PKG00258746-instructions.pdf

OMB No. 1121-0329 Approval Expires 11/30/2020

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance

Justice Reinvestment Initiative: Reducing Violent Crime by Improving Justice System Performance FY 2020 Competitive Grant Solicitation

CFDA # 16.827

Grants.gov Solicitation Number: BJA-2020-17093

Solicitation Release Date: March 2, 2020

Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 1, 2020

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications to fund the Justice Reinvestment Initiative: Reducing Violent Crime by Improving Justice System Performance.

This solicitation incorporates the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide by reference. It provides guidance to applicants on how to prepare and submit applications for funding to OJP. 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.

Eligibility (Who may apply):

The following entities are eligible to apply:

• States

• Territories

• Local units of government

• State and local courts

• Federally recognized Indian tribes (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior)

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

Contact information For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800–518–4726 or 606–545–5035, at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, or at support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays.

An applicant that experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond its control that prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline must email the contact identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline to request approval to submit its application https://www.usdoj.gov/ https://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ https://bja.ojp.gov/ https://bja.ojp.gov/ https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Grant-App-Resource-Guide.htm https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html https://Grants.gov after the deadline. Additional information on reporting technical issues appears under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How To Apply (Grants.gov) section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

For assistance with any unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond an applicant’s control that prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline, or any other requirement of this solicitation, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Response Center:

toll-free at 800–851–3420; via TTY at 301–240–6310 (hearing impaired only); email grants@ncjrs.gov; fax to 301–240–5830; or web chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp. The NCJRS Response Center hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

eastern time on the solicitation close date.

Deadline Details Applicants must register with Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html prior to submitting an application. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 1, 2020.

To be considered punctual, an application must be submitted by the application deadline using Grants.gov, and the applicant must have received a validation message from Grants.gov that indicates successful and timely submission. OJP urges applicants to submit applications at least 72 hours prior to the application due date, to allow time for the applicant to receive validation messages or rejection notifications from Grants.gov, and to correct in a timely fashion any problems that may have caused a rejection notification.

An applicant must use the Add Attachment button to attach a file to its application. Do not click the paperclip icon to attach files. This action will not attach the files to the application. After adding an attachment, select the View Attachment button to confirm you attached the correct file. To remove the file, select the Delete Attachment button.

OJP encourages all applicants to read this Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov.

For additional information, see the How to Apply (Grants.gov) section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

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Contents A. Program Description

Overview Program-specific Information OJP Policy Priority Areas Evidence-based Programs or Practices Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities

B. Federal Award Information Type of Award Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Budget Information Cost Sharing or Match Requirement Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) 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 D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include How To Apply (Grants.gov) Registration and Submission Steps

E. Application Review Information Review Criteria Review Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information Federal Award Notices Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) H. Other Information

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 552a) Provide Feedback to OJP Appendix A: Performance Measures Table Appendix B: Application Checklist Appendix C: Certification Regarding Cooperation with Federal Law Enforcement Appendix D: Certification Regarding Noninterference with Federal Law Enforcement Appendix E Certification Regarding Nondisclosure of Federal Law-Enforcement Information

BJA-2020-17093

JUSTICE REINVESTMENT INITIATIVE:

REDUCING VIOLENT CRIME BY IMPROVING

JUSTICE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

CFDA # 16.827

A. Program Description Overview BJA’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative: Reducing Violent Crime by Improving Justice System Performance provides funding to develop and implement innovative and research-based responses that address a range of criminal justice system problems. It employs the Justice Reinvestment approach to criminal justice which recognizes that every justice agency has a role to play in preventing crime, apprehending and prosecuting perpetrators, ensuring efficient and effective court and pretrial decisionmaking, facilitating appropriate sentencing and treatment, and protecting community security.

Statutory Authority: Awards under this solicitation will be made under statutory authority provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, Pub. L. No. 116-93, 133 Stat 2317, 2408-09.

Program-specific Information The Justice Reinvestment Initiative enables criminal justice systems to improve their business management and operations processes by addressing the complex factors that drive crime and use of criminal justice system resources. To that end, BJA seeks proposals in three categories:

Category 1: Improving Court Processing and Efficient Docket Management. Competition ID:

BJA-2020-17094

Identify and address the challenges that prevent efficient, timely, and effective court case processing. Applicants should review their court system data, policies, and procedures to identify opportunities to improve docket management, thus reducing unnecessary costs and delays that negatively impact the justice system and public safety.

Category 2: Improving and Implementing Pre-trial Systems. Competition ID: BJA-2020-17095 Identify and address the challenges faced by jurisdictions in making pre-trial release decisions that are timely, risk-informed, and fair, and assure a defendant’s court appearance while protecting public safety. Applicants should review their pre-trial data, policies, and procedures to identify opportunities for planning, implementation, and enhancements to better determine a defendant’s level of risk to public safety and reduce the likelihood of their failure to appear in court if released pending trial as well as opportunities to create or enhance pretrial release assessment services.

Category 3: Innovative Approaches to Improve the Efficacy of State, Local, and Tribal Justice Systems. Competition ID: BJA-2020-18072 Identify innovative approaches to address persistent or emerging crime and public safety problems, or the impediments/barriers to address them. Applicants should review the entire criminal justice system spectrum—from event to reentry—to identify innovative opportunities for

BJA-2020-17093

improvement that align with holding violent offenders accountable, addressing the opioid epidemic, supporting law enforcement and correctional institutions, and supporting victims of violent crime.

Award recipients will receive technical assistance from subject matter experts and are expected to follow the five-step Justice Reinvestment approach, as follows:

1. Engage stakeholders. The project team includes all agencies and individuals necessary to understand and address the problem.

2. Analyze data and identify drivers. The project team uses data to determine the causes, symptoms, scope of the problem, and impediments to addressing the problem. The lead and other stakeholder agencies provide relevant data.

3. Develop innovative or research-based responses. The project team devises strategies and activities to specifically address the root causes of the problem and/or impediment to addressing the root causes. The team documents planned activities, including the parties responsible and timelines, and secures buy-in from stakeholders.

4. Implement innovative responses. The project team enacts strategies and activities according to the plan and makes course corrections as needed to increase the likelihood of achieving the desired outcomes.

5. Measure outcomes. The project team assesses the effectiveness of the implemented innovative strategies and activities to address the crime problem. The team documents what works and how it will work to support sustainability, future funding requests, and to inform replication.

Objectives and Deliverables Using the Justice Reinvestment approach, applicants should address the objectives and deliverables below that apply across all three categories.

Objectives:

• Collect and analyze data, and identify the impediments/barriers to addressing the category-specific criminal justice system challenges.

• Engage stakeholders across the justice system (e.g., law enforcement, court administrators, judges, jails, treatment providers) to diagnose and develop coordinated responses to the category-specific challenges.

• Test, establish, and/or expand innovative ideas and evidence-based strategies to address the category-specific criminal justice system challenges.

Deliverables:

• A final report summarizing the changes made and preliminary outcomes.

The Objectives and Deliverables are directly related to the performance measures that demonstrate the results of the work completed, as discussed under What an Application Should Include.

In applying for these grants, applicants agree to cooperate in any and all related research efforts and program evaluations by collecting and providing enrollment and participation data during all years of the program. Applicants also agree to provide detailed, individual-level data, if requested, in the format specified by OJP during this time period.

OJP Policy Priority Areas In FY 2020, and in addition to executing any program-specific prioritization that may be applicable, OJP will give priority consideration to applications as follows:

• Applications from federally-recognized tribes.

• Applications that address specific challenges that rural communities face.

• Applications that demonstrate that the individuals who are intended to benefit from the requested grant reside in high-poverty areas or persistent-poverty counties.

• Applications that offer enhancements to public safety in economically distressed communities (Qualified Opportunity Zones).

• Applications that go to enhancing criminal justice and public safety by indicating agreement to comply with one or more of the following law enforcement-related award conditions:

o Where the application is from a State or local government entity that operates at least one correctional facility (as defined at 34 U.S.C. 10251(a)(7)), applications in which the applicant agrees to comply with award conditions related to cooperation with federal law enforcement, as set forth in Appendix C.

o Where the application is from a State or local government entity, applications in which the applicant agrees to comply with award conditions related to noninterference with federal law enforcement, as set forth in Appendix D.

o Where the application is from a State or local government entity, applications in which the applicant agrees to comply with award conditions related to nondisclosure of federal law enforcement information, as set forth in Appendix E.

To receive priority consideration under the rural priority, applicants must describe what makes the geographic service area rural (using U.S. Census or other appropriate government data; for assistance, applicants may wish to refer to https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html), how isolated the area is from needed services, and how they will address specific challenges in rural communities.

To receive priority consideration under the poverty priority, the applicant must provide information to demonstrate that the individuals who are intended to benefit from the requested grant reside in high-poverty areas or persistent poverty counties. For purposes of this priority consideration, the term ‘‘high-poverty area’’ means any census tract with a poverty rate of at least 20 percent as measured by the 2013–2017 5-year data series available from the American Community Survey of the Census Bureau (applicants may search by census tract at https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/narrative-profiles/2017/) and the term ‘‘persistent poverty counties’’ means any county that has had 20 percent or more of its population living in poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses and the most recent Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (applicants may search by county at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/census-poverty.html and at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe.html).

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To receive priority consideration under the Qualified Opportunity Zones priority, applicants must include information that specifies how the project will enhance public safety in the specified QOZs. For resources on QOZs, and for a current list of designated QOZs, see the U.S.

Department of the Treasury’s resource webpage, accessible at https://www.cdfifund.gov/pages/opportunity-zones.aspx.

To receive priority consideration for enhancing criminal justice and public safety by agreeing to comply with one or more award conditions related to law enforcement, applicants can agree to one or more of a series of award conditions (and will receive priority points for each accepted condition):

• To receive priority consideration under the priority for cooperation with federal law enforcement, applicants must sign and submit the certification provided in Appendix C.

• To receive priority consideration under the priority for noninterference with federal law enforcement, applicants must sign and submit the certification provided in Appendix D.

• To receive priority consideration under the priority for nondisclosure of federal law-enforcement information, applicants must sign and submit the certification provided in Appendix E.

OJP policy priority consideration will consist of receiving additional points in the application scoring process. Receipt of priority consideration does not guarantee that an application will be funded; nor will the failure to receive priority consideration necessarily mean that an application will not be funded.

Evidence-based Programs or Practices OJP strongly emphasizes the use of data and evidence in policymaking and program development in 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 Applicants should note that OJP may conduct or support an evaluation of the programs and activities funded under this solicitation. For additional information, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide section titled Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities.

B. Federal Award Information Maximum number of awards BJA expects to make 14

Estimated maximum dollar amount for each award $1,000,000

Total amount anticipated to be awarded under this solicitation $14,000,000

Period of performance start date October 1, 2020

Period of performance duration 36 months

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

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Type of Award BJA 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 additional information.

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Award recipients and subrecipients (including recipients or subrecipients that are pass-through entities) must, as described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements1 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.

Budget Information Cost Sharing or Match Requirement This solicitation does not require a match.

Please see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on the following:

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

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 For eligibility information, see title page.

For information on cost sharing or match requirements, see Section B. Federal Award Information.

D. Application and Submission Information This solicitation expressly modifies the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide by not incorporating the “Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation” provisions in the “Application Attachments” section of the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

What an Application Should Include The following application elements MUST be included in the application submission for an application to meet the basic minimum requirements (BMR) to advance to peer review and receive consideration for funding: Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative, Timeline/Task Plan, Applicant Disclosure of Proposed Subrecipients, Position Descriptions for Key Roles, and Letters of Support.

See the Application Elements and Formatting Instructions section of the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on, among other things, what happens to an application that does not contain all of the specified elements or that is nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation.

1 The "Part 200 Uniform Requirements” means the DOJ regulation at 2 C.F.R Part 2800, which adopts (with certain modifications) the provisions of 2 C.F.R. Part 200.

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1. Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form (SF)-424)

The SF-424 is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of preapplications, applications, and related information. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information on completing the SF-424.

Intergovernmental Review: This solicitation (“funding opportunity”) is subject to Executive Order 12372. An applicant may find the names and addresses of State Single Points of Contact (SPOCs) at the following website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Intergovernmental_-Review-_SPOC_01_2018_OFFM.pdf. If the applicant’s State appears on the SPOC list, the applicant must contact the State SPOC to find out about, and comply with, the State’s process under E.O. 12372. In completing the SF-424, an applicant whose State appears on the SPOC list is to make the appropriate selection in response to question 19, once the applicant has complied with its State E.O.

12372 process. (An applicant whose State does not appear on the SPOC list should answer question 19 by selecting the response that the: “Program is subject to E.O. 12372 but has not been selected by the State for review.”).

2. Project Abstract

Include an abstract that summarizes the proposed project in 400 words or fewer. 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 Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins.

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

3. Program Narrative

The program narrative must respond to the solicitation and the Review Criteria in the order given. The program narrative must be double-spaced, using a standard 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins, and must not exceed 20 pages. Please number pages “1 of 20,” “2 of 20,” etc. If the program narrative fails to comply with these length-related restrictions, BJA may consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions. If the program narrative fails to comply with these length restrictions, BJA may negatively consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions.

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

a. Statement of the Problem (supported by relevant data)

b. Project Design and Implementation

c. Capabilities and Competencies

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

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OJP will require each successful applicant to submit regular performance data that demonstrate the results of the work carried out under the award. The performance data directly relate to the objectives and deliverables identified under "Objectives and Deliverables" in Section A. Program Description.

Applicants should visit OJP’s performance measurement page at www.ojp.gov/performance for an overview of performance measurement activities at

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Examples of the types of performance and accountability data that will be required can be found in Appendix A: Performance Measures Table. BJA is currently developing the performance measures for this program that will be shared with grantees upon acceptance of their awards.

The application should demonstrate the applicant’s understanding of the performance data reporting requirements for this grant program and detail how the applicant will gather the required data.

Please note that applicants are not required to submit performance data with the application. Performance measures information is included as an alert that successful applicants will be required to submit performance data as part of the reporting requirements under an award.

Award recipients will be required to provide the relevant data by submitting bi-annual performance measures as part of their progress reports in the Grants Management System.

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

Please see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on the following:

4. Budget Information and Associated Documentation in the “Budget Preparation and Submission Information” section.

5. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

6. Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

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

8. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

9. Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications

10. Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees2 (if applicable)

2 A “DOJ High Risk Grantee” is a 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, or noncompliance with award terms and conditions on prior awards, or that is otherwise not responsible.

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11. Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity

12. Additional Attachments

a. Documentation of Rural Challenges (if applicable) As is mentioned above, OJP will give priority consideration in award decisions to applications that address specific challenges that rural communities face. Each applicant proposing to receive priority consideration under the rural priority should provide a sufficient narrative to include what makes the geographic service area rural (using U.S. Census or other appropriate government data), how isolated the area is from needed services, and how it will address specific challenges in rural communities.

b. Documentation of High-Poverty Areas or Persistent-Poverty Counties (if applicable) As mentioned above, OJP will give priority consideration in award decisions to applications that demonstrate that the individuals who will benefit from the requested grant reside in high-poverty areas or persistent-poverty counties as defined above.

Each applicant proposing to receive consideration under the High-Poverty Areas or Persistent Poverty Counties priority should provide a sufficient narrative explanation to identify each specific High-Poverty Area (by census tract number(s)) and/or each specific Persistent-Poverty County where individuals are intended to benefit from the requested grant and how the requested grant will address specific challenges in each such identified area and/or county.

c. Documentation of Enhanced Public Safety in Qualified Opportunity Zones (if applicable) As is mentioned above, OJP will give priority consideration in award decisions to designated Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs). Each applicant proposing to receive priority consideration under the under the Qualified Opportunity Zones priority should provide a sufficient narrative explanation in order for OJP to identify clearly the public safety benefit the applicant anticipates that its project will have on a specified QOZ(s).

The narrative and the list of affected QOZs (by census tract number) must be included as an attachment that is clearly labeled as addressing QOZs. The applicant may also include tables, charts, graphs, or other relevant illustrations that may be useful in comprehending the manner in which the proposed project is anticipated to benefit a QOZ(s).

d. Certifications Regarding Enhancing Criminal Justice and Public Safety through Law-Enforcement-Related Award Conditions (if applicable)

• Certification regarding Cooperation with Federal Law Enforcement (if applicable) As is mentioned above, OJP will give priority consideration in award decisions to State or local government entity applicants that operate at least one correctional facility (as defined at 34 U.S.C. 10251(a)(7)), and agree to comply with award conditions related to cooperation with federal law enforcement, as set forth in Appendix C. Each such applicant proposing to receive priority consideration for such cooperation with federal law enforcement must sign and submit the certification provided in Appendix C.

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• Certification regarding Noninterference with Federal Law Enforcement (if applicable) As is mentioned above, OJP will give priority consideration in award decisions to State or local government entity applicants that agree to comply with award conditions related to noninterference with federal law enforcement, as set forth in Appendix D. Each such applicant proposing to receive priority consideration for such noninterference with federal law enforcement must sign and submit the certification provided in Appendix D.

• Certification regarding Nondisclosure of Federal Law Enforcement Information (if applicable) As is mentioned above, OJP will give priority consideration in award decisions to State or local government entity applicants that agree to comply with award conditions related to nondisclosure of federal law-enforcement information, as set forth in Appendix E. Each such applicant proposing to receive priority consideration for such nondisclosure of law enforcement sensitive information must sign and submit the certification provided in Appendix E.

e. Timeline/Task Plan outlining key tasks, benchmarks, and the persons/entities responsible.

f. Applicant Disclosure of Proposed Subrecipients Attach a list of proposed subrecipients of grant funding, if applicable, that includes the name, organizational affiliation, and location of the proposed subrecipient entity.

g. Position Descriptions for Key Roles A position description should relate to the role on the proposed project, not the person’s role within the applicant organization, and describe their critical competencies and expectations regarding project responsibilities.

h. Letters of Support The application should include letters of support from key stakeholders, including from the key executive officer in the relevant project agency (e.g., chief of police, presiding judge, department of corrections director), indicating their support for the project and commitment to collaborate throughout the award.

How To Apply (Grants.gov) Applicants must register in and submit applications through Grants.gov, a primary source to find federal funding opportunities and apply for funding. Find information on how to apply in response to this solicitation in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Registration and Submission Steps Applicants will need the following identifying information when searching for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov.

1. CFDA # 16.827, Justice Reinvestment Initiative

2. Some OJP solicitations posted to Grants.gov contain multiple purpose areas, denoted by the individual Competition ID. If applying to a solicitation with multiple Competition IDs, select the appropriate Competition ID for the intended purpose area of the application:

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Category 1: Improving Court Processing and Efficient Docket Management. Competition ID:

BJA-2020-17094

Category 2: Improving and Implementing Pre-trial Systems. Competition ID: BJA-2020- 17095

Category 3: Innovative Approaches to Improve the Efficacy of State, Local, and Tribal Justice Systems. Competition ID: BJA-2020-18072

For information on each registration and submission step, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

E. Application Review Information Review Criteria Applications that meet basic minimum requirements will be evaluated by peer reviewers using the following review criteria.

1. Statement of the Problem (30 percent)

• Describe the criminal justice problem and please provide data to support this description. Both the data and description should be specific to the application category. Describe what data are available, what data are missing, and how data will be used to guide the decisionmaking about the problem.

• Describe prior efforts to correct the issue and why federal funding is needed to undertake the proposed activities.

• Describe efforts previously undertaken to address the issue and provide information about the outcomes to date.

• Demonstrate relevant agencies’ and stakeholders’ commitments to the proposed activities (e.g., letters of support, memorandums of understanding, etc.).

2. Project Design and Implementation (40 percent)

• Describe the activities that will address the criminal justice problem.

• Describe in detail how the applicant proposes to address the problem through the five Justice Reinvestment steps: engaging stakeholders, analyzing data and identifying drivers, developing innovative or research-based responses, implementing responses, and measuring outcomes.

• Describe the theory of change—how the proposed activities will lead to the desired outcome—and summarize available data and the research basis for the proposed strategy.

3. Capabilities and Competencies (15 percent)

• Provide a detailed description of the organization’s capacity to perform the key tasks described in the Project Design and Implementation section.

• Describe the proposed management structure and staffing of the project. The structure described should match the staffing needs necessary to accomplish the tasks outlined in the Timeline/Task Plan.

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• Discuss the staffing resources—permanent full-time staff, proposed partners, or proposed consultants—that will contribute to effective implementation and oversight of the project.

4. Plan for Collecting the Data Required for this Solicitation’s Performance Measures (5 percent)

• Describe the method by which the data required for this solicitation’s performance measures will be collected, including the system(s) used and the person(s) responsible.

• Describe how other performance metrics specific to the proposed project activities will be documented, monitored, and evaluated.

5. Budget (10 percent)

• Submit a budget that is complete, cost effective, and allowable (i.e., reasonable, allocable, and necessary for project activities).

• The budget narrative should demonstrate generally how the applicant will maximize cost effectiveness of grant expenditures. The budget narrative should demonstrate cost effectiveness in relation to potential alternatives and the objectives of the project.3

Review Process BJA reviews an application to make sure that the information presented is reasonable, understandable, measurable, achievable, and consistent with the solicitation requirements.

The following five paragraphs in this solicitation expressly modify the “Application Review Information” provisions in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. An applicant is to follow the guidance in these five paragraphs instead of the guidance stated under the “Application Review Information” heading in the Guide.

Peer reviewers will review the applications submitted under this solicitation that meet basic minimum requirements. For purposes of assessing whether an application meets basic minimum requirements and should proceed to further consideration, OJP screens applications for compliance with those requirements. Although specific requirements may vary, the following are common requirements applicable to all solicitations for funding under OJP programs:

• 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.

3 Generally speaking, a reasonable cost is a cost that, in its nature or amount, does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made to incur the costs.

For a list of the application elements that MUST be included in the application submission in order for an application to meet the basic minimum requirements, see “What an Application Should Include” under Section D. Application and Submission Information.

Peer review panels will evaluate, score, and rate applications that meet basic minimum requirements. BJA may use internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers, or a combination, to assess applications on technical merit using the solicitation’s review criteria. An external peer reviewer is an expert in the subject matter of a given solicitation who is not a current DOJ employee. An internal reviewer is a current DOJ employee who is well versed or has expertise in the subject of this solicitation. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any resulting recommendations are advisory only, but are considered carefully.

Other important considerations for BJA include geographic diversity, strategic (programmatic and policy) priorities (specifically including, but not limited to, those mentioned above relating to addressing specific challenges that rural communities face, high-poverty areas or persistent-poverty counties, demonstrable potential enhancement to public safety in one or more federally designated Qualified Opportunity Zones, and enhancing criminal justice and public safety through award conditions regarding cooperation with federal law enforcement, noninterference with federal law enforcement, and/or nondisclosure of federal law enforcement information), available funding, and the extent to which the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative accurately explain project costs that are reasonable, necessary, and otherwise allowable under federal law and applicable federal cost principles.

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. Among other things to help assess whether an applicant that has one or more prior federal awards has a satisfactory record with respect to performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP checks whether the applicant 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 that appears in the nonpublic 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, at its option, may review and comment on any information about itself that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal awarding agency. OJP will consider any such comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in its assessment of the risk posed by the applicant.

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 take into account not only peer review ratings and BJA recommendations, but also other factors as indicated in this section.

F. Federal Award Administration Information Please see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on the following:

Federal Award Notices

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Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements If selected for funding, in addition to implementing the funded project consistent with the OJP-approved application, the recipient must comply with all award conditions, and all applicable requirements of federal statutes and regulations (including applicable requirements referred to in the assurances and certifications executed in connection with award acceptance).

For additional information on these legal requirements, see the “Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses

General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements In addition to the deliverables described in Section A. Program Description, any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be required to submit certain reports and data.

Required reports. Recipients typically must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual progress reports, final financial and progress reports, and, if applicable, an annual audit report in accordance with the Part 200 Uniform Requirements or specific award conditions. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if reports are delinquent. (In appropriate cases, OJP may require additional reports.)

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information on specific post-award reporting requirements, including performance measures data.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) For OJP contact(s), see page 2.

For contact information for Grants.gov, see page 2.

H. Other Information Please see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on the following:

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

Provide Feedback to OJP

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Appendix A: Performance Measures Table Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Recipient Provides

Collect and analyze data, and Percent of grantees using Which group or groups are responsible for identify the barriers to data to inform project conducting data analysis for your project?

addressing the category- activities specific criminal justice system • Staff within the award recipient challenges. agency

Use data and intelligence to focus resources on the

• External partners whose contributions are funded by this grant award problems, perpetrators, and • External partners whose contributions places associated with the are not funded by this grant award barriers to addressing the category-specific criminal justice system inefficiency and cost drivers.

Since the beginning of the grant program, please list the data types used in the analysis.

Since the beginning of the grant program, how has data analysis been used to inform project/agency leadership or project initiatives?

Engage stakeholders across Percent of grantees During the reporting period, indicate the justice system (e.g., law actively collaborating with which partners are actively engaged with enforcement, court stakeholders across the your grant-funded program:

administrators, judges, jails, justice system treatment providers) to • Law enforcement diagnose and develop coordinated responses to the

• Court administrators Judges category-specific challenges. • Prosecutors

Foster effective and consistent • Treatment providers collaboration with justice • Community/faith-based organizations system agencies to improve strategic and tactical system • Other operations. Please list the coordinated responses identified by the stakeholders and the challenges those responses are targeting.

Test, establish, and/or expand Increase in the use of Describe the initiatives tested to address innovative ideas and evidence- targeted strategies aimed the targeted challenges.

based strategies to address the category-specific criminal justice system challenges.

at criminal justice system challenges identified through the program

Of those tested, which initiatives were fully implemented to address the targeted challenges.

Percent of grantees using evidence-based responses

Of those that were tested, were any initiatives expanded (i.e., statewide or organizationwide).

Were any of those initiatives based on evidence-based models? If so, are they being implemented as designed (i.e., with fidelity)?

Appendix B: Application Checklist Justice Reinvestment Initiative: Reducing Violent Crime by Improving Justice System Performance

This application checklist has been created as an aid in developing an application.

What an Applicant Should Do:

Prior to Registering in Grants.gov:

� Acquire a DUNS Number (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) � Acquire or renew registration with SAM (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide)

To Register with Grants.gov:

� Acquire AOR and Grants.gov username/password (see OJP Grant Application

Resource Guide) � Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Biz POC (see OJP Grant Application

Resource Guide)

To Find Funding Opportunity:

� Search for the Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov (see OJP Grant Application

Resource Guide) � Select the correct Competition ID (see pages 12–13) � Access Funding Opportunity and Application Package (see OJP Grant Application

Resource Guide) � Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) (see OJP Grant Application

Resource Guide) � Read Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov � Read OJP policy and guidance on conference approval, planning, and reporting available at ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/PostawardRequirements/chapter3.10a.htm (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide)

After Application Submission, Receive Grants.gov Email Notifications That:

� (1) application has been received, � (2) application has either been successfully validated or rejected with errors (see OJP

Grant…