O-OVC-2023-171529-OVC FY 2023 DFVS-V1_SI-171529.pdf

OMB No. 1121-0329 Expires 12/31/2023

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office for Victims of Crime

OVC FY 2023 Developing Future Victim Specialists to Serve American Indian/ Alaska Native Victims of Crime

Assistance Listing Number # 16.582

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: O-OVC-2023-171529

Solicitation Release Date: April 17, 2023 9:00 AM ET

Step 1: Application Grants.gov Deadline: June 12, 2023 11:59 PM ET

Step 2: Application JustGrants Deadline: June 20, 2023 8:59 PM ET

Overview

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) seeks applications for funding for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Developing Future Victim Specialists to Serve American Indian/Alaska Native Victims of Crime program. This program furthers the DOJ’s mission by focusing on cultivating and training a workforce that will be integral to increasing access to victim services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN).

This solicitation incorporates guidance provided in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide which provides additional information for applicants to prepare and submit applications to OJP for funding. If this solicitation expressly modifies any provision in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide, the applicant is to follow the guidelines in this solicitation as to that provision.

Solicitation Categories

This solicitation does not include Solicitation Categories.

Eligible Applicants:

For profit organizations other than small businesses, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other

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OVC will consider applications under which two or more entities would carry out the federal award; however, only one entity may be the applicant. Any others must be proposed as subrecipients (subgrantees). For additional information on subawards, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

OVC may elect to fund applications submitted under this FY 2023 solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on, among other considerations, the merit of the applications and the availability of appropriations.

Contact Information

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact the OJP Response Center at 800-851-3420, 301-240-6310 (TTY for hearing-impaired callers only), or grants@ncjrs.gov. The OJP Response Center operates from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

eastern time (ET) Monday–Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on the solicitation close date.

Pre-application Information Session

OVC will hold one solicitation webinar. This call will provide a detailed overview of the solicitation and allow an opportunity for interested applicants to ask questions. When the webinar has been scheduled, the details and registration information will be available at https://ovc.ojp.gov/funding/funding-webinars. Preregistration is required for all participants. Register and follow the instructions at https://ovc.ojp.gov/funding/ funding-webinars. To use the time most efficiently, OVC encourages participants to review the solicitation and submit any questions they may have in advance and no later than 2 days prior to the webinar. Submit your questions to askovc@ncjrs.gov with the subject as “Questions for OVC FY 2023 Developing Future Victim Specialists to Serve American Indian/Alaska Native Victims of Crime Webinar.”

Submission Information

Registration: Before submitting an application, all applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). You must renew and validate your registration every 12 months. If you do not renew your SAM registration, it will expire. An expired registration can delay or prevent application submission in Grants.gov and JustGrants.

Registration and renewal can take up to 10 business days to complete.

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Submission: Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step process via Grants.gov and JustGrants.

Step 1: The applicant must submit by the Grants.gov deadline the required Application for Federal Assistance standard form (SF-424) and a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) form when they register in Grants.gov at https:// www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL as early as possible, but no later than 48 hours before the Grants.gov deadline. If an applicant fails to submit in Grants.gov, they will be unable to apply in JustGrants.

For technical assistance with submitting the SF-424 and a SF-LLL in Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, Grants.gov Customer Support or support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays.

Step 2: The applicant must submit the full application, including attachments, in JustGrants at JustGrants.usdoj.gov by the JustGrants application deadline.

For technical assistance with submitting the full application in JustGrants, contact the JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov. The JustGrants Service Desk operates 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET Monday–Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sunday, and Federal holidays.

OJP encourages applicants to review the “How To Apply” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide and the JustGrants website for more information, resources, and training. Applicants should maintain all receipts and confirmations received from SAM.gov, Grants.gov, JustGrants systems.

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Contents

Overview 1 Contact Information 2

Pre-application Information Session 2 Submission Information 2

Program Description 7 Overview 7 Statutory Authority 7 Specific Information 7 Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables 8 Evidence-Based Programs or Practices 9 Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities

Federal Award Information 10 Awards, Amounts and Durations 10 Continuation Funding Intent 10 Availability of Funds 10 Type of Award 11 Financial Management and System Controls 11 Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 11 Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) 11 Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation:

Waiver

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/ Training Costs

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) 11 Eligibility Information 11 Application and Submission Information 12

Content of Application Submission 12 Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) in Grants.gov

Standard Applicant Information (JustGrants 424 and General Agency Information)

Proposal Abstract 13 Proposal Narrative 13 Goal, Objective and Deliverables 15 Budget and Associated Documentation 15 Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (attachment) 15

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Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) 15 Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 15 Consultant Rate 15 Employee Compensation Waiver 16 Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (including applicant disclosure of high-risk status)

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation 16 Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Other Supportive Documents

Additional Application Components 16 Curriculum Vitae or Resumes 17 Timeline Form 17 Letters of Support 17 Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement 17 Disclosure and Assurances 17 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 17 DOJ Certified Standard Assurances 18 Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items 18 DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements;

Law Enforcement and Community Policing

Applicant Disclosure and Justification - DOJ High Risk Grantees 18

How to Apply 18 Submission Dates and Time 19

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application

Application Review Information 21 Review Criteria 21 Review Process 21

Federal Award Administration Information 22 Federal Award Notices 22 Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements 22 Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses 23 General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 23 Other Information 23

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C.

552a)

Provide Feedback to OJP 23 Performance Measures 23 Application Checklist 25

Standard Solicitation Resources 28 Endnotes 29

Program Description

Overview

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community.

With this solicitation, OVC seeks to develop a workforce of victim service providers to serve American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) victims of crime in isolated locations.

By identifying and training prospective victim service professionals in, or from, the communities to be served, Tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) victim service programs will be better able to fill these positions in remote Indian Country and Alaska Native locations, and in turn ensure that victims in these locations get the services they need.

Statutory Authority

34 U.S.C. § 20103(c)(1)(B)

34 U.S.C. § 20103(c)(3)(E)(i).

Specific Information

One major issue facing BIA and many Tribally based victim service providers is that they are often unable to hire and retain qualified victim specialists and advocates that serve victims in remote Indian Country or Alaska Native locations.

There is little to no research available on best practices for recruiting and retaining victim service professionals specifically for Indian Country and Alaska Native communities. However, for the victim services field in general, it is known that “partnerships between universities and community providers are promising in their ability to improve fragmented service systems through coordination, streamlining, and capacity building [including workforce development].”[i] Practices from other fields, such as education and health care, provide valuable insight about how to recruit and retain staff for positions in rural and isolated areas. For example, in the field of education, there is evidence showing that it is easiest to fill positions in rural locations when staff have interpersonal connections to the location and are recruited from and have similar backgrounds to the service population.[ii]

In addition, nursing professionals have successfully implemented internship and other workforce development programs using a “grow your own”[iii] approach that requires recruiting and developing students that live and attend school in those communities. In

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#_edn1 #_edn2 #_edn3 many cases, these initiatives have resulted in steady or decreased staff turnover rates, decreased vacancies for critical positions, and a larger, educated, and more engaged workforce.[iv]

Through this initiative, OVC seeks to have a similar long-term impact on the Tribal victim services workforce.

Successful applicant(s) will work to identify individuals who are interested in victim service positions specifically serving Tribal communities. Applicants will create (or continue operating) a victim service internship program that will place individuals in victim service positions either with a BIA or Tribally based victim service program (this can include victim service programs run by Tribal consortia). Applicants are responsible for creating and proposing the structural and administrative makeup of the program, which will include the process for identifying and selecting interns, setting requirements for the program, and addressing privacy issues associated with interns serving in direct service positions. Applicants are also responsible for working with their BIA district or a local Tribally based victim service program to place participants in internship, residency, or practicum experiences for credit or pay.

While applicants may focus their programs on recruitment, training, and placement of current or recent college/university students, applications proposing programs that focus on training other interested individuals (e.g., mid-career professionals seeking a career change, community members without a college education, etc.) are also welcome.

Geographic diversity will be an important consideration in selection, and OVC hopes to fund various programs across the contiguous United States and Alaska.

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

Goals

The goal of this project is to develop victim service professionals who will provide direct services to AI/AN victims in locations that are remote and where positions are hard to fill. This will be accomplished by engaging interested individuals, including but not limited to, college and university students, who are from, live, and/or attend school in these areas.

Objectives

An applicant should address all the objectives listed below:

Establish (or continue operating) and administer a structured program that links individuals interested in victim service careers to internship or residency opportunities with either a BIA or Tribally run victim services program. (This can include programs run by Tribal consortia.) Applicants may include incentives for participants, including, but not limited to, a stipend, course credit, tuition

#_edn4 assistance, or priority consideration for future employment opportunities.

Provide supervision and training to participants in the program by experienced victim service professionals.

Establish baseline data and a data collection process for performance metrics. In addition to satisfying OVC reporting requirements, this data could potentially be used in an additional OVC evaluation or assessment of the program or to inform recruitment and workforce-building practices for other victim service programs that serve AI/AN communities.

Deliverables and Activities

Successful applicants will complete the following activities to accomplish the above objectives:

Demonstrate the existence of a relationship between a Tribal victim service program and an organization, such as a university program or Tribal coalition, that will refer, train, and supervise individuals interested in paid victim services internships or residencies in AI/AN communities.

Identify victim service program staffing needs and determine how victim service internships/residencies would address these needs. Provide the number of internships/residencies necessary and sample job descriptions for the participants.

Develop a list of selection criteria that participants must meet to be selected as victim service interns/residents.

Determine the program requirements a participant must meet to successfully complete the program.

Identify, recruit, and hire individuals who meet the necessary criteria.

Provide training and other necessary support, including safety planning, to interns/ residents. Training and support needs will be identified by the grantee and should consider differences in training needs depending on the types of interns/residents participating. (For example, if the program accepts interns who are current college/ university students, recent college graduates, and interns without a college education, the applicant should explain how training will be tailored to meet the needs of these different intern groups.)

Work with OVC, or an OVC designee, to measure the success of the program by assessing the impact that the participants have had on the victim services program and the community served, and the number of participants who pursue (or plan to pursue) a career in providing victim services for Tribal communities after completion of the internship/residency.

The goals, objectives, and deliverables are directly related to the performance measures that show the completed work’s results, as discussed in the “Application and Submission Information” section.

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices

OJP strongly encourages the use of data and evidence in policymaking and program development for criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. For additional information and resources on evidence-based programs or practices, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities

OJP may conduct or support an evaluation of the projects and activities funded under this solicitation. For additional information and applicable documentation to be included in the application, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide section entitled “Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities.”

Federal Award Information Solicitation Categories

This solicitation does not include Solicitation Categories.

Awards, Amounts and Durations

Anticipated Number of Awards

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards $500,000

Period of Performance Start Date 10/1/23

Period of Performance Duration (Months)

Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation $5 million

Continuation Funding Intent

OVC may, in certain cases, provide additional funding in future years to awards made under this solicitation through continuation awards. OJP will consider, among other factors, OJP’s strategic priorities, a recipient’s overall management of the award, and the award-funded work’s progress, when making continuation award decisions.

Availability of Funds

This solicitation, and awards under this solicitation, are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by the agency or by law. In addition, nothing in this solicitation is intended to, O-OVC-2023-171529 https://www.ojp.gov/funding/apply/ojp-grant-application-resource-guide#evidence-based https://www.ojp.gov/funding/apply/ojp-grant-application-resource-guide#potential-evaluation and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Type of Award

OVC expects to make awards under this solicitation as grants. See the “Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements” section of the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for a brief discussion of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that apply to many (or in some cases, all) OJP grants.

Financial Management and System Controls

Award recipients and subrecipients (including recipients or subrecipients that are pass-through entities) must, as described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements as set out at 2 C.F.R. 200.303, comply with standards for financial and program management. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information.

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

This solicitation does not require a match.

Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs)

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on pre-agreement costs (also known as pre-award costs).

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation: Waiver

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on the Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver.

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs.

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable)

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on Costs Associated with Language Assistance.

Eligibility Information

For eligibility information, see the solicitation cover page.

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For information on cost sharing or match requirements, see the “Federal Award Information” section.

Notice regarding law enforcement agencies: State, local, and university or college law enforcement agencies must be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or have started the certification process to be eligible for FY 2023 DOJ discretionary grant funding. To become certified, the law enforcement agency must meet two mandatory conditions: (1) the agency’s use-of-force policies adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, and (2) the agency’s use-of-force policies prohibit chokeholds except in situations where use of deadly force is allowed by law.

The certification requirement also applies to law enforcement agencies receiving DOJ discretionary grant funding through a subaward. For detailed information on this certification requirement, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/SafePolicingEO to access the Standards for Certification on Safe Policing for Safe Communities, the Implementation Fact Sheet, and the List of Designated Independent Credentialing Bodies.

All recipients and subrecipients (including any for-profit organization) must forgo any profit or management fee.

Application and Submission Information

Content of Application Submission

The following application elements must be included in the application to meet the basic minimum requirements to advance to peer review and receive consideration for funding:

Proposal Narrative Budget Worksheet and Narrative (attachment)

If OJP determines that an application does not include these elements, it will neither proceed to peer review, nor receive further consideration.

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) in Grants.gov

The SF-424 must be submitted in Grants.gov. It is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and related information.

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information on completing the SF-424.

In Section 8F of the SF-424, please include the name and contact information of the individual who will complete the application in JustGrants. JustGrants will use this information (email address) to assign the application to this user in JustGrants.

Intergovernmental Review: This solicitation (“funding opportunity”) is not subject to

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Executive Order (E.O.) 12372. In completing the SF-424, an applicant is to answer question 19 by selecting “Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.”

Standard Applicant Information (JustGrants 424 and General Agency Information)

The “Standard Applicant Information” section of the JustGrants application is pre-populated with the SF-424 data submitted in Grants.gov. The applicant will need to review the Standard Applicant Information in JustGrants and make edits as needed.

Within this section, the applicant will need to add ZIP codes for areas affected by the project; confirm their Authorized Organization Representative; and verify and confirm the organization’s unique entity identifier, legal name, and address.

Proposal Abstract

A Proposal Abstract (no more than 400 words) summarizing the proposed project — including its purpose, primary activities, expected outcomes, the service area, intended beneficiaries, and subrecipients (if known) — must be completed in the JustGrants web-based form. This abstract should be in paragraph form without bullets or tables, written in the third person, and exclude personally identifiable information. Abstracts will be made publicly available on the OJP and USASpending.gov websites if the project is awarded. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for an example of a proposal abstract.

Proposal Narrative

The Proposal Narrative should be submitted as an attachment in JustGrants. The attached document should be double-spaced, using a standard 12-point font; have no less than 1-inch margins; and should not exceed 20 double-spaced and numbered pages. If the Proposal Narrative fails to comply with these length restrictions, OVC may consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decision. Tables, charts, and graphs included in the proposal narrative count toward the page limit.

The Proposal Narrative must include the following sections:

a. Description of the Issue

Include a description of the service area for the proposed program, including demographic information that describes the AI/AN population in the service area.

Describe the victim services needs in the community that will be served.

Describe the difficulties that the associated victim services program has had with hiring or retaining necessary, direct victim services staff in the past.

Provide a clear statement about how funding will support recruitment, hiring, training, and supervision of victim services interns/participants; and how paid internships/residencies will support both the individual program and the AI/AN community served.

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b. Project Design and Implementation

Applicants must provide a coherent, concise, comprehensive plan describing how the proposed program will be implemented, including the following:

Detailed goals and objectives that will be completed during the 36-month award period that align with the project goals and objectives in the Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables section of the solicitation.

A detailed, 36-month project timeline. The timeline can be submitted as a separate attachment.

c. Capabilities and Competencies Applicants must demonstrate the ability to identify, recruit, hire, train, supervise, and retain individuals interested in working in the victim services field; coordinate and manage key stakeholders; and work with Tribal governments, Tribal organizations (including Tribal coalitions), Federal Government offices, colleges and universities, and other stakeholders to identify staffing needs for victim services programs serving Tribal communities. Applicants must describe their experience working with Tribal governments and Tribal organizations and an understanding of cultural sensitivity in working with Tribal populations.

d. Plan for Collecting the Data Required for this Solicitation's Performance Measures

Describe the process for measuring project performance. Identify who will collect the data; who is responsible for performance measurements; and how the information will be used to guide and evaluate the project’s impact. Describe the process for accurately reporting data.

Note: An applicant is not required to submit performance data with the application.

Rather, performance measure information is included as a notification that award recipients will be required to submit performance data as part of each award’s reporting requirements. Some measures are presented as examples, while others are the exact measures that every recipient will be expected to address.

OJP will require each award recipient to submit regular performance data that show the completed work’s results. The performance data directly relate to the goals, objectives, and deliverables identified in the “Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables” discussion. Applicants can visit OJP’s performance measurement page at www.ojp.gov/performance for an overview of performance measurement activities at

OJP.

A list of performance measure questions for this program can be found at https:// ovc.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh226/files/media/document/future-victim-specialists-

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OVC will require award recipients to submit performance measure data and semi-annual performance reports in JustGrants. OVC will provide further guidance on the post-award submission process if the applicant is selected for award.

Note on Project Evaluations

An applicant that proposes to use award funds through this solicitation to conduct project evaluations must follow the guidance in the “Note on Project Evaluations” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Goal, Objective and Deliverables

Applicants will NOT use the web-based form for this section. Applicants will submit the project’s goals, objectives, and deliverables as part of the proposal narrative. The timeline can be submitted as either part of the proposal narrative or as a separate attachment.

Budget and Associated Documentation

Applicants must submit a budget for a 36-month project period using the budget worksheet attachment. The budget must show calculations for requested funding and narrative descriptions for all proposed expenses. The proposed budget must not exceed $500,000 and must be consistent with activities described in the proposal narrative.

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (attachment)

Applicants will attach a budget worksheet and budget narrative in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information.

Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs)

See the section on Costs Requiring Prior Approval in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide Post Award Requirements for more information.

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

If applicable, the applicant will upload their indirect cost rate agreement as an attachment in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for more information on indirect costs.

Consultant Rate

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See the DOJ Grants Financial Guide for information on the consultant rates which require prior approval from OJP.

Employee Compensation Waiver

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on the Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation for Awards over $250,000; Waiver.

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (including applicant disclosure of high-risk status)

The applicant will download the questionnaire, complete it, and upload it as an attachment in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for the link to the questionnaire and additional information.

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation

This solicitation expressly modifies the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide by not incorporating its “Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation” provisions. Applicants to this solicitation are not required to provide this disclosure.

Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Other Supportive Documents

Applicants should submit copies of MOUs between entities providing interns/program participants and the organizations where the interns/participants will provide direct services (if a relationship has already been established).

Applicants should include for each named partner, a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Letter of Intent, or subcontract that confirms the partner’s agreement to support the project through commitments of staff time, space, services, or other project needs. For applications submitted that include subawards to other entities, applicants are encouraged to develop and submit signed MOUs or signed Letters of Intent that provide a detailed description of how the agencies will work together to meet project requirements.

Each MOU or Letter of Intent should include the following: (1) names of the organizations involved in the agreement; (2) scope of the direct service(s) and other work to be performed under the agreement; (3) duration of the agreement.

Subcontracts, MOUs, or Letters of Intent should be submitted as one separate attachment to the application.

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Additional Application Components

The applicant will attach the additional requested documentation in JustGrants.

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes

Provide resumes/curriculum vitae and position descriptions for key project personnel.

Timeline Form

The project timeline should cover a 36-month project period, detail how the applicant will accomplish its stated goals and objectives, and include the name, title, and organization of the individual responsible for carrying out the identified activities. The timeline must provide for submission of required quarterly financial status reports and semi-annual progress reports. Both the project timeline and proposal narrative will be evaluated to determine scoring for the criterion “Program Design and Implementation Plan,” worth 40 percent of the peer review score. (See the section titled “Review Criteria” for additional information.) The timeline can be submitted within the proposal narrative or as a separate document. If submitted within the proposal narrative, the timeline will count toward the 20-page narrative limit. If submitted as a separate document, the timeline will not count toward the 20-page limit for the proposal narrative.

Letters of Support

Applicants should submit letters of support from key Tribal stakeholders and other stakeholders involved in the project. In cases where the applicant has submitted a signed MOU with an entity, a letter of support from the same entity is not needed.

Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement

If an application proposes research (including research and development) and/or evaluation, the applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation independence and integrity, including appropriate safeguards, before it may receive award funds. The applicant will upload documentation of its research and evaluation independence and integrity as an attachment in JustGrants. For additional information, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Disclosure and Assurances

The applicant will address the following disclosures and assurances.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Complete and submit the SF-LLL in Grants.gov. Once the applicant submits in Grants.gov, this information will pre-pend into JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information.

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DOJ Certified Standard Assurances

Review and accept the DOJ Certified Standard Assurances in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information.

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items

Complete the JustGrants web-based Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items form. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information.

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law Enforcement and Community Policing

Review and accept the DOJ Certified Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements;

Law Enforcement and Community Policing. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information.

Applicant Disclosure and Justification - DOJ High Risk Grantees

If applicable, submit the DOJ High Risk Disclosure and Justification as an attachment in JustGrants. A DOJ High Risk Grantee is an award recipient that has received a DOJ High Risk designation based on a documented history of unsatisfactory performance;

financial instability; management system or other internal control deficiencies;

noncompliance with award terms and conditions on prior awards or is otherwise not responsible. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information.

How to Apply

Registration: Before submitting an application, all applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). You must renew and validate your registration every 12 months. If you do not renew your SAM registration, it will expire. An expired registration can delay or prevent application submission in Grants.gov and JustGrants.

Registration and renewal can take up to 10 business days to complete.

Submission: Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step process via Grants.gov and JustGrants.

Step 1: After registering with SAM, the applicant must submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL in Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html by the Grants.gov deadline. Submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL as early as possible, but no later than 48 hours before the Grants.gov deadline. If an applicant fails to submit in Grants.gov, they will be unable to apply in JustGrants.

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Step 2: The applicant must then submit the full application, including attachments, in JustGrants at JustGrants.usdoj.gov by the JustGrants deadline.

Within 24 hours after receipt of confirmation emails from Grants.gov, the individual in Section 8F of the SF-424 will receive an email from DIAMD-NoReply@usdoj.gov with instructions on how to create a JustGrants account. Register the Entity Administrator and the Application Submitter with JustGrants as early as possible but no later than 48-72 hours before the JustGrants deadline. Once registered in JustGrants, the Application Submitter will receive an emailed link to complete the rest of the application in JustGrants. The Entity Administrator also will need to log into JustGrants to review and invite the applicant’s Authorized Representative(s) before an application can be submitted.

Submit the complete application package in JustGrants at least 24 – 48 hours prior to the JustGrants deadline. Some of the application components will be entered directly into JustGrants, and others will require uploading attached documents. Therefore, applicants will need to allow ample time before the JustGrants deadline to prepare each component. Applicants may save their progress in the system and revise the application as needed prior to hitting the Submit button at the end of the application in JustGrants.

For additional information, see the “How to Apply” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide and the DOJ Application Submission Checklist.

Submission Dates and Time

The SF-424 and the SF-LLL must be submitted in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on June 12, 2023

The full application must be submitted in JustGrants by 8:59 p.m. eastern time on June 20, 2023.

OJP urges applicants to submit their Grants.gov and JustGrants submissions prior to the due dates with sufficient time to correct any errors and resubmit by the submission deadlines if a rejection notification is received. To be considered timely, the full application must be submitted in JustGrants by the JustGrants application deadline.

Failure to begin the SAM.gov, Grants.gov, or JustGrants registration process in sufficient time (i.e., waiting until the date identified in this solicitation) is not an acceptable reason for late submission.

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application

OJP will only consider requests to submit an application after the deadline when the applicant can document that a technical issue with a government system prevented application submission.

If an applicant misses a deadline due to unforeseen technical issues with SAM.gov, Grants.gov, or JustGrants, the applicant may request a waiver to submit an application

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An applicant experiencing technical difficulties must contact the associated service desk indicated below to report the technical issue and receive a tracking number:

SAM.gov - contact the SAM Help Desk (Federal Service Desk), Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET at 866-606-8220.

Grants.gov - contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays, at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, or support@grants.gov.

JustGrants - contact the JustGrants Service Desk at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 833-872-5175, Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET and Saturday, Sunday, and Federal holidays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

If an applicant has technical issues with SAM.gov or Grants.gov, the applicant must contact the OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 hours of the Grants.gov deadline to request approval to submit after the deadline.

If an applicant has technical issues with JustGrants that prevent application submission by the deadline, the applicant must contact the OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 hours of the JustGrants deadline to request approval to submit after the deadline.

Waiver requests sent to the OJP Response Center must -describe the technical difficulties experienced, include a timeline of the applicant's submission efforts (e.g., date and time the error occurred, date and time of actions taken to resolve the issue and resubmit;

and date and time support representatives responded), include an attachment of the complete grant application and all the required documentation and materials, include the applicant's Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and include any SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants Service Desk tracking numbers documenting the technical issue.

OJP will review each waiver request and the required supporting documentation and notify the applicant whether the request for late submission has been approved or denied. An applicant who does not provide documentation of a technical issue or who

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For more details on the waiver process, OJP encourages applicants to review the “Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Application Review Information

Review Criteria

Merit Review Criteria

Applications that meet the basic minimum requirements will be evaluated by peer reviewers on how the proposed project/program addresses the following criteria:

Statement of the Problem/Description of the Issue (20%) - evaluate the applicant’s understanding of the program/issue to be addressed.

1.

Project Design and Implementation (40%)- evaluate the adequacy of the proposal, including the goals, objectives, timelines, milestones, and deliverables.

2.

Capabilities and Competencies (20%) - evaluate the applicant's administrative and technical capacity to successfully accomplish the goals and objectives.

3.

Plan for Collecting the Data Required for this Solicitation’s Performance Measures (5%) - evaluate the applicant’s understanding of the performance data reporting requirements and the plan for collecting the required data.

4.

Budget (15%) - evaluate for completeness, cost effectiveness, and allowability (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and necessary for project activities).

5.

Other Review Criteria/Factors

Other important considerations for OVC include geographic diversity, strategic priorities (specifically including, but not limited to, those priority areas already mentioned, if applicable), available funding, past performance, and the extent to which the Budget Worksheet and Narrative accurately explains project costs that are reasonable, necessary, and otherwise allowable under federal law and applicable federal cost principles.

Review Process

Applications submitted under this solicitation that meet the basic minimum requirements will be evaluated for technical merit by a peer review panel(s) in accordance with OJP peer review policy and procedures using the review criteria listed above.

OJP screens applications to ensure they meet the basic minimum requirements prior to conducting the peer review. Although specific requirements may vary, the following are

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The application must be submitted by an eligible type of applicant.

The application must request funding within programmatic funding constraints (if applicable).

The application must be responsive to the scope of the solicitation.

The application must include all items necessary to meet the basic minimum requirements.

Pursuant to the Part 200 Uniform Requirements, before award decisions are made, OJP also reviews information related to the degree of risk posed by the applicant entity.

Among other things to help assess whether an applicant with one or more prior federal awards has a satisfactory record of performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP checks whether the applicant entity is listed in SAM as excluded from receiving a federal award.

In addition, if OJP anticipates that an award will exceed $250,000 in federal funds, OJP also must review and consider any information about the applicant entity that appears in the non-public segment of the integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently, the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, FAPIIS).

Important Note on FAPIIS: An applicant may review and comment on any information about its organization that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal awarding agency. OJP will consider such comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in its assessment of the risk posed by the applicant entity.

Absent explicit statutory authorization or written delegation of authority to the contrary, all final award decisions will be made by the Assistant Attorney General, who may…