10727-20250113163206 MDE

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), through its Office of Safe and Orderly Schools, is seeking competitive written applications for the Mississippi Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools (MCOPS) Grant program for fiscal year 2026. The procurement focuses on funding School Resource Officers (SROs) to implement community policing strategies in primary and secondary schools. Eligible applicants must be local public education agencies that either maintain or wish to establish campus police departments or partner with county/municipal law enforcement agencies. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to place SROs who will spend at least 75% of their time in schools and complete required certification within two years of employment. The RFA includes a comprehensive evaluation process with priority points awarded for new police departments, new SRO programs, and districts without previous MCOPS funding. Key submission details include an application deadline of February 13, 2025, at 2:00 PM CST, with State Board of Education approval expected by April 17, 2025, and award notifications to follow on April 18, 2025. The grant period will run from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with a final liquidation date of July 13, 2026.

The grant offers a minimum of $10,000 per SRO position, structured on a 50/50 matching funding basis requiring local funds to complement state grant allocations. Grant funds are strictly limited to SRO personnel and personnel benefits, while matching funds must be utilized for equipment, safety equipment, or safety-related training costs. There are no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises mentioned in the documentation. The program does not indicate any incumbent vendors or existing technological infrastructure requirements for integration. Potential awardees should be prepared to meet rigorous compliance standards, including maintaining appropriate documentation and adhering to the program's specific personnel deployment and certification requirements. The total budget allocation is not explicitly stated, but the funding mechanism suggests multiple districts could receive grants based on their applications' merit and alignment with program objectives. Interested parties should carefully review the full Request for Applications document to understand the comprehensive requirements and evaluation criteria for this competitive grant opportunity.