ojjdp fy 2015 juvenile justice model data project solicitation.pdf

OMB No. 1121-0329

U.S. Department of Justice Approval Expires 07/31/2016

Office of Justice Programs

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is seeking applications for its Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Juvenile Justice Model Data Project solicitation. This program furthers the Department’s mission by advancing efforts to improve the consistency and quality of justice information and the use of meaningful measures in policy and practice decisions.

OJJDP FY 2015 Juvenile Justice Model Data Project

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are states, territories, units of local government, federally recognized Indian tribal governments (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior), nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit or 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. Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign institutions of higher education are not eligible to apply.

OJJDP welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the other(s) must be proposed as subrecipient(s). The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for conducting and leading the project. If successful, the applicant will monitor and appropriately manage any subrecipients or, as applicable, administer any procurement subcontracts that would receive federal program funds from the applicant under the award.

OJJDP will consider only one application per lead applicant; however, subrecipients may be part of multiple proposals.

OJJDP may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.

For additional eligibility information, see Section C. Eligibility Information.

Deadline

Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. All applications are due to be submitted and in receipt of a successful validation message in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on June 16, 2015.

All applicants are encouraged to read this Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov.

http://www.usdoj.gov/ http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ http://www.ojjdp.gov/ http://www.ojjdp.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp http://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Grants-govInfo.htm

OJJDP-2015-4224

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

Contact Information

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035, or via e-mail to support@grants.gov. Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays.

Applicants that experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond their control that prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the OJJDP contact identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline and request approval to submit their application. Additional information on reporting technical issues is found under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How To Apply section.

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact the Response Center by telephone at 800-851-3420, by e-mail at responsecenter@ncjrs.gov, or by web chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp. Answers to frequently asked questions that may assist applicants are posted at http://www.ojjdp.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2015/FAQ/JJMDPFAQ.pdf.

Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement: OJJDP-2015-4224

Release date: April 30, 2015 mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:responsecenter@ncjrs.gov https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp http://www.ojjdp.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2015/FAQ/JJMDPFAQ.pdf

Contents

A. Program Description

Overview

Project-Specific Information

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Expected Products

B. Federal Award Information

Type of award

Financial management and system of internal controls

Budget Information

Cost sharing or match requirement

Preagreement cost approvals

Limitation on use of award funds for employee compensation; waiver

Prior approval, planning, and reporting of conference/meeting/training costs

Costs associated with language assistance (if applicable)

C. Eligibility Information

Cost sharing or match requirement

Limit on number of application submissions

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include

How to Apply

E. Application Review Information

Selection Criteria

Review Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements

General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

H. Other Information

Provide Feedback to OJP

Application Checklist

OJJDP FY 2015 Juvenile Justice Model Data Project

(CFDA #16.540)

A. Program Description

Overview

This project will identify critical information requirements across the juvenile justice system (e.g., victimization, community wellness, law enforcement, diversion, detention, indigent defense, prosecution, adjudication, transfer to criminal court, corrections, reentry, and recidivism). It will develop model data elements with recommended definitions and coding categories that administrative data systems and other juvenile justice-related data collection efforts (e.g., community surveys) can adopt. The award recipient will also develop model measures and analyses with broad and practical applications for state, local, and tribal efforts to monitor trends and assess the efficiency and effectiveness of their systems. That is, for each data area, the project will provide examples of how state and local juvenile justice agencies should use these data to serve their information needs (e.g., standard system indicators, problem identification, program monitoring and assessment, and assessing the effects of system changes). The proposed approach should identify the key data elements and uses of data that will inform jurisdictions’ progress in achieving juvenile justice system reform. Research will support the data elements, measures, and analyses developed, and examples of successful implementation in jurisdictions across the country will inform this effort. A significant component of the proposed work will involve engaging stakeholders and developing a comprehensive strategy to disseminate and promote the model measures using innovative technology and communications mechanisms. These activities will assist OJJDP in fulfilling its responsibility to improve the consistency and quality of justice information and to inform data-driven policy and practice decisions at the federal, state, and local levels.

Authorizing legislation. The Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2015, P.L. 113-235, 128 Stat. 2130, 2195.

Project-Specific Information

There has been enormous growth in research identifying correlates and valid predictors related to the needs, effectiveness, and efficiency of programs, policies, and justice system components. At the same time, many data systems have improved dramatically in the diversity, volume, and storage quality of data such that information can often be extracted quickly and leveraged for analytic purposes. Jurisdictions are increasingly finding that these advances in research and technology allow for more timely and data-driven decisions. For example, some agencies routinely use data from administrative records as part of structured decisionmaking tools, such as risk and needs assessment, dispositional matrices, and tools that assess program quality and effectiveness. Others have incorporated this information into systems of performance-based standards and dashboards to enhance agency-level operations and planning. Some jurisdictions integrate data from numerous agencies to gain additional insights into planning and performance. There is little doubt that the availability of timely and accurate data and valid measures has been central to many juvenile justice reform efforts.

However, these practices are not universal. State, local, and tribal justice systems face considerable challenges when attempting to engage a data-driven framework. First, many do not have a clear or persuasive strategy as to what data they should collect. As such, they may not collect the data they need, collect data that is unnecessary, or find that they collect and record data inconsistently. Further, some systems make it difficult to use data because they inhibit its use and sharing. As a result, key juvenile justice information is often not available or accessible to inform agency practices, not comparable across jurisdictions, and difficult to share for statistical reporting purposes.

A second and related problem is tied to the use of data. Agencies often fail to fully exploit their data to solve tangible business problems. There are few widely used or agreed upon measures to monitor, understand, and predict agency needs, effectiveness, efficiency, and the impact of competing programmatic or policy decisions. Many agencies that collect and use data may deploy metrics that are not validated, have been invalidated, or are otherwise less effective than they could be. Even in jurisdictions with agencies that have strong data collection strategies and analytic capacity, cross-jurisdictional comparisons, collaboration, or sharing is hampered due to differences in what metrics they use, how they create metrics, and when they use them.

OJJDP recognizes the unique challenges states, localities, and tribes face in managing and modernizing administrative data systems and using data to inform policy and practice decisions. OJJDP also believes that enhancing the quality and consistency of justice information is key to advancing juvenile justice reform efforts and ensuring that youth contact with the system is rare, fair, and beneficial. The 2014 National Academies’ National Research Council report Implementing Juvenile Justice Reform: The Federal Role reinforces this idea and specifically recommends that OJJDP expend further efforts to improve data in juvenile justice.1

“OJJDP should take a leadership role in local, state, and tribal jurisdictions with respect to the development and implementation of administrative data systems by providing model formats for system structure, standards, and common definitions of data elements. OJJDP should also provide consultation on data systems as well as opportunities for sharing information across jurisdictions.”

In response to its priorities and the National Academies’ recommendations, OJJDP will seek proposals to develop model data elements and measures for dissemination to the field.

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Expected Products

The goals of this project are: (1) to develop model data elements with recommended definitions and coding categories that administrative data systems and other juvenile justice-related data collection efforts can adopt, (2) to develop model measures and analyses with broad and practical application for state, local, and tribal efforts to monitor trends and

1 National Research Council. 2014. Implementing Juvenile Justice Reform: The Federal Role. Committee on a

Prioritized Plan To Implement a Developmental Approach in Juvenile Justice Reform, Committee on Law and Justice, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

assess the efficiency and effectiveness of their systems, and (3) to develop a comprehensive strategy to disseminate and promote usage of the model data elements and measures, not limited to communication and technology-based mechanisms.

The award recipient will complete the following objectives or activities:

1. Review and document major information needs, activities, and decision-points across juvenile justice systems:

Information areas may include factors that are known correlates or predictors of juvenile crime and victimization at the community level and the public’s perceptions of the juvenile justice system.

The system decision points to be identified may include those made in a variety of juvenile justice sectors, such as:

o law enforcement, including school referrals.

o courts and probation.

o residential placement.

o reentry/aftercare (see note on page 8).

The general types of juvenile justice system information to be identified may include, but are not limited to:

o individual level characteristics of youth (i.e., gender, race, and ethnicity) o case or system processing information.

o agency, programmatic, or service-level information.

o outcome information.

2. Establish systematic criteria for identifying the most critical data elements and measures that each juvenile justice sector should collect, record, or produce to support efficient and effective operations (e.g., those necessary to monitor and measure juvenile crime, juvenile victimization, and juvenile justice systems).

The criteria should include, but are not limited to whether research supports the measure. Absent research, a compelling case may be made using evidence from practical application and successful implementation in states and localities, broad consensus of stakeholders, and information commonly reported through state and national data collection efforts.

The criteria should also include those data elements or measures to identify progress toward juvenile justice systems where youth contact is rare, fair, and beneficial to them. For purposes of this project:

http://www.ojjdp.gov/about/missionstatement.html http://www.ojjdp.gov/about/missionstatement.html o “rare” refers to identifying whether the program, service, or activity of that sector of the justice system targets and involves only the intended youth (i.e., implementing the least restrictive intervention that protects public safety and avoiding net widening or expanding involvement beyond what is necessary).

o “fair” refers to identifying whether access to a given program, activity, or justice system component exhibits racial, ethnic, or other disparity. It also refers to identifying whether actions, sanctions, or intrusion into the lives of youth are reasonable and consistently applied among youth involved in the program, activity, or sector of the justice system.

o “beneficial” refers to identifying aspects of programs, activities, or justice system components that lead to improvement in youth behavior, wellbeing, and prosocial development. It also refers to monitoring and altering conditions and services to minimize harm.

3. Develop model data elements with recommended definitions, coding categories, and other specifications that can be adopted in the implementation or enhancement of administrative data systems and in other juvenile justice-related data collection efforts to improve the consistency and quality of juvenile justice information across jurisdictions.

4. Develop broadly applicable measures that address each juvenile justice sector’s needs, specifically their efficiency and effectiveness, with consideration for how these measures respond to the vision of juvenile justice systems where youth contact is rare, fair, and beneficial.

The documentation for developed measures should include recommendations for the minimum disaggregation categories of the juvenile justice population (age, gender, race, ethnicity, offense, geography, etc.).

5. Produce interim and final reports documenting Activities 3 and 4 for each juvenile justice sector and for the community at large.

6. Develop a comprehensive strategy to disseminate and promote the usage of the model data elements and measures, not limited to communication and technology-based mechanisms.

7. Ensure that internal and external stakeholders representing key sectors of the juvenile justice system are engaged throughout the process, that is:

Coordinate with external stakeholders (e.g., victim, child welfare, advocacy, law enforcement, schools, indigent defense, prosecution, court, and correctional organizations that represent state and local members) in a consensus-building process and incorporate their feedback on the practical application of the model data elements and measures.

Assist, where appropriate, in coordination with other OJP efforts to develop common data elements and definitions, not limited to the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s GLOBAL Justice Information Sharing Initiative.

Assist, where appropriate, in coordination with other OJJDP efforts to develop common measures, not limited to its work in addressing racial and ethnic disparities, youth violence prevention, reentry, and recidivism.

Note: OJJDP will require the successful applicant to coordinate closely with the awardee selected under the OJJDP FY2015 Initiative to Develop Juvenile Reentry Measurement Standards.

Leveraging Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative (Global) tools. OJJDP encourages any justice information sharing solutions proposed and implemented under this program to leverage the components of the Global Standards Package, which includes the Global Reference Architecture, the National Information Exchange Model, Global Federated Identity and Privilege Management, and the Global Privacy Technology Framework. For more information about the Global Standards Package, visit here.

Project deliverables. Proposals should describe all products that the grantee will produce from the project. Successful applicants will submit relevant reports and deliverables to OJJDP. These will be a part of their progress reporting or special reports and include the following:

Successful development of model data elements, measures, and a plan for dissemination that will improve the consistency and quality of justice information and the use of meaningful measures in policy and practice decisions across jurisdictions.

Practitioner friendly overview documents highlighting the project’s goals and objectives, as OJJDP requires. (Refer to OJJDP News @ a Glance and JuvJust publications for examples of the type of documents requested, www.ojjdp.gov/enews/enews.html.)

Practitioner friendly interim reports highlighting the project’s progress and interim findings as OJJDP requires.

A detailed progress report to OJJDP every 6 months describing the status of the strategy development, methodological and implementation issues, progress toward the project goals, and any other issues that are relevant to the program’s completion.

A final, detailed report documenting the model data elements, measure, and other requirements specified about for each identified juvenile justice sector. This publication should include an executive summary and be suitable for a non-techncial audience, to be disseminated at OJJDP’s discretion.

One or more OJJDP bulletins that describe the process of developing the model data elements and measures and recommended strategies for the field in pursuing their implementation.

B. Federal Award Information

OJJDP expects to make one award of as much as $500,000 for a 12-month period to support the project (i.e., to identify and develop model juvenile justice data elements and measures and to develop a dissemination plan). Applicants must submit a 1-year budget for as much as $500,000 for the initial year of this project using the budget detail worksheet.

http://www.ojjdp.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2015/ReentryStandards.pdf http://www.ojjdp.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2015/ReentryStandards.pdf http://www.it.ojp.gov/gsp http://www.ojjdp.gov/enews/enews.html

OJJDP may award supplemental funding to successful applicants for an additional year for as much as $500,000 to implement the dissemination plan. Funding for Year 2 will be contingent upon successful development and completion of project milestones and objectives, timely submission of all required deliverables, the availability of appropriated funds, and the awardee’s experience and capability to implement the proposed dissemination plan.

OJJDP strongly recommends that the applicant structure the application, specifically including the narrative, expected products, timelines/milestones, and budget detail worksheet, and budget narrative, to clearly set out each phase. (This is particularly the case if the applicant proposes a project that will exceed in cost or length of project period the amount or length anticipated for an individual award (or awards) under this solicitation.)

Given limitations to OJJDP on the availability of funds for research, development, and evaluation awards, this information will assist OJJDP in considering whether partial funding of proposals that would not receive full funding would be productive. (If OJJDP elects to fund only certain phases of a proposed project in fiscal year 2015, the expected scholarly products from the partial-funding award may, in some cases, vary from those described above.)

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

Type of award2. OJJDP expects to make any award from this solicitation in the form of a cooperative agreement, which is a particular type of grant used if OJJDP expects to have ongoing substantial involvement in award activities. Substantial involvement includes direct oversight and involvement with the grantee organization in implementation of the grant, but does not involve day-to-day project management. See Administrative, National Policy, and other Legal Requirements, under Section F. Federal Award Administration Information, for details regarding the federal involvement anticipated under an award from this solicitation.

As discussed later in the solicitation, important rules (including limitations) apply to any conference/meeting/training costs under cooperative agreements.

Note: Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be required to comply with Department of Justice regulations on confidentiality and human subjects’ protection. See “Evidence, Research, and Evaluation Guidance and Requirements” under “Solicitation Requirements” in the OJP Funding Resource Center.

Financial management and system of internal controls. If selected for funding, the award recipient must:

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

2 See generally 31 U.S.C. §§ 6301-6305 (defines and describes various forms of federal assistance relationships, including grants and cooperative agreements (a type of grant)).

http://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm

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

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

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

(e) Take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable information and other information the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity designates as sensitive or the nonfederal entity considers sensitive consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality.

In order to better understand administrative requirements and cost principles, award applicants are encouraged to enroll, at no charge, in the Department of Justice Grants Financial Management Online Training available here.

Budget Information

What will not be funded:

proposals primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. (A budget may include these items if they are necessary to conduct research, development, demonstration, evaluation, or analysis.)

proposals that are not responsive to this specific solicitation.

pursuant to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, grantees may not use OJJDP funds for any biomedical or behavior control experimentation on individuals or any research involving such experimentation.

Cost sharing or match requirement. This solicitation does not require a match. However, if a successful application proposes a voluntary match amount, and OJP approves the budget, the total match amount incorporated into the approved budget becomes mandatory and subject to audit.

Preagreement cost approvals. OJP does not typically approve preagreement costs; an applicant must request and obtain the prior written approval of OJP for all such costs. If approved, preagreement costs could be paid from grant funds consistent with a grantee’s approved budget, and under applicable cost standards. However, all such costs prior to award and prior to approval of the costs are incurred at the sole risk of an applicant.

Generally, no applicant should incur project costs before submitting an application requesting federal funding for those costs. Should there be extenuating circumstances that appear to be appropriate for OJP’s consideration as preagreement costs, the applicant should contact the point of contact listed on the title page of this announcement for details on the requirements for submitting a written request for approval. See the section on Costs Requiring Prior Approval in the Financial Guide, for more information.

Limitation on use of award funds for employee compensation; waiver. With respect to any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation, recipients may not use http://gfm.webfirst.com/ http://www.ojjdp.gov/about/jjdpa2002titlev.pdf http://ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm 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 year3. The 2015 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.)

The OJJDP Administrator may exercise discretion to waive, on an individual basis, the limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award. An applicant requesting a waiver should include a detailed justification in the budget narrative of the application.

Unless the applicant submits a waiver request and justification with the application, the applicant should anticipate that OJP will request the applicant to adjust and resubmit the budget.

The justification should include the particular qualifications and expertise of the individual, the uniqueness of the service the individual will provide, the individual’s specific knowledge of the program or project being undertaken with award funds, and a statement explaining that the individual’s salary is commensurate with the regular and customary rate for an individual with his/her qualifications and expertise, and for the work to be done.

Prior approval, planning, and reporting of conference/meeting/training costs. OJP strongly encourages applicants that propose to use award funds for any conference-, meeting-, or training-related activity to review carefully – before submitting an application

– the OJP policy and guidance on “conference” approval, planning, and reporting. OJP policy and guidance (1) encourage minimization of conference, meeting, and training costs;

(2) require prior written approval (which may affect project timelines) of most such costs for cooperative agreement recipients and of some such costs for grant recipients; and (3) set cost limits, including a general prohibition of all food and beverage costs.

Costs associated with language assistance (if applicable). If an applicant proposes a program or activity that would deliver services or benefits to individuals, the costs of taking reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to those services or benefits for individuals with limited English proficiency may be allowable. Reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to services or benefits may include interpretation or translation services where appropriate.

For additional information, see the "Civil Rights Compliance" section under “Solicitation Requirements” in the OJP Funding Resource Center.

C. Eligibility Information

Eligibility. For additional eligibility information, see the title page.

Cost sharing or match requirement. For additional information on cost sharing and match requirement, see Section B. Federal Award Information.

3 This limitation on use of award funds does not apply to the nonprofit organizations specifically named at Appendix

VIII to 2 C.F.R. part 200.

http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/15Tables/exec/html/ES.aspx http://www.ojp.gov/funding/confcost.htm

Limit on number of application submissions. If an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, OJJDP 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 affect negatively the review of their application; and, should a decision be made to make an award, it may result in the inclusion of special conditions that preclude the recipient from accessing or using award funds pending satisfaction of the conditions.

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications determined to be nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation, or that do not include the application elements that OJJDP has designated to be critical, will neither proceed to peer review nor receive further consideration. Under this solicitation, OJJDP has designated the following application elements as critical: Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet, Budget Narrative, and resumes/curriculum vitae of key personnel. For purposes of this solicitation, “key personnel” means the principal investigator or project director, and any and all co-principal investigators. Please review the “Note on File Names and File Types” under How To Apply to be sure applications are submitted in permitted formats.

OJP strongly recommends that applicants use appropriately descriptive file names (e.g., “Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” “Memoranda of Understanding,” “Resumes”) for all attachments. Also, OJP recommends that applicants include resumes in a single file.

1. Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

The SF-424 is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and related information. Grants.gov and OJP’s Grants Management System (GMS) take information from the applicant’s profile to populate the fields on this form. When selecting "type of applicant," if the applicant is a for-profit entity, select "For-Profit Organization" or "Small Business" (as applicable).

Intergovernmental Review: This funding opportunity is subject to Executive Order 12372. Applicants may find the names and addresses of their state’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) at the following website: www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/. Applicants whose state appears on the SPOC list must contact their state’s SPOC to find out about, and comply with, the state’s process under Executive Order 12372. In completing the SF-424, applicants whose state appears on the SPOC list are to make the appropriate selection in response to question 19 once the applicant has complied with their state’s E.O. 12372 process.

(Applicants whose state does not appear on the SPOC list are to make the appropriate selection in response to question 19 to indicate that the “Program is subject to E.O.

12372 but has not been selected by the State for review.”) http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/

2. Project Abstract

The project abstract is a very important part of the application, and serves as an introduction to the proposed project. OJJDP uses the project abstract for a number of purposes, including assignment of the application to an appropriate review panel. If the application is funded, the project abstract typically will become public information and be used to describe the project.

Applications should include a high-quality project abstract that summarizes the proposed project in 250-400 words. Project abstracts should be—

Written for a general public audience.

Submitted as a separate attachment with “Project Abstract” as part of its file name.

Single-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman) with 1-inch margins.

The abstract should include a description of:

the purpose of the project, the problem to be addressed, and the anticipated relevance to juvenile justice policy, practice, and theory.

the proposed techniques to identify, develop, and plan to disseminate model data elements and measures that will improve the consistency and quality of justice information and to inform data-driven policy and practice decisions, addressing each of the key activities identified in the Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables on page 5.

the expected key deliverables, identified in the Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables on pages 5-7.

As a separate attachment, the project abstract will not count against the page limit for the program narrative.

3. 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, OJJDP may consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions.

The program narrative should address the following selection criteria: (1) statement of the problem and research questions; (2) program design and implementation; (3) potential impact; and (4) capabilities/competencies. The applicant should clearly delineate the connections between and among each of these sections. For example, the project design section should clearly explain how the program’s structure and activities will respond to the problem statement identified in the previous section.

Program narrative guidelines:

a. Title page (not counted against the 30-page program narrative limit). Should include the title of the project, submission date, funding opportunity number, and the name and complete contact information (that is, address, telephone number, and e-mail address) for both the applicant organization and the principal investigator.

b. Table of contents and figures (not counted against the 30-page program narrative limit).

c. Main body. Should describe the proposed project in depth.

1) Statement of the problem and program objectives. Applicants should briefly describe the nature and scope of the problem that the program will address (i.e., needs and gaps in consistent juvenile justice data collection and measurement).

The applicant should use data to provide evidence of the need, demonstrate the size and scope of the need, and document the effects of the need on the target population and the larger community.

Applicants should describe any research or evaluation studies that relate to the need and contribute to the applicant’s understanding of its causes and potential solutions. Applicants should address whether and how similar efforts have been addressed at national, state, or local levels. While OJJDP 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.

Applicants should address the key objectives/activities identified in the Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables on pages 5-7 to describe how the program will accomplish its goals (i.e., to identify and develop model juvenile justice data elements and measures, and to develop a dissemination plan).

Applicants should describe the potential for the model data elements and measures to improve the consistency and quality of juvenile justice information and to inform data-driven policy and practice decisions at the federal, state, and local levels.

2) Program design and implementation. Applicants should provide a detailed description of how they plan to address each of the key activities stated in the previous section and identified in the Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables on pages 5-7. Applicants should describe efforts to incorporate a research-driven and practice-informed approach into each of the activities.

This includes:

methods to review and document major information needs, activities, and decision-points across juvenile justice systems.

methods to prioritize the most critical data elements and measures that each juvenile justice sector should collect, record, or produce to support efficient and effective operations.

how the applicant will collect and integrate research; practical examples from states, territories, tribes, and localities; and requirements from OJJDP and other system stakeholders.

methods to develop and document model data elements with recommended definitions, coding categories, and other specifications that can be adopted.

methods to develop and document broadly applicable measures that address each justice sector’s needs, most centrally efficiency and effectiveness.

the plan to disseminate and promote the usage of the model data elements and measures.

how the applicant will ensure that internal and external stakeholders representing key sectors of the juvenile justice system are engaged throughout the process.

the anticipated limitations and barriers of the proposed approach.

This section should also include details regarding any leveraged resources (cash or in-kind) from local sources to support the project and discuss plans for sustainability beyond the grant period.

Performance measures. OJJDP does not require applicants to submit performance measures data with their applications. Performance measures (see Performance Measures, page 16) are included as an alert that OJJDP 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.

OJJDP encourages award recipients to use information from existing program records to fulfill performance measures reporting requirements rather than initiating new data collection activities for this purpose.

Timeline. Applicants should submit a realistic timeline or 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 (see “Sample Project Timelines.” Applicants should submit the timeline as a separate attachment, as stipulated in the Appendices, page 17.

http://www.ojjdp.gov/grantees/timelines.html

3) Potential impact. Applicants should describe the potential impact of the research and how it may inform or improve juvenile justice-related policy, practice, and theory in the United States. This includes a description of:

how the proposed program will inform juvenile justice systems reform and improvement efforts, provide clear and compelling answers about the most effective strategies to improve the consistency and quality of justice information, and address how states and localities can use model data elements and measures to better inform data-driven policy and practice decisions.

how applicants will complete the deliverables stated in the Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables section on pages 5-7.

a plan for dissemination to broader audiences.

4) Capabilities/competencies. This section should describe the experience and capability of the applicant organization and any contractors or subgrantees that the applicant will use to implement and manage this effort and its associated federal funding, highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of similar scope, design, and magnitude. Applicants should address:

experience and capacity to design and complete rigorous projects of similar scope and size.

experience and capacity to develop and implement data improvement strategies, in particular.

Applicants should include details on their system for fiscal accountability. If applicable to this application, applicants should also highlight their experience /capability/capacity to manage subawards.

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.

5) Performance measures. To assist the Department with fulfilling its responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, and the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, Public Law 111–352, applicants that receive funding under this solicitation must provide data that measure the results of their work done under this solicitation. OJP will require any award recipient, post award, to provide the data requested in the “Data Grantee Provides” column so that OJP can calculate values for the “Performance Measures” column. (Submission of performance measures data is not required for the application.) Performance measures for this solicitation are as follows:

Objective Performance

Measure(s)

Descriptions Data Grantee

Provides

To identify critical information requirements across the juvenile justice system through model data elements with recommended definitions and coding categories that administrative data systems and other juvenile justice-related data.

Number of deliverables that meet expectations.

This measure represents the number of deliverables submitted to OJJDP that meet expectations.

Deliverables will differ depending upon the specific project and should be outlined in the application.

Number of deliverables that meet expectations

(as outlined in the solicitation).

Number of deliverables completed on time.

Percentage of deliverables (e.g., reports, curricula manuscripts) completed on time.

This measure represents the number of deliverables submitted to OJJDP that meet expectations.

Deliverables will differ depending upon the specific project and should be outlined in the application.

This measure represents the number of deliverables completed on time.

Number of deliverables completed on time.

6) Appendices. Appendices (not counted against the 30-page program narrative limit) include:

bibliography/references.

any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/charts/graphs, or maps pertaining to the proposed project that supplement items included in the main body of the narrative required: curriculum vitae or resumes of the principal investigator or project director and any and all coprincipal investigators. In addition, curriculum vitae, resumes, or biographical sketches of all other individuals (regardless of “investigator” status) who will be significantly involved in substantive aspects of the proposal (including, for example, individuals such as statisticians serving as consultants to conduct proposed data analysis).

list (to the extent known) of all proposed project staff members, including those affiliated with the applicant organization or any proposed subrecipient organization(s), any proposed consultant(s) and contractors (whether individuals or organizations), and any proposed members of an advisory board for the project (if applicable). The list should include, for each individual and organization: name, title (if applicable), employer or other organizational affiliation, and roles and responsibilities proposed for the project. Applicants should use the “Proposed Project Staff, Affiliation, and Roles” form to provide this listing.

proposed project timeline and expected milestones.

list of any previous and current OJJDP awards to applicant organization and investigator(s), including the OJJDP-assigned award numbers and a brief description of any scholarly products that resulted in whole or in part from work funded under the OJJDP award(s). Scholarly products are defined as peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles and/or, if appropriate, law review journal articles, book chapter(s), or book(s) in the academic press.

letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations collaborating in the project, such as law enforcement and correctional agencies (if applicable).

list of other agencies, organizations, or funding sources to which this proposal has been submitted (if applicable).

letters of support/memoranda of understanding. If submitting an application with a subaward, as described under Eligibility, page 1, applicants should provide signed and dated letters of support or memoranda of understanding for all key partners that include the following:

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

o description of the partner’s current role and responsibilities in the planning process and expected responsibilities when the program is operational.

o estimate of the percent of time that the partner will devote to the planning and operation of the project.

4. Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

a. Budget Detail Worksheet. A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found here.

Applicants that submit their budget in a different format should include the budget categories listed in the sample budget worksheet. OJJDP expects applicants to provide a thorough narrative to each section of the Budget Detail Worksheet.

For questions pertaining to budget and examples of allowable and unallowable costs, see the Financial Guide.

b. Budget Narrative. The budget narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of expense listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. OJP expects http://www.nij.gov/funding/documents/nij-project-staff-template.xlsx http://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/BudgetDetailWorksheet.pdf http://www.ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm proposed budgets to be complete, cost effective, and allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and necessary for project activities).

Applicants should demonstrate in their budget narratives how they will maximize cost effectiveness of grant expenditures. Budget narratives should generally describe cost effectiveness in relation to potential alternatives and the goals of the project. For example, a budget narrative should detail why planned in-person meetings are necessary, or how technology and collaboration with outside organizations could be used to reduce costs, without compromising quality.

The narrative should be sound mathematically, and correspond with the information and figures provided in the Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative should explain how the applicant estimated and calculated all costs, and how they are relevant to the completion of the proposed project. The narrative may include tables for clarification purposes but need not be in a spreadsheet format. As with the Budget Detail Worksheet, the Budget Narrative should be broken down by year.

c. Noncompetitive procurement contracts in excess of simplified acquisition threshold. If an applicant proposes to make one or more non-competitive procurements of products or services, where the non-competitive procurement will exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (also known as the small purchase threshold), which is currently set at $150,000, the application should address the considerations outlined in the Financial Guide.

d. Preagreement cost approvals. For information on preagreement costs approvals, see Section B. Federal Award Information.

5. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

Indirect costs are allowed only if the applicant has a current federally approved indirect cost rate.