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                                    How Can NIC Help?
                                    I'm Looking For Technical Assistance For My Agency

      

                    
          
    I'm Looking for Technical Assistance for My Agency
What Is Technical Assistance?Technical assistance (TA) is guidance, support, advice, assessment, and/or customized training that a Technical Resource Provider (TRP) or an NIC staff member provides to federal, tribal, state, or local correctional agencies or other organizations in the field of corrections. The TRP or NIC staff member serves in an advisory capacity and/or works with the staff of the requesting agency in assessing programs and operations, implementing advanced practices, and improving overall agency management, operations, and programming.Tell me more...The NIC Technical Assistance Program responds directly to the needs, problems, and individual requirements of state and local correctional agencies. NIC’s technical assistance includes *onsite* guidance, support, consultation, or training provided by an experienced technical resource provider or NIC staff member who serves in an advisory capacity and works with agency staff. An agency may request assistance to:Assess programs and operationsImplement effective practicesImprove agency management, operations, and programmingRefine the design, delivery, management, and evaluation of staff training programsAssist in the development of offender programs and services, including reentry servicesWhen appropriate, NIC may also cover the costs of practitioners' visits to another agency to observe effective practices.Exclusive training in select NIC courses may be available for some agencies, though within designated funding limits. The collective cost to NIC, including training expenses for instruction, course preparation, onsite work, travel, and technical assistance reporting must not exceed the funding limit. Agencies must agree to defray the costs for reproducing materials provided by NIC, the cost for reserving the facilities in which NIC will conduct the training, audio-visual equipment needed for the training, and any additional costs related to agency participants attending the training.If an agency agrees to the attendance of participants from outside agencies, all the costs for those participants attending the course will be the responsibility of the visiting participant or agency. NIC is unable to contribute to those expenses.Technical Assistance ContactsThe links below are for questions regarding assistance for your prison, jail, or community service - not for website assistance.**Leslie LeMaster** - Correctional Program Specialist, Academy Divisionllemaster@bop.gov  303-338-6620**Lorie Brisbin** - Correctional Program Specialist, Community Services Divisionlbrisbin@bop.gov  202-514-0099**Mike Jackson** - Correctional Program Specialist, Jails Divisionmpjackson@bop.gov  202-616-9565**Scott Richards** - Correctional Program Specialist, Prisons Divisions1richards@bop.gov  202-616-2802Contact a TA representativeQuestions? Ask a LibrarianNIC's Technical Assistance Status:a gauge that goes from red to green with the arrow pointing to greenNIC is taking ApplicationsApply for Technical Assistance
                   The Technical Assistance Process

TA Request Received

	NIC sends an acknowledgement letter to your agency.
	Request is assigned to an NIC TA Area

	The assigned NIC Program Manager will contact your agency designee
	NIC Manager Contacts your Agency

	You and your designee discuss and refine your request with an NIC Program Manager
	NIC Designs your TA Event

	NIC schedules a TA event in collaboration with your agency
		NIC contracts services or other resources to fulfill your TA Event
		NIC sends confirmation of TA services to your agency
	Your TA Event occurs

	The Trainer and resources come to your facility and complete the requirements of the TA Event
	After-Action Review

	Your agency completes an evaluation of the TA event for NIC
		Your agency receives a report from the NIC TA provider (if applicable)
Frequently Asked Questionsabout Technical Assistance
  

  Can I request more than one type of TA at the same time?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19Yes. Because NIC is committed to delivering TA that is tailored to your agency, we understand that there are times when you may need help with more than one issue. However, remember that each request is reviewed on its own merit and that your agency should be able to demonstrate its capacity to engage in multiple projects at the same time.
          If my agency has received TA in the past, can I submit additional requests for the same issue?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19Yes. However, NIC is committed to ensuring that any TA you receive will help build capacity in your agency. As with any other request, NIC will carefully review your information to determine the level of need and what our response will be.
          Once TA has begun, what changes can be made?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19Occasionally, NIC begins a TA engagement with an agency only to discover that, due to changing circumstances, the services requested are not as originally planned. NIC maintains a flexible stance and a willingness to adjust each TA engagement to ensure that services provided meet the actual needs of the requesting agency and that NIC’s limited resources are used efficiently and effectively.
          Will I be required to sign a formal agreement before receiving TA?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19NIC’s TA application form and other paperwork to initiate a TA engagement will stipulate all the conditions regarding receiving TA services from NIC. For example, the expectations for the TA regarding when it will start, how long it will last, the level of agency support expected from the requestor, what services NIC will provide, and how the TA engagement will conclude may be included along with other information. Typically, the requesting agency is expected to complete a detailed assessment (and, in some cases, a follow up assessment) to discern the effect of the TA services.
          How quickly will my agency receive TA?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19TA services can begin almost immediately depending on the services sought, the availability of NIC resources, the availability of the agency, and the urgency of the requestor’s need. In most cases, TA services begin within a few months of the request.
          Does my agency pay for the TA?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19NIC’s TA services are paid for through funds provided to the agency by Congress to support the work of the agency. Typically, the requesting agency will be expected to provide meeting space, or other relevant information, and necessary access to facilities or agency staff.
          Is NIC able to fulfill every request submitted for TA?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19Due to budget and staffing limitations, NIC cannot fulfill all the requests for TA it receives. However, NIC will review each TA request and will provide a response to the requesting agency. In cases where the request cannot be met, NIC strives to provide information about alternate resources that may be useful to the requestor.
          Is my agency eligible to receive TA from NIC?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19Any local, state, federal, or tribal corrections agency is eligible to receive TA services from NIC.
          How is NIC’s TA work different from its training programs?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19Typically, an NIC TA engagement is a tailored response to a specific, limited need of a single requesting corrections agency. While some types of non-standard training may be delivered through TA, NIC’s training programs comprise standardized curricula that address a range of core correctional issues and are responsive to a range of corrections training needs.
          What kind of TA does NIC provide?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19NIC provides corrections agencies with a wide range of TA services including responding to critical incidents, assisting in problem-solving, as well as strategic or long-range planning, policy development, system mapping and other issues and topics.
          What is Technical Assistance?
  **Published:** 2023-04-19Technical assistance or TA is a term used in education, government, and industry to mean “consultation.” NIC TA is short-term, no-cost help for agencies on a variety of issues.
          Will NIC will certify my jail?
  **Published:** 2017-10-01No, NIC does not certify jails, even with a court order. **NIC is not an investigatory or regulatory agency.** NIC’s interest is in determining how best you can provide detention services in your community in a manner that is safe for inmates, staff and the public.

Does the National Institute of Corrections certify jails?

No, the National Institute of Corrections does not certify jails because it isn't a regulatory agency nor is it investigatory agency. NIC does help jails improve their training, processes, and procedures to better serve their incarcerated individuals, staff, and community.
          Can NIC pay for a keynote speaker at our conference?
  **Published:** 2017-10-01No, NIC cannot provide funding for keynote speakers at a conference. However, NIC can provide training at a conference, providing it meets our initiatives.
          Can NIC make a staffing analysis, population projection, and/or feasibility study for our agency?
  **Published:** 2017-10-01No, NIC cannot provide such services. These studies are very lengthy and complicated, and we do not have the resources to do them.

**What NIC can do** is assist your agency in building the capacity to conduct these analyses, on its own, through training and materials available through the NIC Information Center. We can also help you understand how to get funding to support these initiatives.
          Who receives the technical assistance report?
  **Published:** 2017-10-01Both NIC and the agency representative who requested the technical assistance will receive a copy of the technical assistance report. The agency is free to distribute the report.

Upon delivery of the final Technical Assistance report to the agency that requested the assistance, the report becomes the property of that agency. The National Institute of Corrections will not distribute the report to non-NIC entities, or consider it an agency record under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), without the express, written approval of the agency.

**Learn More:** For more information about the Freedom of Information Act, visit **https://www.bop.gov/foia/#tabs-0**
          Do you give grants for equipment and training?
  **Published:** 2017-10-01NIC is not a funding agency. We do not provide you with a grant to purchase equipment or procure training. NIC does not provide funds directly to an agency. When we provide assistance, we fund the cost of consultants' travel and time.
          Who has to sign the technical assistance request letter?
  **Published:** 2017-10-01The CEO of your agency. For example, the Director of Corrections, the Sheriff, or County Administrator must sign the Request Assistance request letter.
          How much will requesting (technical) assistance cost my agency?
  **Published:** 2017-10-01NIC provides all its services free of charge. However, it is expected that the requesting agency provide access to staff, data, and anything else that will help us help you.

    

  
  

      More questions? Ask a Librarian
Request Technical Assistance from NIC
    
      
            letterhead example

The affirmation letter (signed by the CEO) is a requirement confirming your request for technical assistance. Download the template here, print it out on agency letterhead, and have the CEO sign it. Then upload the completed document below. This field is first so it does not get overlooked. It's best to have this document ready to upload prior to filling out the form.
Affirmation Letter
  
  
  


  
  
      One file only.500 MB limit.Allowed types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, bmp, eps, tif, pict, psd, txt, rtf, html, odf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx, xml, avi, mov, mp3, mp4, ogg, wav, bz2, dmg, gz, jar, rar, sit, svg, tar, zip.Requesting Agency
Requestor's NameRequestor's Job Title
Email AddressPhone
Address
  Address
  
      Address 2
  
      City/Town
                    State/Province
  
  
  

  - Select -AlabamaAlaskaAmerican SamoaArizonaArkansasArmed Forces (Canada, Europe, Africa, or Middle East)Armed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFederated States of MicronesiaFloridaGeorgiaGuamHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarshall IslandsMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthern Mariana IslandsOhioOklahomaOregonPalauPennsylvaniaPuerto RicoRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirgin IslandsVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingAlbertaBritish ColumbiaManitobaNew BrunswickNewfoundland and LabradorNova ScotiaNorthwest TerritoriesNunavutOntarioPrince Edward IslandQuebecSaskatchewanYukon
                    ZIP/Postal CodeType of Organization
  
  
  

  - Select -CountyCityMunicipalityRegionalStateFed - BOPFed - ProbationFed - IndianFed - OtherDoDTribalPrivate Non-ProfitPrivate For-ProfitCollegeUS CommonwealthForeign
Organization Description
  
  
  


  
  
      Describe your organization, the core functions it provides, and its key population parameters (staff size, type facility, etc.)
Criminal Justice Service Areas
  Prisons
Jails
Victim Services
Law Enforcement
Prosecution
Defense
Courts/Court Administration
Pretrial Services
Probation Services
Parole/Supervised Release Services
Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
County Administration
Juvenile Justice
OtherOther Criminal Justice Service Areas
  
  
  

  What is the criminal justice service area you are seeking assistance for?Request Type
  Community and Facility Operations
  
  
      Promote and assist efforts to ensure safe, cost-effective, and efficient prisons, jails and community corrections programs and facilities through effective management and operations.
Staff and Leadership Development and Wellness
  
  
      Strengthen the knowledge, skills and effectiveness of correctional personnel in operating safe, efficient and constitutional systems.
Intergovernmental Partnerships
  
  
      Promote problem solving, the exchange of effective strategies and improved capacity of tribal, local, state, federal and foreign corrections agencies through an information clearinghouse, networks, intergovernmental partnerships and other information sharing.
Intervention Services and Programs
  
  
      Promote and assist agencies in providing offender services through classification, programs, management of special populations, productive work and education, religion and social services supporting responsible, law-abiding behavior for offenders during the period of correctional supervision and after release.
Public Safety System Policy and Program Development
  
  
      Promote and assist the development of effective criminal justice systems that improve public safety, enhance the public trust, and coordinate the use of state and local resources while appropriately using pretrial, sanctioning, supervision, and control options for offenders.
Describe Your Request
  
  
  


  
  
      Briefly describe the problem for which assistance is requested. In your statement, include why the need cannot be met within the agency. (e.g., "We would like to more effectively manage our multi-generational workforce more effectively, attract and retain solid high-performing staff, and improve staff morale today and in the future.") What background, context or supporting documentation can you share with NIC that have an effect on the problem(s) that you would like to resolve.
NIC Division
  
  
  

  - Select -AcademyCommunity Services (Probation & Parole)JailsPrisons




  
  
      Please select the NIC Division that most closely represents your request.Is the training or presentation needed in a language other in English?
  Yes
No
Desired Delivery Date If Known
  
  
  

  When would you like NIC to host an event at your facility?
Desired Outcomes or Agency Goals of TA
  
  
  


  
  
      Please indicate your desired outcomes of this assistance (e.g., "Explore new ways to encourage the facility administrative team to integrate the use of management tools into its operations, thereby facilitating the development of cohesive working relationships to accomplish a multitude of unprecedented changes in the agency.")
Participants (if applicable)
  
  
  


  
  
      For trainings and presentations, describe the participants and the expected number of attendees (e.g., "Tentative participants include the director, assistant director, executive assistant to the director, executive chiefs (10), deputy directors (7), wardens (25), and managers (2),")
Additional Details
  
  
  


  
  
      Additional details associated with this request (e.g., meeting time and location)
Have you had prior contact with NIC about this request?
  
  
  

  Did you speak to someone at NIC prior to submitting this request? If so, please provide the name.How Did You Hear About NIC?
If you have questions about your request prior to submitting this form, please email or call one of the managers below.

**Jails Division**: Mike Jackson; mpjackson@bop.gov  202-616-9565
	**Prisons Division**: Scott Richards; s1richards@bop.gov  202-616-2802
	**Community Services Division**: Lorie Brisbin; lbrisbin@bop.gov  202-514-0099
	**Academy Division**: Leslie LeMaster; llemaster@bop.gov  303-338-6620Please click the Submit button to send this form directly to NIC and also a copy to yourself.


  
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