be provided through teleconferences. In each instance, technical assistance should be tailored to meet the needs of the individual community. The applicant will also be responsible for assisting in the coordination of the activities of the other PSN TTA providers, in addition to responding to requests from BJA, data calls, etc. regarding the PSN Program. The selected TTA provider will serve as the primary TTA provider to the PSN Program and will coordinate site TTA activity.

Deliverables include the following:

Serve as the primary PSN TTA provider to the PSN grantee sites. Provide ongoing TTA (both remote and onsite) to all PSN grantees throughout the duration of their BJA awards.

Provide site-specific, regional technical assistance sessions to support the PSN National TTA Program and assist jurisdictions in producing strategic plans that, when implemented, will reduce the level of gun crime and violence within communities.

Assist current and future PSN sites to successfully implement PSN activities in their efforts to reduce such violence and such crime.

Plan and deliver ongoing comprehensive technical assistance to PSN sites, for example:

assisting with evaluation design, brainstorming on available data sources, data analysis challenges, facilitating partnerships with relevant stakeholders, and any other issue that may hinder a site’s progress in achieving a result.

Respond to TTA requests from the field related to PSN strategies, conduct site visits, and develop and deliver gun crime reduction TTA strategies to law enforcement, criminal justice personnel, and communities as requested.

8 Strategic Action Plans must address: problem analysis; gang violence and gun crime reduction strategy; strategy development and modification; organizational changes, innovations, and improved practices; organizational results;

police agency-research relationships and integration; and the sophistication of research designs.

Provide technical assistance in translating relevant research into practice.

Collaborate regularly with the site-selected research partners (designated by PSN sites).

Direct sites to other PSN subject-specific TTA providers for specific site needs as necessary.

Collect and analyze data, and evaluate local gun violence crime and anti-gang strategies and work onsite with coordinators and research partners to determine the most appropriate strategies to measure the impact of interventions.

Develop reports, publications, and other outreach vehicles to relate the research to the affected stakeholders.

Maintain a robust web site for the PSN Program where TTA services and other relevant resources are made available to the PSN sites and the law enforcement community. The web site should include information on current BJA PSN grantees, activities, and contacts.

Continue to develop and deliver the Violence Reduction Assessment Tool (VRAT) and the Research Partner Orientation Course to new PSN sites. For more information on these topics see: www.bja.gov/ProgramDetails.aspx?Program_ID=74.

Conduct an evaluation of the funded PSN sites from FYs 2012-2014 to determine if gang violence and gun crime was reduced in their target areas.

Scan the field to identify emerging trends, promising practices, and model programs; which would include information from the other PSN TTA providers incorporated into a PSN web page.

The TTA provider also will be required to participate in BJA’s GrantStat for specified grantees.

Through GrantStat, BJA management and staff examine the performance of the grant programs funded by BJA by tracking grantee or program performance along several key indicators.

GrantStat calls for the collection and analysis of performance data and other relevant grant-level information that enables BJA as well as our partners to be held accountable for the grantees and programs performance as measured against the program’s goals and objectives

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).

https://www.bja.gov/ProgramDetails.aspx?Program_ID=74

(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.

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.9 The 2015 salary table for SES employees is available on 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.)

9 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

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.

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.

http://www.ojp.gov/financialguide/PostawardRequirements/chapter15page1.htm http://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm

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, Program Abstract, and position descriptions for all positions the applicant seeks to fund under this grant and any resumes of staff already identified.

Applicants may combine the Budget Narrative and the Budget Detail Worksheet in one 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).

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.”)

2. Project Abstract The program abstract should be a single page; it may be single-spaced. The program abstract should provide a short and accurate summary of the proposed project and specify the name of the category under which the applicant is seeking funding. Applications should http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/ 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.

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 and the Selection Criteria listed below in the order given. The program narrative must be:

• Double-spaced (except that any included graphs and charts may be single-spaced)

• 8 ½ x 11 inch paper

• Not less than 1” inch margins

• Standard 12-point font (Times New Roman is preferred)

• No more than 12 pages. Number pages “1 of 12” “2 of 12,” etc.

o 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.

• Specify the name of the category under which the applicant is applying

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

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. Post 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. Performance measures for this solicitation are as follows:

Objectives Performance Measure Data Grantee Provides

Program Specific Objective:

Increase the knowledge of law enforcement and criminal justice personnel regarding gang crime and gun violence reduction strategies;

through in-person training and the delivery of onsite assistance

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

Percentage of requesting agencies who rated services as satisfactory or better

For the current reporting period:

Number of onsite visits completed

Number of reports submitted to requesting agencies after onsite visits http://www.bjatraining.org/ agencies that were planning to implement one or more recommendations

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

Number of requesting agencies who completed an evaluation of services

Number of agencies who rated the services a satisfactory or better

a) in terms of timeliness

b) 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.

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 six 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

Increase information provided to BJA and the criminal justice community

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

Percent of web sites developed and maintained

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

Number of publications/ resources disseminated

Number of web sites developed

Number of web sites maintained

Percent increase in the number of visits to web sites

Percentage of information requests responded to

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

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…