Preparing for Your COPS Offce Application 

The COPS Office wants to ensure that your agency has sufficient time to complete your application; we strongly recommend that 

your agency begin preparations for your application at this time. To minimize delays in submitting your application, please take 

some time now to address the following: 

Step 1. Obtain or confrm a DUNS number/Confrm DUNS number 

Obtain your Data Universal Numeric System (DUNS) number frst; you cannot complete 

any of the steps below without it. 

 It can take up to 2 business days to obtain the DUNS number. 

Call Dun and Bradstreet at 866-705-5711 to obtain a DUNS number or apply at www.dnb.com. 

Step 2. Register with SAM database/Confrm SAM number 

System of Award Management (SAM) registration and renewal can take as long as 10 business days to complete. 

 If you do not have an Employer Identifcation Number (EIN), the process 

can take up to 5 weeks. 

SAM registration procedures can be accessed at www.sam.gov. 

Te person registering with SAM will be the designated E-Business Point of Contact, who can assign the people 

who will submit applications for the organization (your Authorized Organization Representatives). You must 

have a DUNS number to submit a SAM registration. In addition, you must renew your SAM registration once a year. 

Step 3. Obtain an ORI number 

If you do not currently have an Originating Agency Identifcation (ORI) number (state abbreviation followed 

by 5 digits/characters), submit a request for one at https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/ORIRequest.aspx or through 

the COPS Ofce Response Center at AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov or 800-421-6770. 

Requests for an ORI number are processed within 2–3 business days. 

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Step 4. Register with Grants.gov/Confrm registration 

 It can take anywhere from a few days to 2 weeks for your registration

to become active and for you to be able to submit an application.

To register, begin the process at https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/register.faces. 

Step 5. Register or update your organization’s current 

contact and user information in the COPS Offce Agency Portal 

Law Enforcement Executive (LE) or Program Ofcial (PO) for Non-Law Enforcement Agencies

Government Executive (GE) or Government Ofcial (GO) for Non-Law Enforcement Agencies

Begin this process at https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov.

Step 6. Set up e-Signatures via COPS Offce Agency Portal 

Law Enforcement Executive (LE) or Program Ofcial (PO) for Non-Law Enforcement Agencies

Government Executive (GE) or Government Ofcial (GO) for Non-Law Enforcement Agencies

Add additional user accounts for individual(s) authorized to complete application in the Agency Portal

at https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov.

Step 7. Brainstorm Project Ideas 

Brainstorm potential community policing problems, focus areas, or projects your agency will address with the requested 

funding. Consider your current and planned community policing eforts and how they build community partnerships, 

complement other community initiatives, and lead to organizational transformation. 

Step 8. Gather Budgetary Information 

Prepare budgetary information, such as current and projected entry-level ofcer salary and benefts, training costs, 

contracts, etc. Gather information relating to the need for federal assistance, including layof and unemployment rates. 

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