25AC03 NOFO Leadership Development FINAL1.pdf

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25AC03

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is seeking applications for funding under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 to create a complete NIC-branded and formatted “hand-off”-level curriculum package (facilitator and participant guides, slide decks, video clips, and other required materials) using existing NIC curriculum materials.

NIC FY 2025 Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers

Applicants to NIC for awards with expected issuance dates on or after October 1, 2024, should be aware of revisions to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR Part 200) effective from that date. All NIC awards issued on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the revised regulations. You may incorporate these changes into your applications now.

Significant changes to 2 CFR Part 200 that may be most relevant for NIC’s applicants and recipients include:

an increase in the de minimis indirect cost rate from 10% to 15% of Modified Total Direct Costs (2 CFR § 200.414 [f]), an increase in the threshold for determining equipment from a per unit cost of $5,000 to $10,000 (2 CFR § 200.313), an increase in the upper limit for computers as supplies from $5,000 to $10,000, an increase in the threshold for reporting unused supplies from an aggregate value of greater than $5,000 to $10,000 (2 CFR § 200.314), an increase in the threshold for excluding subaward costs from the modified total direct cost base from $25,000 to $50,000.

a requirement that recipients verify that subrecipients are not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal funds (2 CFR § 200.332), and an increase in the Single Audit Threshold from $750,000 to $1 million (2 CFR § 200.501).

Recipients of NIC awards issued prior to October 1, 2024, will not be subject to the new regulations, although supplements to these awards will.

NIC encourages applicants and recipients to read OMB’s final rule, now entitled OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance, at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024- 07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance.

https://nicic.gov/ https://nicic.gov/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance

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 October 21, 2024.

Late applications are neither reviewed nor considered.

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

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

Contact Information

For programmatic questions concerning this solicitation contact Elizabeth Kreger National Program Advisor, National Institute of Corrections at ekreger@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: 25AC03 Release date: August 22, 2024 mailto:ekreger@bop.gov mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:BOP-NIC/General@bop.gov

Contents NIC FY 2025 Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers

Eligibility

Deadline

Contact Information

NIC FY 2025 Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers

(Assistance Listing Number (CFDA) 16.61)

A. Program Description

Overview

Program-Specific Information

Goals

Objectives Deliverables

Award Conditions delivered meet Plain Language and Section 508 Standards

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 2025 Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers (Assistance Listing Number (CFDA) 16.61)

A. Program Description

Overview The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is the only federal agency with a legislative mandate (Public Law 93-415) to provide specialized services to corrections from a national perspective. NIC provides direct service as the primary means of carrying out its mission and responds directly to needs identified by practitioners working in state and local adult corrections, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Justice, other federal agencies, and the United States Congress. As a center of learning, innovation, and leadership that shapes and advances effective correctional practice and public policy, NIC is a vital partner in planning, developing, delivering, and supporting capacity-building leadership training in the field of corrections.

NIC believes it takes skilled leadership at every level of a corrections organization to improve correctional practices and outcomes1. Current research into practice shows that leadership development is a process that requires dedicated effort through continuous learning and professional improvement2. Effective leadership development programs align with agency operational and strategic needs both with the agency delivering the programs, as well as the external agencies receiving the leadership development training.3

As a result, NIC is seeking to update its existing Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers virtual instructor-led training (VILT) program targeted toward agencies that are interested in developing their mid-level manager staff. This curriculum is based upon the Manager Managerial Profile from NIC’s Correctional Leadership Competencies for the 21st Century: Manager and Supervisor Levels. See this link (https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/020475.pdf) for sample job and responsibility areas that are appropriate for NIC’s Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers training program.

Statutory Authority: Public Law 93-415

Program-Specific Information NIC is seeking an instructional design practitioner(s) to revise and refresh an in-house curriculum for the Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers course (see https://nicic.gov/leadership-development-mid-level-managers-virtual-instructor-led-vilt-series), a multi-session virtual instructor-led series, into a comprehensive “hand-off”-level curriculum package. The body of work to be completed for this project includes comprehensive “hand-off”-level curriculum package development and attend and audit one pilot virtual delivery to a class of 25 mid-level managers who are representative of NIC’s corrections customer base.

1 Campbell, Nancy M. Correctional Leadership Competencies for the 21stCentury: Executives and Senior-Level Leaders, July 2005, Retrieved from https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/020474.pdf 2 Day, David V., John W. Fleenor, Leanna E. Atwater, Rachel E. Sturm, and Rob A. McKee. "Advances in Leader and Leadership Development: A Review of 25 Years of Research and Theory." The Leadership Quarterly 25, no. 1 (February 2014): 63-82.

3 Zenger, Jack, and Joe Folkman. "Leadership Development 6.0: Connecting Leadership Development with Drivers of Business Results." Zenger Folkman, 2010. UT: Orem https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/020475.pdf https://nicic.gov/leadership-development-mid-level-managers-virtual-instructor-led-vilt-series https://nicic.gov/leadership-development-mid-level-managers-virtual-instructor-led-vilt-series https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.nicic.gov/Library/020474.pdf

A proposal responsive to this solicitation should provide substantiated documentation of proposed project team members (subject to approval by the NIC program manager) with (1) a minimum of 10 years of experience in learner-centered curriculum design and development, which should be supported with submission of “hand-off”-level curriculum package samples; (2) a minimum of 10 years of substantiated design, development and evaluation of “hand-off”-level curriculum packages for use with national participant groups; (3) 10 years of substantiated experience in designing virtual “hand-off”-level curriculum packages, including submitting virtual instructor-led (VILT) curriculum samples; (4) credentialed / certified virtual curriculum designers, producers and facilitators on proposed project team; (5) a minimum of 10 years of experience setting up, hosting, producing, designing, facilitating and evaluating virtual instructor training using a variety of industry standard virtual platforms; (6) proposed project team members must have 10 years minimum experience, credentials and qualifications to administer, interpret, and facilitate Everything DiSC® individual and 360 assessments; and (7) 10 years of experience facilitating virtual experiential leadership training activities and tying them through content and leadership competencies to on-the-job leadership correctional applications.

Respondents must demonstrate and document grounding in current learning and performance research, virtual instructor-led curriculum design, and its unique strengths and challenges in contrast to in-person training design, facilitation, and evaluation. Respondents should also demonstrate knowledge of evidence base of best practices of virtual learning design and facilitation for adult learners. A responsive proposal will include “hand-off”-level curriculum package samples to substantiate the applicant’s experience and expertise. The applicant must have demonstrated experience and proposed project team member expertise in the ADDIE Model of Instructional Design, Bloom’s Taxonomy of Performance Objectives, the Kirkpatrick Model of Evaluation, and demonstrated proposed project team member expertise in the specifics of developing virtual instructor-led “hand-off”-level curriculum packages. All curriculum materials will be developed using the ITIP model of instructional design (see https://nicic.gov/resources/nic-library/all-library-items/itip-toolkit-guide-working-curriculum-developers) and use NIC-branded curriculum templates for all curriculum materials.

Existing curriculum materials will be audited with NIC’s Course Design Audit Checklist, which is attached to this solicitation as an appendix.

Goals The goal of this cooperative agreement is to create a complete NIC-branded and formatted “hand-off”-level curriculum package (facilitator and participant guides, slide decks, video clips, and other required materials) using existing in-house curriculum materials.

Objectives A proposal responsive to this solicitation should, at a minimum identify a plan to address the scope and timeframe of the project; determine the methodology and resources necessary to deliver the work products, identify a team with demonstrated subject matter expertise, experience in designing and developing VILT curricula and instructional materials for adult learners.

The objectives to be completed at a minimum are:

Participate in a kickoff project team meeting using NIC’s virtual instructor-led platform and clarify the deliverables, work products, and time frames for this project.

https://nicic.gov/resources/nic-library/all-library-items/itip-toolkit-guide-working-curriculum-developers https://nicic.gov/resources/nic-library/all-library-items/itip-toolkit-guide-working-curriculum-developers

Consult with the NIC program manager to gain an understanding of the history, purpose, and objectives of the Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers course and formulate recommendations for the design, format, and layout of instructional materials for the course.

Submit draft course materials to the NIC program manager for review and approval.

Attend and audit a pilot to evaluate the effectiveness of the training curriculum based on the Instructional Theory Into Practice (ITIP) model.

Complete edits and/or revisions as a result of the pilot and submit the final draft of “hand-off”-level curriculum package for the course for NIC review and approval.

Deliverables The successful applicant must complete the following deliverables during the project period. The program narrative should reflect how the applicant will accomplish these activities.

1. Participate in a scheduled virtual kickoff planning meeting with the NIC project manager and other designated staff to clarify project goals, objectives, and deliverables, including discussion of a timeline of activities and role clarification within 30 days of the award.

2. Course Development

a. Develop plans that identify work to be completed in the design, format, and layout of the Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers course.

b. Provide a first draft of course materials for the Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers VILT course that includes the following materials at a minimum:

i. Course overview

ii. Course evaluation plan

iii. Module overview(s) (if modules are a component of the course)

iv. Lesson plan(s), including all presentation visuals (slides), participant learning materials/guide, and facilitator guide

v. Recommended trainer preparation strategies, any needed credentialing and/or certifications, e.g., certified virtual facilitation mastery

3. Course Pilot: Attend and audit pilot virtual delivery to a class of 25 mid-level managers who are representative of NIC’s corrections customer base.

4. Final Drafts: Complete any additional edits and/or revisions to draft “hand-off”-level curriculum package materials as necessary from results of the pilot and submit final draft course materials package for the Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers VILT course that includes the following materials:

a. Course overview

b. Course evaluation plan

c. Module overview(s) (if modules are a component of the course)

d. Lesson plan(s), including all presentation visuals (slides), participant learning materials/guide, and facilitator guide

e. Recommended trainer qualifications and certifications

5. Project Narrative: Provide a comprehensive project summary report that includes a narrative description of the project, including background, purpose, objectives, results and sample delivery agenda for the Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers VILT course.

Award Conditions.

The successful applicant will:

1. Provide documentation and a proposed project team with the capacity to manage this project and multiple deliverables within a one-year period.

2. Proposed project team members (subject to approval by the NIC program manager) with:

a. A minimum of 10 years of documented instructional/curriculum design expertise and experience developing and designing curriculum materials using the Instructional Theory Into Practice (ITIP) format (see https://nicic.gov/itip-toolkit-guide-working-curriculum-developers)

b. A minimum of 10 years of substantiated design, development, and evaluation of “hand-off”-level curriculum packages for use with national participant groups

c. Ten years of substantiated experience in designing virtual “hand-off”-level curriculum packages as demonstrated by submitting VILT curriculum samples

d. Credentials/certifications for virtual curriculum design, production, and facilitation

e. A minimum of 10 years of setting up, hosting, producing, designing, facilitating, and evaluating virtual instructor training using a variety of industry-standard virtual platforms

f. Ten minimum years of experience, credentials, and qualifications to administer, interpret, and facilitate Everything DiSC® individual and 360 assessments

g. A minimum of 10 years of experience facilitating virtual experiential leadership training activities and tying them through content and leadership competencies to on-the-job leadership correctional applications

h. A minimum of 10 years of documented experience in producing Section 508-compliant training materials (see https://www.section508.gov/)

i. A minimum of 10 years of documented desktop publishing experience

j. The demonstrated capacity and ability to assess and evaluate training program processes, content, delivery strategies, and materials

k. The ability to write a report that details recommendations for revisions and edits in training program content, delivery strategies, and materials

l. The ability to draft “hand-off”-level curriculum packages for NIC training programs using NIC-provided templates

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

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

• Serving as a subject matter expert for curriculum development and ongoing review of revisions at all phases of the project

• Serving as project manager for all phases of the project, including approvals in advance of all plans, designs, formats, and materials development

• Approving all revision ideas, recommendations, and development plans during each phase of the project

• Approving subject matter experts beyond the awardee-proposed project team to carry out project work

• Approving benchmark project dates, graphics ideas, video clips, etc. in advance

• Working collaboratively with the awardee project team on each phase of the project from kickoff to completion

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 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 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.

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://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 $150,000.00 for a 12-month project period, beginning on December 1, 2024. Requests for amounts more than a total of $150,000.00, including 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 2026 and FY 2027 to the awardee. With the supplemental funding, the project period can be extended up to two https://www.section508.gov/ http://www.nicic.gov/plainlanguage 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 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:

Objective Performanc e Measure(s)

Description Data Grantee Provides

Participate in a kickoff project team meeting using NIC’s virtual instructor-led platform and clarify the deliverables, work products, and time frames for this project.

Meeting with the NIC program manager within 30 days of award.

Meet with the program manager to outline roles and responsibilities.

Meeting minutes

Consult with the NIC program manager to gain understanding of the history, purpose, and objectives of the Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers course and formulate recommendations for the design, format, and layout of instructional materials for the course.

Design plans submitted

Several areas in the VILT curriculum (see curriculum during the initial review) and course materials need to be refreshed/revised and will be compared to a list of research-based standards and practices for adult learning design in order to determine whether course design falls in line with research-based practices in instructional design for adult learners.

Provide course design plan

Submit draft course materials to the Academy team leader for review and approval.

Draft course material package submitted.

All work from the revision and refresh for The Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers course will be completed, and revised materials will be submitted for approval.

Provide a first draft of course materials, including course overview, course evaluation plan, module overview, and lesson plans, all presentation visuals (slides), participant learning materials/guide, and facilitator guide. Recommend trainer preparation strategies, any needed credentialing and/or certifications, e.g., certified virtual facilitation mastery.

Attend and audit a pilot to evaluate the effectiveness of the training curriculum based on the Instructional Theory Into Practice (ITIP) model.

Participate in all pilot VILT’s

A pilot VILT will be scheduled by the program manager.

Awardee will attend the pilot and evaluate the revised curriculum.

Provide detailed notes for curriculum revision recommendations.

Complete edits and/or revisions as a result of the pilot and submit the final draft of the “hand-off”-level curriculum package for the course for NIC review and approval.

Final draft course material package submitted.

Complete any additional edits and/or revisions to draft materials as necessary

Final draft course material package that includes an overview, course evaluation plan, module overview if applicable, and lesson plans that include all presentation visuals, participant learning materials/guide, and a facilitator guide.

Project Narrative Draft comprehensi ve project narrative

Awardee will draft a comprehensive project summary report after attending the pilot VILT and submitting the final “hand-off”-level curriculum package.

Provide a comprehensive project summary report that includes a narrative description of the project, including background, purpose, objectives, results and sample delivery agenda for the Leadership Development for Mid-Level Managers VILT course.

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…