24CS20 - Essential Elements ToolkitFINAL.pdf

24CS20

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is seeking applications for funding under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. Work under this cooperative agreement involves developing an Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit to improve the implementation of pretrial system and agency improvements that lead to meaningful, sustained, and measurable outcomes.

NIC FY 2024 Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit

Eligibility

NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services. Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply.

Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required.

NIC 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 (1) application will be accepted from a submitting organization.

NIC 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. NIC encourages applicants to register several weeks before the application submission deadline. In addition, NIC urges applicants to submit applications 72 hours prior to the application due date. 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 July 1, 2024

Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered.

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

http://www.nicic.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

Contact Information

For programmatic questions concerning this solicitation contact Ken Rose, National Programs Advisor, National Institute of Corrections, at krose1@bop.gov. Responses to programmatic questions will be posted on NIC’s website for public review. The website will be updated regularly and postings will remain on the website until the closing date of this solicitation.

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

Applicants who experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond their control that prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the NIC at BOP-NIC/General@bop.gov 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.

Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement: 24CS20 Release date: May 1, 2024 mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:BOP-NIC/General@bop.gov

Contents NIC FY 2024 Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit

Eligibility

Deadline

Contact Information

NIC FY 2024 Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit

(CFDA # 16.602)

A. Program Description

Overview

Program-Specific Information

Goals

Objectives

Deliverables

Applications must include in Program Narrative and Budget Narrative the incorporation of products delivered meet Plain Language and 508 Standards

Cooperative Agreements require significant staff involvement excluding the basic monitoring of the project, progress, deliverables and reports

B. Federal Award Information

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

Budget Information

C. Eligibility Information

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include Statement of the problem Project Design and Implementation Logic Model Timeline or Milestone Chart Capabilities and Competencies, Résumés of All Key Personnel Letters of Support/Memoranda of Understanding Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

Budget and Budget Justification

How to Apply

All applicants are required to complete the following steps:

Acquire and maintain registration with the System for Award Management (SAM)

Acquire an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and a Grants.gov username and password

How to Submit an Application to the National Institute of Corrections via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace Applicant Support Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission Duplicate applications Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues

E. Application Review Information Selection Criteria Programmatic Review (40) Organizational Review (35) Management/Administrative Review (25) Review Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information Federal Award Notices Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements Plain Language Section 508 Accessibility Paperwork Reduction Act

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

H. Other Information Provide Feedback to NIC

NIC FY 2024 Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit

(CFDA # 16.602)

A. Program Description

Overview The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) has long recognized the necessity for state and local criminal justice systems to develop pretrial systems and services that are aligned with national standards and legal and evidence-based practices (LEBP). Nationally, about 70% of jails are filled with individuals who have not been convicted of a criminal charge. The pretrial release or detention decision is critical and is known to affect future criminal justice decisions and outcomes. NIC has made significant investments to develop sound and fundamental information and tools that support fair, just, and consistent pretrial release and detention decisions that increase public safety and court appearance during the pretrial phase of the case.

In February 2017, NIC published A Framework for Pretrial Justice: Essential Elements of an Effective Pretrial System and Agency, available at https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/032831.pdf.

The foundation for all NIC pretrial system and services training, publications, and implementation technical assistance is based on the framework described in the book, which consists of these four essential elements: the law, standards adopted by the American Bar Association (ABA) and National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA), evidence-based practices for pretrial justice, and organizational theory/implementation science.

Since NIC released A Framework for Pretrial Justice, rapid pretrial system and services implementation has been occurring across the country partly due to bail reform, legislative changes, and the recognition at state and local levels that improvements are necessary. However, state and local criminal justice stakeholders need additional tools and resources to implement NIC’s “essential elements” into their agency practices. This project, Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit, builds upon what has been created and NIC’s ability to support state and local criminal justice stakeholders with implementing meaningful and lasting capacity to make improvements that contribute to fair, just, and consistent pretrial release and detention decisions.

NIC’s strategy to meet its mission and goals is to provide the pretrial services field with a series of responsive tools and resources intended to build the capacity of pretrial decision makers in their understanding of LEBP and effective pretrial system and agency practices. The result should be maximizing pretrial release while simultaneously maximizing law-abiding behavior and court appearance.

Statutory Authority: Public Law 93-415

Program-Specific Information The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to create and provide state and local criminal justice policy teams or pretrial services agencies with an implementation toolkit using A Framework for Pretrial Justice:

Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Implementation. Some pretrial essential elements may need revisions based on changes in case law, state statutes, research evidence, standards, and organizational theory/implementation science. This new toolkit will be called “Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit.”

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/032831.pdf

The foundation for the development of the Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit shall be based on four elements: (1) the law, (2) pretrial standards adopted by the ABA and NAPSA, (3) pretrial system/services research and LEBP, and (4) organizational theory/implementation science.

NIC supports the use of policy teams or other collaborative criminal justice teams to achieve meaningful and sustained pretrial system and agency improvements. The awardee is encouraged to leverage NIC’s Evidence-Based Decision Making (EBDM) and Criminal Justice Coordinating Council resources with the development of the Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit.

NIC Publications and Resources:

A Framework for Pretrial Justice: Essential Elements of an Effective Pretrial System and Agency, available at https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/032831.pdf.

Pretrial Justice: How to Maximize Public Safety, Court Appearance and Release: Participant Guide, available at https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/032719.pdf.

Pretrial Justice: How to Maximize Public Safety, Court Appearance and Release (Internet Broadcast), available at https://nicic.gov/resources/nic-library/webinars-broadcasts/pretrial-justice-how-maximize-public-safety-court.

A Framework for Evidence-Based Decision Making in State and Local Criminal Justice Systems, available at https://info.nicic.gov/ebdm/sites/info.nicic.gov.ebdm/files/EBDM_Framework.pdf.

Evidence-Based Decision Making (EBDM) Starter Kit, available at https://info.nicic.gov/ebdm/node/40.

Guidelines for Developing a Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, available at https://info.nicic.gov/cjcc/

Goals The overarching goal of this cooperative agreement is to develop an Essential Elements Toolkit to improve the implementation of pretrial system and agency improvements that lead to meaningful, sustained, and measurable pretrial system outcomes.

The goal will be accomplished over three phases: (1) revision of the essential elements of the pretrial framework and development of the toolkit, (2) pilot testing the toolkit, and (3) revision and finalization of the toolkit. NIC anticipates that this project may continue for up to three years.

Objectives The objectives of this cooperative agreement are to:

Phase I

Objective 1: Complete a comprehensive literature review to identify changes to the law, national standards, legal and evidence-based practices research, and organizational theory/implementation science to ensure that what was determined to be an essential element has evolved and can stand the test of time.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/032831.pdf https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/032719.pdf https://nicic.gov/resources/nic-library/webinars-broadcasts/pretrial-justice-how-maximize-public-safety-court https://nicic.gov/resources/nic-library/webinars-broadcasts/pretrial-justice-how-maximize-public-safety-court https://info.nicic.gov/ebdm/sites/info.nicic.gov.ebdm/files/EBDM_Framework.pdf https://info.nicic.gov/ebdm/node/40 https://info.nicic.gov/cjcc/

Objective 2: Identify the implementation needs of the field and emerging best practices by completing focus groups and interviews of diverse stakeholder groups.

Objective 3: Develop a set of implementation tools and resources to implement the Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency to be used by implementation teams. The implementation model and resources should build from NIC’s EBDM project to maximize the potential of meaningful and sustained pretrial system and service improvements.

Phase II

Objective 4: In collaboration with the NIC project manager, develop the criteria for selecting pilot sites.

Consideration should be given to geographic diversity, including urban, suburban, and rural. Three to four pilot sites may be considered.

Objective 5: Pilot the newly developed Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit in geographically diverse jurisdictions: one urban, one suburban, and one rural jurisdiction.

Phase III

Objective 6: Revise and finalize the Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit. The awardee will work with the NIC project manager to prepare all toolkit materials for access from the NIC website.

To be considered, the successful applicant must:

• Show the ability to conduct large scale literature reviews in the areas of Constitutional law, case law, state and federal law related to bail, research related to pretrial case outcomes, conditions of bail, and national standards on pretrial release

• Have experience conducting and analyzing survey results and summarizing findings and recommendations

• Comprehensive knowledge and skill of the principles of implementation leadership and science

• Experience developing toolkits, starter kits, or other strategies for replicating an implementation process in criminal just justice systems

• Experience implementing criminal justice system improvements by using collaborative stakeholder teams

• Experience with evaluating and revising implementation materials and resources

• Experience producing quality and professional criminal justice materials/documents for local, state, and national stakeholders

• Provide evidence of project team members or consultants and/or propose project team members or consultants who have knowledge, skills, and expertise to complete all of the objectives 1 – 6.

Deliverables

1) Literature Review: The awardee, in collaboration with the NIC program manager, will conduct a thorough literature review to ensure the Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency are up to date with the law, national standards for pretrial release, legal and evidence-based practices, and organizational theory/implementation science. The awardee shall provide the NIC program manager with a report documenting the literature review, including the methodology, results, and recommendations.

2) Focus Groups and Interviews: The awardee, in collaboration with the NIC program manager, will convene one or more focus groups that represent national pretrial experts, judicial officers, prosecutors, public defenders, Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils and/or Evidence-Based Decision-Making Policy Team leadership, behavior health service providers, and pretrial services agency executives. The purpose of the focus groups is to identify which tools and resources should be developed for implementing the Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit. The awardee shall provide the NIC program manager with a report documenting the results of the focus groups and interviews, including the methodology, results, and recommendations.

3) Implementation Toolkit and Resources: Based on the revisions to the essential elements, literature review, and focus groups and interviews, the awardee shall develop an implementation toolkit. The toolkit shall focus on what is confirmed to be the essential elements of a pretrial system and a high functioning agency. In addition to what is identified as essential, the toolkit should identify other best practices that are responsive to a jurisdiction’s resource capacity and not a one-size-fits-all approach.

4) Pilot Test of Implementation Toolkit and Resources: In collaboration with the NIC project manager, the awardee shall pilot test the implementation toolkit and resources in four geographically diverse jurisdictions; urban, suburban, and rural. This approach helps make “right size” implementation resources available to all jurisdictions, rather than models that work best in resource-rich communities. The awardee will provide the NIC project manager with documentation of the agreed site selection criteria and list of sites selected. Three to four pilot sites may be considered.

5) Revise and Update Implementation Toolkit and Resources: Upon completion of revisions and receipt of approvals from the NIC project manager, the awardee will provide NIC with all documents and files containing the completed Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit. All materials shall be transmitted to the NIC project manager.

Applications must include in Program Narrative and Budget Narrative the incorporation of products delivered meet Plain Language and 508 Standards.

NIC Staff Responsibilities Cooperative agreements require significant staff involvement excluding the basic monitoring of the project, progress, deliverables and reports.

Significant staff involvement may include:

• Final approval of the methodology and approach to complete all components of the literature review

• Final approval of the report documenting the literature review, including methodology, results, and recommendations

• Final approval of proposed site criteria, selection, and interview questions

• Attendance during focus groups or pilot site policy team meetings

• Final approval of subject matter experts, focus group members, and pilot sites

• Final approval of all toolkit materials and resources developed for this cooperative agreement

• Testing deliverables for Section 508 and plan language compliance

• Serving as a subject matter expert when needed

In addition to the strategy and content of the program design, the successful applicant must complete the deliverables specified in the statement of work and program description during the project period. The program narrative should reflect how the applicant will accomplish these activities.

Before approving a deliverable, NIC reserves the right to test the deliverable against the applicant’s Section 508 claims. If NIC determines that the applicant’s claims were false and at a higher level of conformance than what was actually received, NIC may, at its option, reject the deliverable and require the applicant to remediate the deliverable to align with the applicant’s stated Section 508 conformance claims before its approval.

Additionally before approving a deliverable, NIC reserves the right to review the applicant’s deliverables for conformance to federal plain writing guidelines and NIC Guidelines for Preparing and Submitting Manuscripts for Publication. If NIC determines that the applicant’s deliverables do not meet all applicable guidelines, NIC may, at its option, reject the deliverable and require the applicant to remediate the deliverable to align with those guidelines.

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices.

NIC strongly emphasizes the use of data and evidence in policy making and program development.

• improving the quantity and quality of evidence NIC generates;

• integrating evidence into program, practice, and policy decisions within NIC and the field; and

• improving the translation of evidence into practice.

NIC 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 NIC considers a program or practice to be evidence-based.

Accessibility Requirements Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-

220) requires that when federal agencies develop, buy, maintain, or use information and communication technology (ICT), it shall be accessible to people with disabilities. Federal employees and members of the public who have disabilities must have access to and use of information and data comparable to employees and members of the public without disabilities.

Deliverables submitted as part of this project must conform to the Revised Section 508 Standards (see 36 C.F.R. § 1194.1 & Apps. A, C & D), which are available online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2017-title36-vol3/xml/CFR-2017-title36-vol3-part1194.xml.

All functional performance criteria apply when the requirements outlined Chapters 4–6 of the Revised 508 Standards either (1) do not address one or more functions of ICT or (2) provide lower accessibility and usability for people with disabilities than would be provided by using alternative design or technology. All Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level A and AA success criteria and 502 Interoperability with Assistive Technology and 503 Application of the Revised 508 Standards apply. All requirements for hardware features, components, and support services and documentation also apply. See https://www.section508.gov/

Plain Language Requirements The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to use plain writing in documents that are necessary for obtaining government funding, providing information about federal government benefits or services, or explaining to the public how to comply with a requirement that the federal government administers or enforces. The Act also requires agencies to use plain writing in every paper or electronic letter, publication, form, notice, or instruction. Its purpose is to improve the effectiveness and accountability of federal agencies. See http://www.nicic.gov/plainlanguage and https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2017-title36-vol3/xml/CFR-2017-title36-vol3-part1194.xml https://www.section508.gov/ http://www.nicic.gov/plainlanguage https://plainlanguage.gov/law/

Deliverables submitted as part of this project must adhere to the federal plain writing guidelines, which are available at https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/, and the NIC Guidelines for Preparing and Submitting Manuscripts for Publication, which is available at https://www.nicic.gov/plainlanguage.

Additional resources NIC training and technical assistance awardee standards. NIC has developed the TA Handbook] to promote among providers the consistency and quality of NIC-sponsored training and technical assistance and to advance common expectations of performance excellence. The standards present minimum expectations that providers must meet for effective practice in the planning, coordination, delivery, and evaluation of training.

B. Federal Award Information

NIC expects to make one award for as much as $200,000.00 for a 12-month project period, beginning on August 15, 2024. Requests for amounts more than a total of $200,000.00ncluding direct and indirect costs will not be considered.

Type of award. NIC expects to make an award from this solicitation in the form of a cooperative agreement which is a particular type of grant used when NIC 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, additional information on the substantial involvement can be found in Section A. 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.

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

If the awardee demonstrates significant progress toward implementing project activities and achieving project goals, NIC may, in certain cases, provide supplemental non-competitive funding for FY 2025 and FY 2026 to the awardee. With the supplemental funding, the project period can be extended up to two additional 12-month increments for an overall project period of 36 months. 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.

Performance measures capture outcomes of cooperative agreement activities, demonstrating if programs accomplish goals and objectives. Performance measures. NIC requires all applicants to submit quarterly progress reports demonstrating progress towards completion of the work proposed under this solicitation. The performance measures for this solicitation outlined on the following page:

https://plainlanguage.gov/law/ https://www.plainlanguage.gov/guidelines/ https://www.nicic.gov/plainlanguage https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1

Objective Performance Measure(s)

Description Data Grantee Provides

Phase I; First Year (12 Months)

The awardee will plan, coordinate, and complete a comprehensive literature review to identify changes to the law, national standards, legal and evidence-based practices research, and organizational theory/implementation science.

Methodology, results, and recommendations for completing the literature review finished as scheduled.

Literature review report.

Plan, coordinate, and complete literature review to identify changes to the law, national standards, legal and evidence-based practices research, and organizational theory/implementation science.

Report documenting the literature, including the methodology, results, and recommendations.

The awardee will identify implementation needs of the field and emerging best practices.

Proposed criteria, selection, and interview questions completed as scheduled.

Stakeholder focus groups completed as scheduled.

Stakeholder analysis of data/ information, and recommendations completed as scheduled.

Identify pretrial system and agency best practices.

Report documenting the results of the focus groups and interviews, including the methodology, results, and recommendations.

The awardee will develop a set of implementation tools and resources to implement the Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency to be used by implementation teams.

Comprehensive set of implementation tools developed as scheduled based on the essential elements.

Implementation toolkit that includes documents and resources to guide implementation of pretrial system and agency improvements.

Documents, multi-media, and other resources.

Phase II: Second Year (12 Months)

The awardee will develop the criteria for selecting pilot sites and select up to four pilot sites.

Criteria for selection of up to four pilot sites will be completed.

The criteria for pilot site selection will include up to four sites and will be geographically diverse.

List of pilot site selection criteria.

The awardee will pilot the newly developed Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit.

Meetings schedule.

Evaluation methodology.

Evaluation analysis summary with change recommendations.

Toolkit implementation in up to four pilot sites.

Documentation of the agreed upon site selection criteria and list of sites selected.

Phase III: Third Year (12 Months)

The awardee will revise and finalize the Essential Elements of a Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit.

Revisions to toolkit documents and resources completed.

Final documents and resources for the toolkit are submitted to

NIC.

Final report documenting completion of award activities, including revision and finalization of the Essential Elements of Pretrial System and Agency Toolkit.

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

Award recipients and subrecipients (including recipients or subrecipients that are pass-through entities) must, as described in Part 200 Uniform Requirements as sent out as set out at 2 C.F.R. 200.303:

Establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the nonfederal 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).

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

Evaluate and monitor the nonfederal entity's compliance with statute, regulations, and the terms and conditions of federal awards.

Take prompt action when instances of noncompliance are identified, including noncompliance identified in audit findings.

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 nonfederal entity considers sensitive consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality.

Budget Information

Funding Restrictions Foreign Travel is not allowed unless prior written approval is received from Awarding Agency (NIC).

Equipment purchases are not allowed. Construction is not an allowable activity.

Incentives or Stipends Unless specifically listed in Section A, NIC will not fund incentives or Stipends.

Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals NIC does not typically approve pre-agreement costs; an applicant must request and obtain the prior written approval of NIC 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 NIC’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.

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 2024 salary table for SES employees is available at the Office of Personnel Management website. 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.)

C. Eligibility Information

NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services. Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply.

Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required.

NIC 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 (1) application will be accepted from a submitting organization.

NIC 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.

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement This solicitation does not require cost sharing or match. However, if a successful application proposes a voluntary cost share or match amount, and NIC approves the budget, the total cost share or match amount shall be incorporated into the approved budget, and becomes mandatory and subject to audit. Cost sharing or match will not be used as a factor during the merit review of applications.

Limit on Number of Application Submissions If an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, NIC 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. See attached checklist.

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications that are determined to be nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation, do not request funding within the funding limit, or that do not include the application elements that NIC has designated to be critical, will neither proceed to peer review nor receive https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2023/executive-senior-level further consideration. Under this solicitation, NIC has designated the following application elements as critical: Project Abstract, Program Narrative, Accessibility Conformance Report, Budget Detail Worksheet, Budget Narrative, Logic Model, Timeline or Milestone Chart and résumés of all key personnel.

Applicants should review the “Note on File Names and File Types” under How To Apply to be sure that they submit their applications in the permitted formats.

NIC strongly recommends that applicants use appropriately descriptive file names (e.g., “Accessibility Conformance Report”, “Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” “Memoranda of Understanding,” “Résumés”) for all attachments. Also, NIC recommends that applicants include résumés in a single file.

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. This form can be found on Grants.gov and NIC’s website https://nicic.gov/invitations-bid-and-requests-proposal.

Intergovernmental review This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372. (In completing the SF-424, applicants are to make the appropriate selection in response to question 19 to indicate that the “Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.”)

Project Abstract Applications must 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; and

• 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.

The abstract should briefly describe the project’s purpose, the population to be served, and the activities that the applicant will implement to achieve the project’s goals and objectives. The abstract should describe how the applicant will measure progress toward these goals.

Program Narrative Applicants must submit a program narrative that presents a detailed description of the purpose, goals, objectives, strategies, design, and management of the proposed program. The program narrative should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins, not exceeding 30 pages of 8½ by 11 inches, and use a standard 12-point font, preferably Times New Roman. Pages should be numbered “1 of 30,” etc. The tables, charts, pictures, etc., including all captions, legends, keys, subtext, etc., may be single-spaced and will count in the 30-page limit. Material required under the Budget and Budget Narrative and Additional Attachments sections will not count toward the program narrative page count. Applicants may provide bibliographical references as a separate attachment that will not count toward the 30-page program narrative limit. If the program narrative fails to comply with these length-related restrictions, NIC may consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions.

https://www.grants.gov/forms https://nicic.gov/invitations-bid-and-requests-proposal http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html

The program narrative should address the following selection criteria: (1) statement of the problem; (2) goals, objectives, and performance measures; (3) program design and implementation; and (4) capabilities/competencies. The applicant should clearly delineate the connections between and among each of these sections. For example, the applicant should derive the goals and objectives directly from the problems to be addressed. Similarly, the project design section should clearly explain how the program’s structure and activities will accomplish the goals and objectives identified in the previous section.

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

Statement of the problem.

Applicants should describe any research or evaluation studies that relate to the problem and contribute to the applicant’s understanding of its causes and potential solutions. While NIC expects applicants to review the research literature for relevant studies, they should also explore whether unpublished local sources of research or evaluation data are available.

Goals, objectives, and performance measures.

Applicants should describe the goals of the proposed training and technical assistance program and identify its objectives. When formulating the program’s goals and objectives, applicants should be cognizant of the performance measures that NIC will require successful applicants to provide.

Goals. Applicants should describe the program’s intent to deliver training and technical assistance, as described in the previous section and outline the project’s goals.

Program objectives. Applicants should explain how the program will accomplish its goals.

Objectives are specific, quantifiable statements of the project’s desired results. They should be clearly linked to the training and technical assistance strategy identified in the preceding section and measurable.

NIC does not require applicants to submit performance measures data with their application.

Performance measures are included as an alert that NIC 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.

Project Design and Implementation Applicants should detail how the project will operate throughout the funding period and describe the strategies that they will use to achieve the goals and objectives identified in the previous section.

Applicants should describe how they will complete the deliverables stated in the Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables section on page 5. NIC encourages applicants to select evidence-based practices for their programs.

Logic Model Applicants must include a logic model that graphically illustrates how the performance measures are related to the project’s problems, goals, objectives, and design. Applicants should submit the logic model as a separate attachment, as stipulated in Additional Attachments.

Timeline or Milestone Chart Applicants must submit a milestone chart that indicates major tasks associated with the goals and objectives of the project, assigns responsibility for each, and plots completion of each task by month or quarter for the duration of the award, using “Year 1,” “Month 1,” “Quarter 1,” etc., not calendar dates.

Applicants should submit the timeline as a separate attachment, as stipulated in Additional Attachments, page 19. On receipt of an award, the recipient may revise the timeline, based on training and technical assistance that NIC will provide.

Capabilities and Competencies, Résumés of All Key Personnel This section should describe the experience and capability of the applicant organization and any contractors or subawards that the applicant will use to implement and manage this effort and its associated federal funding, highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of similar design or magnitude. Applicants should highlight their experience/capability/capacity to manage subawards, including details on their system for fiscal accountability. Management and staffing patterns should be clearly connected to the project design described in the previous section. Applicants should describe the roles and responsibilities of project staff and explain the program’s organizational structure and operations. Applicants should include a copy of an organizational chart showing how the organization operates, including who manages the finances; how the organization manages subawards, if there are any;

and the management of the project proposed for funding.

Letters of Support/Memoranda of Understanding If submitting a joint application, as described under Section C: Eligibility Information, page 1, applicants should provide signed and dated letters of support or memoranda of understanding for all key partners that include the following:

expression of support for the program and a statement of willingness to participate and collaborate with it;

description of the partner’s current role and responsibilities in the planning process and expected responsibilities when the program is operational; and estimate of the percentage of time that the partner will devote to the planning and operation of the project.

Accessibility Conformance Report Applicants must provide an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) for each type of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) (e.g., electronic document, web-based content, web-based training, podcast, or video) offered through this Cooperative Agreement. Create the ACR using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) Version 2.1 or later, located at https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat. Complete each ACR in accordance with the instructions provided in the VPAT template.

Each ACR must address the applicable Section 508 requirements referenced in the statement of work and program description. Use the remarks/explanations column or additional narrative to explain how the ICT meets, fails to meet, or does not apply to the standards (e.g., user functionality, administrator functionality, and reporting). For ICT features that do not fully conform to Section 508 standards, describe your plan to remedy those features.

Finally, the applicant should describe the evaluation methods that were used to support Section 508 conformance claims. NIC reserves the right, prior to making an award decision, to perform testing on some or all of the applicant’s proposed ICT items to validate Section 508 conformance claims made in the ACR.

https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat

Plain Writing Attestation Letter For the deliverables offered with this Cooperative Agreement, applicants should provide a letter attesting to the adherence of requirements of the Plain Writing Act of 2010 and NIC Guidelines for Preparing and Submitting Manuscripts for Publication https://nicic.gov/plainlanguage. Include a section describing the evaluation methods that were used to support plain writing claims. NIC reserves the right, prior to making an award decision, to perform testing on some or all of the applicant’s proposed deliverables to validate claims made in the plain writing attestation letter.

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative Applicants must provide a budget that (1) is complete, allowable, and cost-effective in relation to the proposed activities; (2) shows the cost calculations demonstrating how they arrived at the total amount requested; and (3) provides a brief supporting narrative to link costs with project activities. The budget should cover the entire award period. Pre-agreement cost approvals: For information on pre-agreement costs, see Section B. Federal Award Information.

Budget and Budget Justification Budget SF-424A Prepare a master budget table using “SF-424A Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs” (aka SF-424A), available in the Grants.gov electronic application package. Only complete “Section B- Budget Categories”. Provide the object class budget category (a. - k.) amounts for each budget year under the “Grant Program, Function or Activity” heading. Each column reflects a separate budget year. For example, Column (1) reflects budget year 1. The total budget will be automatically tabulated in column (5). The solicitation will specify if the award will fund multiple years, continuation awards will be made on a noncompetitive basis. Column 1 (budget year 1) is the only requirement.

Budget Justification Detail Worksheet The Budget Detail Worksheet must provide the detailed computation for each budget line item, listing the total cost of each and showing how it was calculated by the applicant. For example, cost for personnel must show the annual salary rate and the percentage of time devoted to the project for each employee paid with cooperative agreement funds. The Budget Detail worksheet must present a complete itemization of all proposed costs.

Identify the amount requested for each budget category and describe the basis for calculating the personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment (if authorized), supplies, contractual support and other costs identified in the SF-424A.

Budget information must be supported at the level of detail described below:

(1) Personnel: List all staff positions by title. Give annual salary, percentage of time assigned to the project, total cost for the budget period, project role and specify any annual cost of living adjustments. Compensation paid for employees engaged in grant activities must be consistent with payments for similar work within the applicant organization. Note that for salaries to be allowable as a direct charge to the award, a justification of how that person will be directly involved in the project must be provided. General administrative duties such as answering telephones, filing, typing or accounting duties are not considered acceptable.

https://nicic.gov/plainlanguage

Below is a sample computation for Personnel:

Position/Title Annual Salary

% of Time Assigned to Project

Year 1 Year 2* Year 3* Total

Project Manager

$70,000 50% $35,000 $36,050 $37,132 $108,182

Trainer $60,000 100% $60,000 $61,800 $63,654 $185,454

Specialist Design Tech

$45,000 100% $45,000 $46,350 $47,741 $139,091

Total Personnel

$140,000 $144,200 $148,527 $432,727

*There is a 3% increase after Year 1 for all personnel for cost of living adjustments

Note this budget category is limited to persons employed by the applicant organization ONLY. Those employed elsewhere are classified as subawardees, program participants, contractors or consultants. Contractors and consultants should be listed under the “Contractual” budget heading. Subawards made to eligible subrecipients are listed under the “Other” budget heading. Participant support costs such as travel assistance for trainees are listed under the “Other” budget heading.

(2) Fringe Benefits: Identify the percentage used and the basis for its computation.

Fringe benefits are for the personnel listed in budget category (1) above and only for the percentage of time devoted to the project. Fringe benefits include but are not limited to the cost of leave, employee insurance, pensions and unemployment benefit plans. The applicant should not combine the fringe benefit costs with direct salaries and wages in the personnel category.

Below is a sample computation for Fringe Benefits

Position/Title Base Fringe % Rate

Costs

Project Manager 47.22% $16,527

Trainer 50.83% $30,498

3) Travel: In a table format, specify the estimated number of trips, purpose of each trip, number of travelers per trip, destinations and other costs for each type of travel for applicant employees. Travel costs for program participants if authorized, should be specified in the “Other” budget category.