frequently asked questions.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions

OJJDP FY 2013 Mentoring Best Practices Research

Solicitation Specific FAQs

1. What is the deadline for this solicitation?

All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on February 19, 2013.

2. Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are limited to states (including territories), units of local government

(including federally recognized tribal governments, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior), nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). For-profit organizations must agree to forgo any profit or management fee.

OJJDP welcomes joint applications from two or more eligible applicants; however, one applicant must be clearly indicated as the primary applicant (for correspondence, award, and management purposes) and the others indicated as co-applicants. The primary applicant for this solicitation must be the organization conducting and leading the mentoring evaluation or research. While the lead evaluator/primary applicant may partner with additional research and program sites through subrecipient relationships, the primary applicant must clearly be the entity with primary responsibility for conducting the research or evaluation.

3. Is there a match requirement?

There is no match requirement.

4. What are the categories that I can apply for funding?

Category 1: Secondary Data Analysis and Long-Term Follow-up. Under this category, OJJDP will support studies proposing secondary data-analysis of existing mentoring data or additional data collection to examine long-term outcomes of mentoring.

In supporting secondary data analysis of mentoring data, OJJDP seeks to encourage further examination of existing data to address questions that may not have been fully answered in a study’s original analyses.

Additionally, some studies on mentoring have been criticized for their short-term follow-up of program participants. Consequently, OJJDP is interested in augmenting or extending the follow-up period on mentoring participants in currently funded or previous mentoring research. A longer follow-up period for mentoring participants is expected to enhance a study’s analysis of the cost effectiveness of a mentoring strategy and allow for the examination of outcomes into adulthood, including system involvement or incarceration.

Category 2: New Mentoring Research and Evaluations. Under this category, OJJDP will support applicants to conduct research studies and evaluations of mentoring programs and practices. This may include evaluating existing OJJDP mentoring programs. Recent OJJDP mentoring awards can be found at: www.ojjdp.gov/funding/funding.html#2.

5. Is there a minimum maximum funding amount that I can apply for?

Category 1: Secondary Data Analysis and Long-Term Follow-up. Competition ID: OJJDP- 2013-3416. Under this category, OJJDP expects to make as many as 5 awards of as much as $300,000 for a project period of 1 to 5 years. The amount proposed should cover the entire award period. OJJDP will not make supplemental awards in subsequent years.

Category 2: New Mentoring Research and Evaluations. Competition ID: OJJDP-2013-3417.

Under this category, OJJDP expects to make as many as 5 awards of as much as $500,000 for a project period of 1 to 5 years. The amount proposed should cover the entire award period. OJJDP will not make supplemental awards in subsequent years.

6. What Competition ID do I apply under?

Category 1: Secondary Data Analysis and Long-Term Follow-up. Competition ID: OJJDP- 2013-3416.

Category 2: New Mentoring Research and Evaluations. Competition ID: OJJDP-2013-3417.

7. What is the CFDA number?

The CFDA number is 16.726.

8. How many applications were received last year and how many awards were made?

In FY 2012, 65 applications were received and 7 awards were made.

9. Is there a list of awardees from prior years?

OJJDP posts the prior year’s awards on its Web site, www.ojjdp.gov/funding/funding.html#2.

10. What date should I list as the start date on the SF-424 form?

Applicants may begin their proposed project dates on or after October 1, 2013.

11. Can funds under this award support the delivery of mentoring services or the provision of direct services?

Because this is a research and evaluation program, applicants cannot use more than 10 percent of the funds to support direct service mentoring activities. These activities should also clearly connect to the proposed evaluation or research. Applicants may use funds, however, to evaluate training, prevention, and intervention programs.

General FAQs http://www.ojjdp.gov/funding/funding.html#2

12. How do I apply for this funding opportunity?

Applicants will submit their applications through Grants.gov, a “one-stop storefront” to find funding opportunities and apply for funding. To find complete instructions on how to register and submit an application, go to www.Grants.gov.

13. Who do I contact for help with Grants.gov?

If the applicant experiences technical difficulties during this process, call the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, or via e-mail to support@grants.gov, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time process; however, processing delays may occur, and it can take several weeks for first-time registrants to receive confirmation and a user password.

OJP highly recommends that applicants register as early as possible to prevent delays in submitting an application package by the specified application deadline.

14. What is a DUNS number and how do I get one?

The Office of Management and Budget requires that all agencies, businesses, and nonprofit applicants for federal funds include a DUNS (Data Universal Numeric System) number in their application for a new award or renewal of an award. Individuals are exempt from this requirement. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal standard for identifying and tracking entities receiving federal funds. The identifier is used to validate address and point of contact information. The DUNS number will be used throughout the grant life cycle. Obtaining a DUNS number is a free, simple, one-time activity.

Call 1B866B705B5711 or apply online at www.dunandbradstreet.com to obtain a number.

15. What is SAM, and how do I register?

The System for Award Management (SAM) replaces the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database as the repository for standard information about federal financial assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. OJP requires all applicants (other than individuals) for federal financial assistance to maintain current registrations in the SAM database.

Applicants must register in SAM to successfully register in Grants.gov. (Previously, organizations that had submitted applications via Grants.gov were registered with CCR, as it was a requirement for Grants.gov registration. SAM registration replaces CCR as a pre-requisite for Grants.gov registration.) Applicants must update or renew their SAM registration annually to maintain an active status.

Applicants that were previously registered in the CCR database must, at a minimum:

• Create a SAM account; and

• Log into SAM and migrate permissions to the SAM account (all the entity registrations and records should already have been migrated).

Applicants that were not previously registered in the CCR database must register in SAM prior to registering in Grants.gov. Information about SAM registration procedures can be accessed at www.sam.gov.

http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.dunandbradstreet.com/

16. What information is included in the page limit?

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 “Other 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, OJJDP may consider the application to be noncompliance in peer review and final award decisions.

17. Is there a budget format or sample that is available?

A budget detailed worksheet form is available on OJP’s Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf. When using this form, you must also include a budget narrative, in MS Word or PDF format, as a separate attachment.

18. In my application, do I need to address all performance measures listed in this specific solicitation?

A summary of the specific performance measures that OJJDP will use to measure grantee performance is under the section within the solicitation titled Performance Measures.

Applicants should include a brief narrative discussion in their application that indicates their understanding of the performance measures for this solicitation and how they intend to provide the required data to OJJDP.

19. Can I submit a paper version via U.S. mail instead of an electronic application through the Grants.gov system?

No. Applicants must submit their applications electronically. OJJDP will not accept paper submissions.

20. How does the review and awarding process work? How can I track the status of my application?

OJP is committed to ensuring a fair and open process for awarding grants. OJJDP reviews the application to make sure that the information presented is reasonable, understandable, measurable, and achievable, as well as consistent with the solicitation.

Peer reviewers will review the applications submitted under this solicitation that meet basic minimum requirements. OJJDP may use either internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers, or a combination, to review the applications under this solicitation. An external peer reviewer is an expert in the subject matter of a given solicitation who is NOT a current DOJ employee. An internal reviewer is a current DOJ employee who is well-versed or has expertise in the subject matter of this solicitation. Applications that meet basic minimum requirements will be evaluated, scored, and rated by a peer review panel. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any resulting recommendations are advisory only. In addition to peer review ratings, considerations for OJJDP’s research award recommendations and decisions include, but are not limited to (1) appropriateness and strength of the research design, (2) http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf planned dissemination of findings, and (3) potential impact on the field. OJJDP may also consider inclusion of underserved populations, geographic diversity, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding.

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer, in consultation with OJJDP, conducts a financial review of applications for potential discretionary awards to evaluate the fiscal integrity and financial capability of applicants; examines proposed costs to determine if the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative accurately explain project costs; and determines whether costs are reasonable, necessary, and allowable under applicable federal cost principles and agency regulations.

All final award decisions will be made by the Administrator of OJJDP, who also may give consideration to factors including, but not limited to, underserved populations, geographic diversity, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding when making awards.

21. How will I be notified if my agency is selected to receive an award?

Both the point of contact and the authorizing official listed on the grant application will receive an e-mail award notification, which will provide further information on procedures for receiving funds.

22. When will I be notified if my agency was not selected to receive an award?

Both the point of contact and the authorizing official listed on the grant application will receive an e-mail notification and the peer review comments. OJJDP anticipates notifying all applicants by November 1, 2013.

23. I am experiencing technical difficulties submitting my applications to Grants.gov. Is there an alternate way to submit my application?

Applicants that experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues that prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the Justice Information Center (see Page 1 for contact information) within 24 hours after the application deadline and request approval to submit their application. The e-mail must describe the technical difficulties, and include a timeline of the applicant’s submission efforts, the complete grant application, the applicant’s DUNS number, and any Grants.gov Help Desk or SAM tracking number(s). Note:

OJJDP does not automatically approve requests. After the program office reviews the submission, and contacts the Grants.gov or SAM Help Desks to validate the reported technical issues, OJP will inform the applicant whether the request to submit a late application has been approved or denied. If the technical issues reported cannot be validated, OJP will reject the application as untimely.

The following conditions are not valid reasons to permit late submissions: (1) failure to register in sufficient time, (2) failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its Web site, (3) failure to follow each instruction in the OJP solicitation, and (4) technical issues with the applicant’s computer or information technology environment, including firewalls.

Notifications regarding known technical problems with Grants.gov, if any, are posted at the top of the OJP funding Web page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/solicitations.htm.