Page 1 O-NIJ-2024-171969

OMB No. 1121-0329

Approval Expires 12/31/2023

U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice

NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation for the 

Testing and Interpretation of Physical Evidence 

in Publicly Funded Forensic Laboratories

Assistance Listing Number: 16.560

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: O-NIJ-2024-171969

Solicitation Release Date: February 6, 2024

Step 1: Application Grants.gov Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 15, 2024

Step 2: Application JustGrants Deadline: 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 22, 2024

Contents

Synopsis.................................................................................................................................... 4

Overview................................................................................................................................ 4

Eligibility................................................................................................................................. 4

Agency Contact Information .................................................................................................. 5

Application Submission Information....................................................................................... 5

Registration........................................................................................................................ 5

Submission......................................................................................................................... 5

Program Description.................................................................................................................. 7

Program Description Overview .............................................................................................. 7

Statutory Authority ................................................................................................................. 8

Specific Information ............................................................................................................... 8

Solicitation Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................... 9

Goals and Objectives ......................................................................................................... 9

Deliverables .....................................................................................................................11

Priority Area.........................................................................................................................12

Federal Award Information ..................................................................................................12

Awards, Amounts, and Durations.....................................................................................12

Continuation Funding Intent .............................................................................................13
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Availability of Funds .........................................................................................................13

Type of Award ..................................................................................................................13

Budget Information...........................................................................................................13

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement ...........................................................................14

Eligibility Information............................................................................................................14

How To Apply ..........................................................................................................................14

Application Resources .........................................................................................................14

How To Apply ......................................................................................................................15

Registration......................................................................................................................15

Submission.......................................................................................................................15

Submission Dates and Time................................................................................................16

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application 

(Technical Waivers) .........................................................................................................16

Application and Submission Information..............................................................................17

Content of Application Submission and Available Surveys..............................................17

Content of the SF-424 in Grants.gov ...............................................................................18

Content of the JustGrants Application Submission ..........................................................18

Application Review Information ...........................................................................................29

Review Criteria.................................................................................................................30

Review Process ...............................................................................................................32

Federal Award Administration Information...........................................................................32

Federal Award Notices.....................................................................................................32

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices ..........................................................................32

Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities ..........................33

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements......................................33

Civil Rights Compliance ...................................................................................................33

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls .................................................34

Information Technology Security Clauses........................................................................34

General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements ......................34

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)..................................................................................34

Other Information.................................................................................................................34

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 552 and 552a).............................34

Provide Feedback to OJP ................................................................................................34

Performance Measures .......................................................................................................35

Application Checklist............................................................................................................36
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Pre-Application.................................................................................................................36

Application Step 1 ............................................................................................................36

Application Step 2 ............................................................................................................37

Review, Certify, and Submit Application in JustGrants ....................................................38

Standard Solicitation Resources..........................................................................................39
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Synopsis

Overview

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), National Institute of 

Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for funding. 

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and equity, increases access to 

justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens 

community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust 

between law enforcement and the community.

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for research and evaluation studies to produce 

practical knowledge that has the potential to improve the examination and interpretation of 

physical evidence in forensic science laboratories across the community of practice. This 

program furthers DOJ’s mission by supporting the development of new knowledge and tools to 

address the challenges of crime and justice in the United States. NIJ’s Forensic Science 

Strategic Research Plan and Forensic Science R&D Technology Working Group (TWG) identify 

current research priorities and technology challenges encountered in operational forensic 

science laboratories. Research-based knowledge and newly developed tools that work towards 

addressing these priorities and resolving these challenges facilitate the criminal justice 

community’s ability to enforce the law, promote public safety, prevent and reduce crime, and 

ensure fair and impartial administration of justice.

This program furthers DOJ’s mission to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to 

protect civil rights.

Eligibility

• State governments

• Special district governments

• City or township governments

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

• County governments

• Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

• Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal 

governments)

• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher 

education

• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of 

higher education

• Private institutions of higher education

• For-profit organizations other than small businesses

• Small businesses

• Independent school districts

• Other

o Federal agencies

o Units of local government
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An applicant may submit more than one application if each application proposes a different 

project in response to the solicitation. Also, an entity may be proposed as a subrecipient

(subgrantee) in more than one application.

NIJ will consider applications under which two or more entities (project partners) would carry out 

the federal award; however, only one entity may be the applicant for the solicitation. Any others 

must be proposed as subrecipients (subgrantees). See the Application Resource Guide for 

additional information on subawards. 

NIJ may choose to fund applications submitted under this FY 2024 solicitation in future fiscal 

years, dependent on, among other considerations, the merit of the applications and the 

availability of appropriations. 

Agency Contact Information

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact the OJP Response Center by 

phone at 800-851-3420 or 301-240-6310 (TTY for hearing-impaired callers only) or email

grants@ncjrs.gov. The OJP Response Center operates from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern 

Time (ET) Monday-Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on the solicitation closing date.

For procedures related to unforeseen technical issues beyond the control of the applicant that 

impact submission by the deadlines, see the “How To Apply” section, Experiencing Unforeseen

Technical Issues. 

For assistance with submitting the Application for Federal Assistance standard form (SF-424)

and a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) in Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov 

Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, Grants.gov Customer Support, or 

support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 

except on federal holidays.

For technical assistance with submitting the full application in JustGrants, contact the 

JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov. The JustGrants 

Service Desk operates from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET Monday-Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 

5:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sunday, and federal holidays.

Application Submission Information

Registration

Before submitting an application, an applicant must have a registration in the System for Award 

Management (SAM.gov). 

The SAM.gov registration is required for a person applying on behalf of a small business 

(company). The business should obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and not apply 

using a social security number: IRS Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online. 

Submission
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Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step process that begins in

Grants.gov and is completed in JustGrants. See the solicitation Submission Dates and Time

section for the Grants.gov and JustGrants application deadlines.

Step 1: The applicant must register for this opportunity in Grants.gov at 

https://grants.gov/register and submit by the Grants.gov deadline the required Application for 

Federal Assistance standard form (SF-424) and a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL). 

See the solicitation Submission Dates and Time section for application deadlines.

Step 2: The applicant must submit the full application, including attachments, in JustGrants at 

JustGrants.usdoj.gov by the JustGrants application deadline. See the solicitation Submission 

Dates and Time section for application deadlines.
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Program Description

Program Description Overview

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks applications for rigorous research and evaluation projects 

that will:

1. Identify and inform the forensic community of best practices through the evaluation of 

existing and emerging laboratory protocols; and/or

2. Have a direct and immediate impact on laboratory efficiency and assist in making laboratory 

policy decisions.

The intent of this program is to direct the findings of this research and evaluation toward the 

identification of the most efficient, accurate, reliable, and cost-effective methods for the 

identification, analysis, and interpretation of physical evidence for criminal justice purposes. 

Projects should address the challenges and needs of the forensic science community, including, 

but not limited to, the operational needs discussed at the 2023 Forensic Science R&D TWG 

meetings, which may be found on NIJ.ojp.gov. NIJ’s Forensic Science R&D Technology 

Working Group (TWG) assists in identifying and prioritizing operational needs and requirements 

of the field, which are intended to facilitate proposal development. Additional research needs of 

the forensic science community can be found at the Organization of Scientific Area Committees 

website. 

Information on this program (including previously funded projects) can be found

at: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/forensics/research-and-evaluation-publicly-fundedforensic-laboratories. 

Applicants are encouraged to propose multidisciplinary research teams to build on the 

complementary strengths of different methods and areas of subject matter expertise. NIJ also 

seeks proposals that include consideration and measurement of issues of diversity, 

discrimination, and bias across age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation, as 

applicable.

Applications proposing research involving partnerships with juvenile justice, criminal justice or 

other agencies should include a strong letter of support signed by an appropriate decisionmaking authority from each proposed partnering agency. A letter of support should include the 

partnering agency’s acknowledgment that de-identified data derived from, provided to, or 

obtained through an award funded by NIJ will be archived by the grant recipient at the 

conclusion of the award. Applicants and their potential partners are encouraged to review NIJ’s 

data archiving guidance. Regardless of the primary data repository used, all NIJ-funded projects 

must provide study-level information to the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), 

which includes a project abstract and link to the publicly accessible data location, ideally with a 

digital object identifier (DOI) or other persistent link. If selected for an award, grantees will be 

expected to have a formal agreement in place with partnering agencies by January 1, 2025. 

That formal agreement must include a provision to meet the data archiving requirements of the 

award.

NIJ seeks proposals that include robust, creative, and multi-pronged dissemination strategies 

that include strategic partnerships with organizations and associations that are best equipped to 

ensure that research findings lead to changes in policies and practices. 
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In the case of partnerships that will involve the use of federal award funds by multiple partnering 

agencies to carry out the proposed project, only one entity/partnering agency may be the 

applicant (as is the case with any application submitted in response to this solicitation); any 

others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant is expected to conduct the 

preponderance of the work proposed.

Statutory Authority

Any awards under this solicitation would be made under statutory authority provided by a fullyear appropriations act for FY 2024. As of the writing of this solicitation, the Department of 

Justice is operating under a short-term “Continuing Resolution;” no full-year appropriation for the 

Department has been enacted for FY 2024.

Specific Information

This solicitation seeks applications for research and evaluation studies to produce 

practical knowledge that has the potential to improve the examination and interpretation of 

physical evidence in forensic science laboratories.

Projects should address the challenges and needs of the forensic science community, including 

but not limited to priorities outlined in the NIJ Forensic Science Strategic Research Plan and 

operational needs identified at NIJ’s Forensic Science R&D Technology Working Group (TWG)

meetings. Additional research needs of the forensic science community can be found at the 

National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Organization of Scientific Area 

Committees (OSAC). 

NIST, through its OSAC and partnership with NIJ, has also been working with practitioners in 

various forensic science disciplines to produce process maps that identify key decision points in 

the forensic evidence examination process. The process maps may help identify additional 

research needs of the forensic science community.

Proposals are expected to identify the focus areas (e.g., forensic science discipline[s]) intended 

to benefit from the project. The focus areas should be listed in the keywords on the title 

page. Some examples are listed below. Where available, links have also been provided to sites 

containing additional information.

• Bloodstain pattern analysis (https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/bloodstainpattern-analysis-subcommittee). 

• Digital/multimedia evidence (https://www.swgde.org/, 

https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/digitalmultimedia-scientific-area-committee). 

• DNA and forensic biology (https://strbase-b.nist.gov/, http://www.swgdam.org, 

https://www.nist.gov/topics/organization-scientific-area-committees-forensicscience/biologydna-scientific-area-committee). 

• Forensic anthropology and forensic odontology (https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensicscience/anthropology-subcommittee, https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensicscience/odontology-subcommittee). 

• Forensic crime scene analysis (https://www.nist.gov/organization-scientific-areacommittees-forensic-science/crime-scene-investigation-reconstruction). 
Page 9 O-NIJ-2024-171969

• Forensic toxicology (https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/toxicologysubcommittee). 

• Firearms and toolmark identification (https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensicscience/firearms-and-toolmarks-subcommittee). 

• Fire debris analysis and arson scene investigations (https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensicscience/fire-and-explosion-investigation-subcommittee, 

https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/fire-debris-and-explosives-subcommittee). 

• Latent print (https://www.nist.gov/topics/organization-scientific-area-committees-forensicscience/friction-ridge-subcommittee).

• Medicolegal death investigations, including forensic pathology 

(https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/medicolegal-death-investigationsubcommittee). 

• Questioned documents (https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/forensic-documentexamination-subcommittee). 

• Seized drugs (http://www.swgdrug.org, https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensicscience/seized-drugs-subcommittee).

• Shoeprint/tire tread examination (https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/footwearand-tire-subcommittee). 

• Trace evidence (https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/sac-chemistryinstrumentalanalysis, https://www.nist.gov/topics/forensic-science/materials-trace-subcommittee).

• Wildlife forensics (https://www.nist.gov/topics/organization-scientific-area-committeesforensic-science/wildlife-forensics-subcommittee). 

The following are not within the scope of this solicitation, and will not be reviewed:

• Applications that are not responsive to the purposes of this specific solicitation. This 

includes:

o Proposals that do not contain a research component.

o Proposals that do not propose assessing current lab processes, evaluating an 

emerging method(s) or instrument(s), or otherwise do not respond to the specific 

goals of this solicitation.

o Proposals that do not clearly address criminal justice concerns in the United 

States.

• Applications primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies, or to contract or 

purchase training, validation, or other services that will complete the majority of the 

proposed research project. (A budget may include these items if they are necessary to 

conduct research, development, demonstration, evaluation, or analysis.)

• Work that will be funded under another specific solicitation.

• Proposals with the sole purpose of processing or analyzing casework samples.

Solicitation Goals and Objectives

Goals and Objectives

NIJ’s Research and Evaluation for the Testing and Interpretation of Physical Evidence in 

Publicly Funded Forensic Laboratories program is intended to meet the following goals and 

objectives.:
Page 10 O-NIJ-2024-171969

1. Assessing Existing Laboratory Protocols – Improve the understanding of scientific 

rationale underpinning existing laboratory processes.

To achieve this goal, NIJ will fund awards that propose research and evaluation of 

existing laboratory schemes and methods to determine possible improvements. 

Examples of such projects include evaluation of:

• Minimum acceptance criteria of analytical data, such as mass spectra, generated 

in case samples.

• Accuracy gained from additional orthogonal testing of controlled substance 

samples.

• Effectiveness of a blind verification program for technical reviews.

• Implementation of software and statistical methods used for the interpretation of 

DNA mixtures.

2. Evaluating Emerging Methods – Assess the implementation and value of emerging 

laboratory processes.

To achieve this goal, NIJ will fund awards that propose research to compare emerging 

methods to those currently used to accomplish the same purpose in publicly funded 

forensic laboratories. These evaluations should consider factors such as accuracy, 

reliability, cost, and analysis time. Examples of such projects include:

• Comparison of a newly developed comprehensive method to existing multi-step 

method(s).

• Comparison of methodology or instrumentation new to the laboratory or field to 

currently used instrumentation in order to investigate the degree to which it

improves outcomes, such as accuracy, reliability, cost, analysis time, etc.

Proposals should employ a scientific approach to determine how to assess the testing and 

processing of physical evidence. These approaches should take into consideration general 

variables, such as accuracy, reliability, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency, and make clear which 

of these aspects may need improvement. Every effort should be made to validate the research 

using actual casework samples. If this is not possible, applications should describe barriers 

preventing the use of casework samples and detailed methodology for creating realistic proxy 

samples.

NIJ also strongly encourages applicants to include a statistician or quantitatively trained 

evaluator on the project team to ensure that rigorous testing measures are employed. Areas 

that may benefit from such expertise include, but are not limited to, research design (e.g., 

experimental design, planning sample size or sampling designs, designing data collection 

methods), selection and application of appropriate statistical methods, and how to use software 

to perform data analyses. Such associations foster a greater understanding of the testing and 

validation issues unique to the field of forensic science and may strengthen the scope of the 

proposed application.

Information on this program (including previously funded projects) can be found 

at: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/forensics/research-and-evaluation-publicly-fundedforensic-laboratories. 
Page 11 O-NIJ-2024-171969

In order to foster collaboration between emerging forensic science researchers and forensic 

science laboratories, as well as to ensure the direct applicability of the results of this research to 

lab practice, non-publicly funded laboratory applicants must demonstrate a partnership with a 

forensic science laboratory that is currently accredited by an independent accrediting or 

certifying forensic science organization. Publicly funded forensic science laboratories include 

state, regional, county, municipal, and tribal agencies. 

To assist researchers in identifying appropriate practitioner collaborators, NIJ has developed a 

site for labs to indicate their interest in participating in research. Interested labs and researchers 

are encouraged to visit https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/connecting-researchers-publicly-fundedforensic-laboratories for more information.

Deliverables

Research award recipients are expected to produce the following deliverables.

Technical Summary. Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be expected to submit 

a Technical Summary by the end of the award project period. Additional information on the 

technical summary requirement for the solicitation is posted on NIJ’s webpage. Additionally, 

grantees under this solicitation will be expected to include all methods, standard operating 

procedures (SOPs), and validation summaries resulting from these awards in an appendix of 

the Technical Summary or indicate where these items are publicly available. All such 

summaries, SOPs, and methods produced as a result of each award under this solicitation may 

be made publicly available by NIJ.

Required Data Sets and Associated Files and Documentation. Any recipient of an award under 

this solicitation will be expected to submit all data sets that result, in whole or in part, from the 

work funded by the award, in accordance with their data archiving plan (see Data Archiving Plan 

under “Application and Submission Information”), along with associated files and any 

documentation necessary for future efforts by others to reproduce the project’s findings. 

Applicants and their potential partners are encouraged to review NIJ’s data archiving guidance. 

Regardless of the primary data repository used, all NIJ-funded projects must provide study-level 

information to NACJD, which includes a project abstract and link. Grant recipients are strongly 

encouraged to submit data sets no later than 90 days prior to the end of the award project 

period.

In addition to these deliverables, NIJ expects scholarly products to result from each award 

under this solicitation, taking the form of one or more published, peer-reviewed, scientific journal 

articles, and/or (if appropriate) conference presentations, book chapter(s) or book(s) in the 

academic press, technological prototypes, patented inventions, or similar scientific products. 

Awardees are encouraged to publish their research using open access options. Grant funds 

may be used for costs associated with open access publication. NIJ expects that there will be 

an equal effort to make the research findings accessible to practitioner and policymaker 

audiences.

Some awards may be chosen for technology evaluation or technology transition activities. More 

information, including examples of previous workshops and evaluations, can be found through 

the following link: http://www.forensiccoe.org. 
Page 12 O-NIJ-2024-171969

For information about what the applicant needs to submit regarding Goals, Objectives, and 

Deliverables, please see the How to Apply section on the Application Goals, Objectives, 

Deliverables, and Timeline. 

Priority Area

Minority Serving Institutions

There is a body of evidence that racial and ethnic minority groups are underrepresented in 

science and engineering fields at all levels, including in graduate programs. NIJ will give special 

consideration in award decisions to proposals for which a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) is 

the lead applicant.

Minority-Serving Institutions include:

• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)

• Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSI)

• Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU)

• Alaska Native-serving Institutions or Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNH)

• Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI)

• Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions (AANAPISI)

• Native American-serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI)

Whether an institution is an MSI is based on the original purpose of its establishment or its 

current enrollment thresholds and is designated as such by the federal government for various 

purposes under specific statutes. For more information, please see the U.S. Department of 

Education’s definitions and lists of institutions. (The lists are provided for reference purposes 

only; MSI status is not an eligibility criterion for this solicitation.) This factor will only be 

considered to distinguish among non-publicly funded lab applicants. It is understood that 

publicly funded labs serve all within their jurisdiction.

Note: Addressing these priority areas is one of many factors that NIJ considers in making 

funding decisions. Receiving priority consideration for one or more priority areas does not 

guarantee an award. MSI status will not be a factor considered by reviewers, who review and 

score applications strictly according to the Merit Review Criteria but may be considered by the 

NIJ Director in making award decisions. 

Federal Award Information

Awards, Amounts, and Durations

Anticipated Number of Awards: NIJ expects to make 1-7 awards. Total number of awards NIJ

expects to make to be determined by the number of applications received and their merit.

Period of Performance Start Date: 1/1/2025

Period of Performance Duration (Months): Up to 60 Months. To be determined by the period of 

performance of awarded applications. Successful applicants will be expected to complete the 

work proposed within a five-year period of performance.
Page 13 O-NIJ-2024-171969

Anticipated Total Amount To Be Awarded Under This Solicitation: Up to $1,500,000.00. 

Maximum dollar amount for each award to be determined by the requirements of the research 

proposed in grants selected for award. Applicants are encouraged to propose budgets that 

match the research activities proposed, up to the full dollar amount anticipated to be awarded 

under this solicitation.

Additional Information: Grantees must clear all required award special conditions before 

incurring expenses, barring spending pre-approval, and, if applicable, confirm NIJ approval of 

new or modified IRB and privacy certificate documents before beginning research activities.

Continuation Funding Intent

NIJ may, in certain cases, provide additional funding in future years to awards made under this 

funding opportunity through continuation awards. NIJ will consider, among other factors, NIJ’s 

strategic priorities, a recipient’s overall management of the award, and the progress of the work 

funded under the award, when making continuation award decisions.

Availability of Funds

This funding opportunity, and awards under this funding opportunity, are subject to the 

availability of funding and to any changes or additional requirements that may be imposed by 

the agency or by law. In addition, nothing in this solicitation is intended to, and does not, create 

any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party 

against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or 

agents, or any other person. 

Type of Award

NIJ expects to make awards under this funding opportunity as grants. See the “Administrative, 

National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements” section of the Application Resource Guide for a 

brief discussion of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that apply to many (or 

in some cases, all) OJP grants.

Budget Information

If the applicant is proposing a project that reasonably could be conducted in discrete phases, 

with each phase resulting in completion of one or more significant, defined milestones, then NIJ 

strongly recommends that the applicant structure the application — specifically including the 

narrative, expected scholarly products, timelines/milestones, and budget detail worksheet and 

budget narrative — to clearly define each phase. (This is particularly the case if the applicant 

proposes a project that will exceed — in cost or the length of the period of performance — the 

amount or length of time anticipated for an individual award (or awards) under this solicitation.) 

Given limitations on the availability to NIJ of funds for awards for research, development, and 

evaluation, this information will assist NIJ in considering whether partial funding of applications 

would be productive. (If, in FY 2024, NIJ elects to fund only certain phases of a proposed 

project, the expected scholarly products from the partial-funding award may, in some cases, 

vary from those described above.)

NIJ may elect to fund applications submitted under this FY 2024 solicitation in future fiscal 

years, dependent on, among other considerations, the merit of the applications and on the 

availability of appropriations.
Page 14 O-NIJ-2024-171969

What will not be funded:

• Applications primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies, or to provide direct 

services. (A budget may include these items if they are necessary to conduct research, 

development, demonstration, evaluation, or analysis.)

• Applications that are not responsive to the purposes of this specific solicitation.

The applicant should identify within their budget which items, services, etc., will/would be 

covered by matching sources and explain what type of match will be provided.

Proposals that include equipment purchases should include a discussion of how federally 

funded equipment is proposed to be used after the funded work has been completed and/or the 

project period has ended. Note that OJP may issue specific equipment disposition instructions 

in appropriate circumstances.

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

See “Cofunding” paragraph under “Budget and Associated Documentation” in the “Application 

and Submission Information” section.

Eligibility Information

For eligibility information, see the Synopsis section. 

For the purposes of this notice of funding opportunity, “state” means any state of the United 

States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 

American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

For the purposes of this notice of funding opportunity, other units of local government include 

towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general purpose political subdivisions of a state.

Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign colleges and universities are not 

eligible to apply. Federal agencies are eligible to apply. (Any award made to a federal agency 

will be made as an inter-agency reimbursable agreement.)

Applicants must be, or be partnered with, publicly funded forensic science laboratories that are 

currently accredited by an independent accrediting or certifying forensic science organization. 

Publicly funded forensic science laboratories include state, regional, county, municipal, and 

tribal agencies.

How To Apply

Application Resources

When preparing and submitting an application, the following resources may aid prospective 

applicants:

1. Grants.gov “How to Apply for Grants” 

2. OJP “How To Apply” section in the Application Resource Guide
Page 15 O-NIJ-2024-171969

3. JustGrants Application Submission Training

4. NIJ Guidance for Applicants and Awardees

This solicitation (notice of funding opportunity) incorporates guidance provided in the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide (Application Resource Guide), which provides additional 

information for applicants to prepare and submit applications to OJP for funding. If this 

solicitation requires something different from any guidance provided in the Application 

Resource Guide, the difference will be noted in this solicitation and the applicant is to 

follow the guidelines in this solicitation, rather than the guidance in the Application 

Resource Guide that is in conflict.

How To Apply

Registration

Before submitting an application, all applicants must register with the System for Award 

Management (SAM.gov). An applicant must renew their registration every 12 months. If an 

applicant does not renew their SAM.gov registration, it will expire. An expired registration can 

delay or prevent application submission in Grants.gov and JustGrants. Applicants are 

encouraged to start the SAM.gov registration process at least 30 days prior to the application 

deadlines. Applicants who fail to begin the registration or renewal process at least 10 business 

days prior to the Grants.gov deadline may not complete the process in time and will not be 

considered for late submission. 

A small business, in addition to obtaining the SAM.gov registration, should obtain an Employer 

Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service. The person applying for an 

award will submit the EIN value as the Tax Identification Number (TIN). The applicant should 

not submit their social security numbers. For additional information, including the steps to obtain 

an EIN: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employeridentification-number-ein-online. 

Submission

Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step process that begins in 

Grants.gov and is completed in JustGrants.

Step 1: After registering with SAM.gov, the applicant must submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL in 

Grants.gov at https://grants.gov/register by the Grants.gov deadline. To leave time to address 

any technical issues that may arise, an applicant should submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL 

as early as possible and recommended not later than 48 hours before the Grants.gov 

deadline. If an applicant fails to submit in Grants.gov by the deadline, they will be unable to 

apply in JustGrants. Applicants can confirm Grants.gov submission by verifying their application 

status shows as “submitted” or “agency tracking number assigned.”

Step 2: The applicant must then submit the full application, including attachments, in 

JustGrants at JustGrants.usdoj.gov by the JustGrants deadline.

OJP recommends that applicants submit the complete application package in JustGrants at 

least 48 hours prior to the JustGrants deadline. Some of the required sections of the application 

will be entered directly into JustGrants, and other sections will require documents to be 

uploaded and attached. Therefore, applicants should allow enough time before the JustGrants 
Page 16 O-NIJ-2024-171969

deadline to prepare all the requirements of the application. Applicants may save their progress 

in the system and add to or change the application as needed prior to hitting the “Submit” button 

at the end of the application in JustGrants.

An applicant will receive emails when successfully submitting in Grants.gov and JustGrants and 

should maintain all emails and other confirmations received from SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and 

JustGrants systems.

For additional information, see the “How To Apply” section in the Application Resource Guide

and the DOJ Application Submission Checklist. 

Submission Dates and Time

The SF-424 and the SF-LLL must be submitted in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on 

April 15, 2024. 

The full application must be submitted in JustGrants by 8:59 p.m. eastern time on April 22, 

2024. 

To be considered timely, the full application must be submitted in JustGrants by the 

JustGrants application deadline. Failure to begin the SAM.gov, Grants.gov, or JustGrants 

registration and application process in sufficient time (i.e., waiting until the due dates identified 

in this solicitation for those systems to begin the application steps) is not an acceptable reason

to request a technical waiver. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application 

(Technical Waivers)

OJP will only consider requests to submit an application after the deadline when the applicant 

can document that a technical issue with a government system prevented submission of the 

application on time.

If an applicant misses a deadline due to unforeseen technical issues with SAM.gov, Grants.gov, 

or JustGrants, the applicant may request a waiver to submit an application after the deadline. 

However, the waiver request will not be considered unless it includes documentation of attempts 

to receive technical assistance to resolve the issue prior to the application deadline. A tracking 

number is the most typical documentation and is generated when the applicant contacts the 

applicable service desks to report technical difficulties. Tracking numbers are generated 

automatically when an applicant emails the applicable service desks, and for this reason, long 

call wait times for support do not relieve the applicant of the responsibility of getting a tracking 

number.

An applicant experiencing technical difficulties must contact the associated service desk 

indicated below to report the technical issue and receive a tracking number:

• SAM.gov: contact the SAM.gov Help Desk (Federal Service Desk), Monday–Friday from 

8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET at 866-606-8220.

• Grants.gov: contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a 

week, except on federal holidays, at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, or 

support@grants.gov. 
Page 17 O-NIJ-2024-171969

• JustGrants: contact the JustGrants Service Desk at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 

833-872-5175, Monday–Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET and Saturday, Sunday, 

and federal holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. 

If an applicant has technical issues with SAM.gov or Grants.gov, the applicant must contact the 

OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 hours of the Grants.gov deadline to 

request approval to submit after the deadline.

If an applicant has technical issues with JustGrants that prevent application submission by the 

deadline, the applicant must contact the OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 

hours of the JustGrants deadline to request approval to submit after the deadline.

Waiver requests sent to the OJP Response Center must: 

• describe the technical difficulties experienced (provide screenshots if applicable); 

• include a timeline of the applicant’s submission efforts (e.g., date and time the error 

occurred; date and time of actions taken to resolve the issue and resubmit; and date and 

time support representatives responded); 

• include an attachment of the complete grant application and all the required 

documentation and materials; 

• include the applicant’s Unique Entity Identifier (UEI); and

• include any SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants Service Desk tracking numbers 

documenting the technical issue.

OJP will review each waiver request and the required supporting documentation and notify the 

applicant whether the request for late submission has been approved or denied. An applicant 

that does not provide documentation of a technical issue (including all information listed above), 

or that does not submit a waiver request within the required time period, will be denied.

For more details on the waiver process, OJP encourages applicants to review the “Experiencing 

Unforeseen Technical Issues” section in the Application Resource Guide. 

Application and Submission Information

Content of Application Submission and Available Surveys

The following application elements must be included in the application to meet the basic 

minimum requirements to advance to peer review and receive consideration for funding:

• SF-424 and SF-LLL (in Grants.gov). 

• Proposal Narrative (in JustGrants). 

• Budget Web-Based Form, which includes the budget details and the budget narrative (in 

JustGrants). 

• Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire, including 

applicant disclosure of high-risk status (in JustGrants). 

• Biosketch/Curriculum Vitae/Resumes for Key Personnel (For purposes of this 

solicitation, “key personnel” means the principal investigator, and any and all co-principal 

investigators.).

• Proof of Forensic Laboratory Accreditation, to include the scope of the accreditation for 

the involved publicly funded forensic laboratory.
Page 18 O-NIJ-2024-171969

If NIJ determines that an application does not include these elements, it will not proceed to peer 

review and will not receive any further consideration.

Content of the SF-424 in Grants.gov

The SF-424 must be submitted in Grants.gov. It is a required standard form used as a cover 

sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and related information. See the 

Application Resource Guide for additional information on completing the SF-424. 

In Section 8F of the SF-424, please include the name and contact information of the individual 

who will complete the application in JustGrants. JustGrants will use this information (email 

address) to assign the application to this user in JustGrants.

Intergovernmental Review: This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 

12372. In completing the SF-424, an applicant should answer question 19 by selecting 

“Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.”

Content of the JustGrants Application Submission

Entity and User Verification (First Time Applicant)

For first time JustGrants applicants, once the application is received from Grants.gov, DOJ will 

send an email (from DIAMD-NoReply@usdoj.gov) to the individual listed in Section 8F of the 

SF-424 with instructions on how to create a JustGrants account. This email should arrive within 

24 hours after this individual receives confirmation from Grants.gov of their SF-424 and SF-LLL 

submissions. Register the Entity Administrator (the person who manages who can access 

JustGrants on behalf of the applicant), the Application Submitter, and Authorized 

Representative for the applicant with JustGrants as early as possible and (recommended) not 

later than 48-72 hours before the JustGrants deadline. Once registered in JustGrants, the 

Application Submitter will receive a link in an email to complete the rest of the application in 

JustGrants. Find additional information on JustGrants Application Submission in the Application 

Resource Guide. 

Standard Applicant Information

The “Standard Applicant Information” section of the JustGrants application is pre-populated with 

the SF-424 data submitted in Grants.gov. The applicant will need to review the Standard 

Applicant Information in JustGrants and make edits as needed. Within this section, the applicant 

will need to add ZIP codes for areas affected by the project; confirm their Authorized

Representative; and verify and confirm the organization’s unique entity identifier, legal name, 

and address.

Proposal Abstract

The proposal abstract is a very important part of the application and serves as an introduction to 

the proposed project. NIJ uses the proposal abstract for several purposes, including assignment 

of the application to an appropriate review panel. If the application is funded, the proposal 

abstract typically will become public information and be used to describe the project.

A Proposal Abstract (no more than 400 words) summarizing the proposed project — including 

goals, objectives, research questions, research design and methods, work products and 
Page 19 O-NIJ-2024-171969

dissemination plan — must be completed in the JustGrants web-based form. This abstract

should be in paragraph form without bullets or tables, written in the third person, and exclude 

personally identifiable information. Abstracts will be made publicly available on the OJP and 

USASpending.gov websites if the project is awarded. See the Application Resource Guide for 

an example of a proposal abstract. 

Data Requested With Application

The following application elements should be submitted in the web-based forms in JustGrants.

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (including applicant 

disclosure of high-risk status)

The Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire helps OJP assess 

the financial management and internal control systems and the associated potential risks of an 

applicant as part of the pre-award risk assessment process. Every OJP applicant (other than an 

individual applying in their personal capacity, not representing an applicant organization) is 

required to complete the web-based Questionnaire form in JustGrants. See the Application 

Resource Guide: Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire 

(including Applicant Disclosure of High Risk Status) for the questions and additional guidance 

on how to complete the form. 

Brief Applicant Entity Questionnaire

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is collecting the following information to help assess its 

efforts to attract a broader range of applicants. These questions apply to the applicant entity and 

its work and scope only, and not to the specific project(s) being proposed within the application. 

Responses to the questions will not be considered in the application review process. The 

questions included in the questionnaire are available in the Standard Forms & Instructions: Brief 

Applicant Entity Questionnaire. 

Principal Investigator Contact Information

To facilitate administrative processes associated with application review and post review 

activities, applicants are requested to enter the name of the Principal Investigator for the 

application project, as well as their contact information.

Proposal Narrative

The Proposal Narrative should be submitted as an attachment in JustGrants. The attached

document should not exceed 18 numbered pages, of which a minimum of nine (9) pages should 

be dedicated to Project Design and Implementation. If included in the main body of the proposal 

narrative, tables, charts, figures, and other illustrations count toward the 18-page limit for the 

narrative section. The proposal abstract, table of contents, appendices, and government forms 

do not count toward the 18-page limit. If the Proposal Narrative fails to comply with these length 

restrictions, NIJ may consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions. 

The Proposal Narrative must include the following sections:

a. Title Page (not counted against the proposal narrative page limit)
Page 20 O-NIJ-2024-171969

The title page should include:

• Project title.

• Submission date.

• Funding opportunity number.

• Principal Investigator (and any co-principal investigators).

• Unique author identifier (e.g., ORCID, ResearcherID, Scopus Author ID), if 

available.

• Requests for consideration under priority area of research

• Key words, including forensic science focus areas.

• Contact information (that is, name, address, telephone number, and e-mail 

address) for both the applicant and the principal investigator.

b. Resubmit Response (if applicable) (not counted against the proposal narrative page 

limit.)

If an applicant is resubmitting an application presented previously to NIJ, but not funded, 

the applicant should indicate this. A statement should be provided, no more than two 

pages, addressing: (1) the title, submission date, and NIJ-assigned application number 

of the previous application, and (2) a brief summary of revisions to the application, 

including responses to previous feedback received from NIJ.

c. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the proposal narrative page limit)

d. Main Body

1. Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem should address the need for research in this area. 

Applicants should discuss current gaps in data, research, and knowledge, including 

those for particular justice sectors, for certain populations, and to answer questions 

relevant to current policy and practice needs and public interests. It is not uncommon 

for multiple problems to exist simultaneously (for example, there may be a criminal 

justice problem affecting public safety, a current technical challenge/need identified 

by forensic practitioners, as well as a scientific/technology gap between the current 

state of the art and a desired solution) and applicants should discuss each of these 

clearly and justify the importance of the separate issues. As part of this discussion, 

applicants should present a review of previous literature and discuss previous 

research related to these problems.

This section should also introduce the purpose, goals, and objectives of the 

proposed project.

The statement of the problem should:

• Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the 

field proposed.

• Explain how the proposed project may improve forensic practice through 

scientific knowledge and/or technical capability. Describe how concepts, 
Page 21 O-NIJ-2024-171969

methods, technologies, or services that drive the forensic science field will be 

changed if the proposed aims are achieved. 

2. Project Design and Implementation (This section should account for a minimum of 

nine (9) pages of the main body of the narrative.)

Applicants should provide a detailed description of the strategies to implement this 

research project and address the research questions. Design elements should follow 

directly from the research project’s goals and objectives and address the programspecific information noted in the solicitation. Applicants should describe the research 

methodology and analysis plan in detail and demonstrate the validity and usefulness 

of the data they will collect. Applicants should consider the rigor and soundness of 

the methodology and analytical and technical approaches for the proposed research 

and address the feasibility of the proposed project and potential challenges or 

problems in carrying out the activities.

This section should:

• Concisely state the goals of the proposed research.

• Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to 

accomplish the specific aims of the project. Describe the experimental design 

and methods proposed and how they will achieve robust and unbiased 

results. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted as 

well as any resource sharing plans, as appropriate.

• Power and Effect Size: Use power analyses to describe the range of effect 

sizes detectable by the study. Address relevant features of the analytic plan, 

such as the model(s) to be tested, the extent of multiple testing, and what 

significance level would be used for testing. Include all appropriate 

parameters. If the study design requires separate analysis of subject groups, 

provide power analyses for each category. If there is a plan to test for 

environment effects, address the power for detection of these effects.

• Data Analyses: Provide a thorough plan for data analyses. Include: analytical 

approaches to be used and their justification; plans for quality control 

analyses; methods to control for possible confounding effects; how false 

positive rates will be controlled in light of multiple testing; etc. If there is a plan 

to analyze the data obtained with earlier data, or to perform comparisons to 

determine success, describe your strategy for that process.

3. Potential Impact

Applicants should describe the potential impact of the research and how it may 

inform or improve criminal or juvenile justice-related policy, practice, or theory in the 

United States. The applicant should include a discussion of the proposed 

dissemination plan to produce scholarly products and to make information available 

to broader interested audiences, such as criminal justice practitioners or 

policymakers. Awardees are encouraged to publish their research using open access 

options. Note: Grant funds may be used for costs associated with open access 

publication.

Applicants should:
Page 22 O-NIJ-2024-171969

• Summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results 

of the proposed research will exert on the discipline(s) involved.

• Explain the criminal justice significance of the proposed study.

• Explain how the application challenges and seeks to shift current forensic 

practice paradigms.

4. Capabilities and Competencies

This section should describe the experience and capabilities of the applicant 

organization, key staff, and any proposed subgrantees (including consultants) that 

the applicant will use to implement and manage this effort and the federal funds 

under this award, highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of 

similar scope, design, and magnitude. Applicants should address:

• Facilities & Other Resources: Describe how the scientific environment in 

which the research will be done contributes to the probability of success (e.g., 

institutional support, physical resources, and intellectual rapport). In 

describing the scientific environment in which the work will be done, discuss 

ways in which the proposed studies will benefit from unique features of the 

scientific environment or subject populations or will employ useful 

collaborative arrangements. If there are multiple performance sites, describe 

the resources available at each site.

• Equipment: List major items of equipment already available for this project 

and, if appropriate, identify location and pertinent capabilities.

• Senior/Key Personnel Profile: Describe each senior/key personnel 

member’s role in the project and why the individual is well-suited for that 

role. The relevant factors may include aspects of past training; previous 

experimental work on this specific topic or related topics; technical 

expertise; collaborators or scientific environment; and/or past performance 

in this or related fields. Senior/key personnel are defined as all individuals 

who contribute in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific 

development or execution of the project, whether or not salaries are 

requested. Consultants should be included if they meet this definition.

o Principal Investigator (PI) Profile should be listed first.

o Senior/Key Personnel Profile: Any remaining senior/key personnel 

profiles should be listed in alphabetical order. Although 

alphabetical order is preferred, it is not required. However, be 

aware that these profiles will appear in the application in the order 

provided by the applicant. Therefore, peer reviewers will see them 

in the order presented. Those with a postdoctoral/postgraduate 

role should be included.

o Other Significant Contributors (OSCs): OSCs are those individuals 

who commit to contribute to the scientific development or execution of 

the project, but do not commit any specified measurable effort (i.e., 

person months) to the project. These individuals are typically 

identified at an effort level of “zero person months” or “as needed.” 

Individuals with measurable effort may not be listed as OSCs. 
Page 23 O-NIJ-2024-171969

Consultants should be included if they meet the OSC definition. OSCs 

should be listed after all senior/key persons.

5. Appendices (not counted against the proposal narrative page limit) include:

• The project management plan.

o Applicants should clearly specify the role and projected level of effort 

of each research team member (staff, contractor, consultant, etc.)

o Applicants should also outline the management plan and organization 

that connects to the goals and objectives of the project. Among other 

factors, that plan should include a description of the anticipated level 

of effort of key personnel. 

• Letter of support from or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a 

publicly funded laboratory, if applicable.

• If the application (including the budget) identifies any proposed noncompetitive agreements that are or may be considered procurement 

“contracts” (rather than subawards) for purposes of federal grants 

administrative requirements, the applicant also must list the entities with 

which the applicant proposes to contract.

• List of other agencies, organizations, or funding sources to which this 

application has been submitted (if applicable).

NIJ will require each award recipient to submit regular performance data that show the 

completed work’s results. The performance data directly relate to the solicitation goals and 

objectives identified in the “Goals and Objectives” section. Applicants can visit OJP’s 

performance measurement page at www.ojp.gov/performance for more information on 

performance measurement activities. 

A list of performance measure questions for this program can be found in the “Performance 

Measures” section. Some measures are presented as examples, while others are the exact 

measures that every recipient will be expected to address.

NIJ will require award recipients to submit performance measure data in quarterly financial 

reports, semi-annual performance reports, and the final research report and separately submit a 

semi-annual performance report in JustGrants. NIJ will provide further guidance on the postaward submission process, if the applicant is selected for award.

Application Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline

The applicant will submit the project’s goals, objectives, deliverables, and timeline in the 

JustGrants web-based form. This is a summary of the goals, objectives, deliverables, and 

timeline that relate to the proposal narrative. The applicant will also enter the projected fiscal 

year and quarter that each objective and deliverable will be completed. Please refer to the

Application Submission Job Aid for step-by-step directions. 

• Goals: The applicant should describe the project’s intent to change, reduce, or eliminate 

the problem noted in the proposal narrative. 

• Program Objectives and Timeline: The applicant should include objectives to

accomplish its goals. Objectives are specific, measurable actions to reach the project’s 

desired results. The included timelines should be clearly linked to the goal.
Page 24 O-NIJ-2024-171969

• Deliverables and Timeline: Project deliverables refer to outputs — tangible (for 

example, a report or a website) or intangible (for example, greater feelings of safety 

reported by the community) — that are documented and submitted within the scope of a 

project. Deliverables include timelines.

Deliverables Expected by Successful Applicants

Program objectives and deliverables should be included in one timeline.

Budget and Associated Documentation

Funding Restrictions

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

management fee.

Budget Detail and Narrative Web-Based Form

The applicant will complete the JustGrants web-based budget form, which includes both 

detailed calculations and budget narrative sections. NIJ encourages the budgeting of grant 

funds for open access publication costs.

For additional information about how to prepare a budget for federal funding, see the Application 

Resource Guide section on Budget Preparation and Submission Information and the technical 

steps to complete the budget form in JustGrants in the Complete the Application in JustGrants: 

Budget training. 

The following paragraph (on “Cofunding”) expressly modifies the “Cost Sharing or Matching 

Requirement” provisions in the Application Resource Guide. The applicant is to follow the 

guidance in the following paragraph instead of the guidance stated under the “Cost Sharing or 

Matching Requirement” heading in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Cofunding: An award made by NIJ under this solicitation may account for up to 100% of the 

total cost of the project. The application should indicate whether it is feasible for the applicant to 

contribute cash, facilities, or services as non-federal support for the project. The application 

should identify generally any such contributions that the applicant expects to make and the 

proposed budget should indicate in detail which items, if any, will be supported with non-federal 

contributions.

For additional match information, see the “Cost Sharing or Match Requirement” section under 

Federal Award Information.

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.

Budget/Financial Attachments

Pre-Agreement (Pre-Award) Costs (if applicable)
Page 25 O-NIJ-2024-171969

Pre-agreement costs are defined as costs requiring approval incurred by the applicant prior to 

the start date of the period of performance of the federal award. OJP does not typically approve 

pre-agreement costs. If a successful applicant, in anticipation of the federal award, but before 

the start date of the period of performance, incurs costs that are necessary for efficient and 

timely performance of the funded project, those costs may not be charged to the award. See the

“Costs Requiring Prior Approval” section in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide Post-Award 

Requirements for more information.

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

Indirect costs are costs of an organization that are not readily assignable to a particular project 

but are necessary to the operation of the organization and the performance of the project. 

Examples of costs usually treated as indirect include those incurred for facility operation and 

maintenance, depreciation, and administrative salaries. The requirements for the development 

and submission of indirect cost proposals and cost allocation plans are listed in Appendices III – 

VII of 2 C.F.R. Part 200. A non-federal applicant should follow the guidelines applicable to its 

type of organization. If applicable, an applicant with a current federally-approved indirect cost

rate agreement will upload it as an attachment in JustGrants. See the DOJ Financial Guide for 

additional information on Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. 

Consultant Rate (if applicable)

Costs for consultant services require prior approval from OJP. If the proposed project expects to 

fund consultant services, compensation for individual consultant services is to be reasonable 

and consistent with that paid for similar services in the marketplace. See the DOJ Grants 

Financial Guide for information on the consultant rates, which require prior approval from OJP.

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation for Awards Over $250,000; Waiver (if 

applicable)

If an applicant proposes to hire employees with federal award funds, for any award of more than 

$250,000 made under a funding opportunity, an award recipient may not use federal funds to 

pay total cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses) to any employee of the recipient at a 

rate that exceeds 110% 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 year. See the Application Resource Guide for information on the 

“Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation for Awards over $250,000; 

Waiver.” 

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation (if applicable)

This notice of funding opportunity expressly modifies the Application Resource Guide by not 

incorporating its “Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation” provisions. 

Applicants to this funding opportunity are not required to provide this disclosure.

Additional Application Components

The applicant will attach the additional requested documentation in JustGrants.

Biosketch/Curriculum Vitae or Resumes
Page 26 O-NIJ-2024-171969

Provide biosketches, curriculum vitae, or resume of the principal investigator and any and all coprincipal investigators. In addition, curriculum vitae, resume, or biographical sketches of all other 

individuals (regardless of “investigator” status) who will be significantly involved in substantive 

aspects of the proposed project (including, for example, individuals such as statisticians used to 

conduct proposed data analysis). NIJ encourages use of the SciENcv standard format biosketch 

(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sciencv/). Attach this information as a separate PDF file titled 

“CVs of Key Personnel.”

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of tribal authorizing 

documentation as an attachment. If applicable, the applicant will upload the tribal authorizing 

documentation as an attachment in JustGrants. See the Application Resource Guide for 

information on tribal authorizing resolutions.

Letters of Support

Applicants should include, for each named supporting entity, a signed letter of support that 

outlines the supporting entity’s reasons for supporting for the project and the scope of work they 

are committing to. Applications submitted from two or more entities are encouraged to submit 

signed letters of support that provide a detailed description of why the proposed project should 

receive federal funding. 

Each letter of support should include the following: (1) a description of the relationship between 

the applicant entity and the supporting entity; (2) a description of the need and what benefits 

would be gained from the project; (3) a description of the applicant’s capacity to complete the 

proposed project; and (4) an understanding that at minimum NIJ-funded projects must provide 

study-level information to the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data. Letters of support 

should be signed by the relevant decision-maker and then submitted as one separate 

attachment to the application. 

Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement

If an application proposes research (including research and development) and/or evaluation, the 

applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation independence and integrity, including 

appropriate safeguards, before it may receive award funds. The applicant will upload 

documentation of its research and evaluation independence and integrity as an attachment in 

JustGrants. For additional information, see the Application Resource Guide. 

Bibliography/References 

Provide a bibliography of any references cited in the Proposal Narrative.

Any Tools/Instruments, Questionnaires, Tables/Charts/Graphs, or Maps

Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/charts/graphs, or maps pertaining to the proposed 

project that are supplemental to such items included in the main body of the narrative. (Tables, 

charts, graphs, or other relevant illustrations that are essential for comprehension of the 

project/program design should be included in the main body of the narrative.)
Page 27 O-NIJ-2024-171969

List of Individuals in the Application

To assist OJP in assessing actual or apparent conflicts of interest (including such conflicts on 

the part of prospective reviewers of the application), provide a complete list of the individuals 

named or otherwise identified anywhere in the application (including in the budget or in any 

other attachment) who will or may work (or advise or consult) on the proposed research, 

development, or evaluation project. Applicants should use the “Proposed Project Staff, 

Affiliation, and Roles” form available on the NIJ webpage to prepare this list.

Human Subjects Protection

Human Subjects Protection paperwork as a separate attachment (documentation and forms 

related to Institutional Review Board [IRB] review). See https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/humansubjects-protection. Note: Final IRB approval is not required at the time an application is 

submitted.

Privacy Certificate

Privacy Certificate as a separate file (for further guidance go to 

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/confidentiality-and-privacy-protections and 

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/privacy-certificate-guidance#model-privacy-certificate). 

Proof of Forensic Laboratory Accreditation including Scope 

Acceptable types of documentation of current accreditation include: an electronic (scanned) 

copy of the current accreditation certificate(s), a digital photograph of the current accreditation 

certificate(s), or a letter from the accrediting body that includes the certificate number. 

Additionally, if a certificate references another document that contains key information on the 

type or scope of the accreditation, provide a copy of that supplemental documentation. 

Independent accrediting or certifying organizations may include the American Society of Crime 

Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD-LAB), Forensic Quality Services 

(FQS), the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), ANSI National 

Accreditation Board (ANAB), or other appropriate accrediting bodies. Applicants should list the 

name of their accrediting body in the key words on the title page.

Request to Use Incentives or Stipends

Applicants proposing to use incentives or stipend payments as part of their research project 

design must submit an incentive or stipend approval request, as a separate document, 

according to the requirements set forth at https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/participant-support-costsand-incentives.

Consortium/Contractual Agreements

Explain the programmatic, fiscal, and administrative arrangements to be made between the 

applicant organization and the consortium organization(s).

Data Archiving Plan

Applicants should anticipate that NIJ will require, through special award conditions, that data 

sets resulting in whole or in part from projects funded under this solicitation be archived in 
Page 28 O-NIJ-2024-171969

accordance with the submitted plan as approved by NIJ. At a minimum, this plan should include 

submission of study-level information to NACJD that links to a publicly available data posting 

location. See https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/data-archiving. 

Applicants should include as a separate file a brief plan — labeled “Data Archiving Plan” — to 

comply with data archiving requirements. The plan should provide details about proposed data 

management and archiving, including submission to NIJ (through NACJD) of at minimum studylevel information necessary to allow for future efforts by others to reproduce the project’s 

findings and/or to extend the scientific value of the data set through secondary analysis. 

Pertinent files and documentation include, among other things, raw and processed data, 

instrumental parameters, any specialized programming code necessary to reproduce reported 

results, description of necessary de-identification procedures, and (when required) a copy of the 

privacy certificate and informed consent protocols.

The plan should be one or two pages in length and include the level of effort associated with 

meeting archiving requirements.

Note that recipients are strongly encouraged to submit required data at least 90 days before the 

end of the period of performance.

Project Management Plan and Timeline

Applicants should also outline the management plan and organization that connects to the goals 

and objectives of the project, including the project management structure, approach, and 

strategies. Among other factors, that plan should include a description of the anticipated level of 

effort of key personnel. In addition, applicants should include a project management timeline 

documenting the timing for project tasks, management, milestones, and deliverables.

Applicants should clearly specify the role and projected level of effort of each research team 

member (staff, contractor, consultant, etc.)

NACJD is NIJ’s principal data repository, but as a social science constructed repository it is not 

equipped to accept many of the data types produced in the natural sciences (e.g., sequence 

data, spectra, images, video). NIJ encourages that data of this nature be archived at a 

repository appropriate to the particular field of study, and that a DOI or another persistent link be 

assigned. In this case, the Data Archiving Plan should refer to submission of study-level project 

information to NACJD along with a DOI link to the data in a publicly available repository 

elsewhere. See https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/data-archiving#alternate-data-repositories for further 

guidance.

Potential Environmental Impact Coversheet and Checklist - National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) 

Each applicant is to submit an NIJ Programmatic Cover Sheet and Checklist with its application 

to assist NIJ in assessing the potential environmental impacts of the activities proposed for 

funding by the applicant. Specifically, the applicant is expected to:

• Carefully read the Programmatic Environmental Assessment; 

• Complete the Cover Sheet and the attached Programmatic Checklist; and

• Attach the completed documents to the grant application.
Page 29 O-NIJ-2024-171969

The applicant should also submit a Cover Sheet and NIJ Programmatic Checklist for any 

organization identified in the Budget Detail Worksheet that will receive grant funds through a 

sub-award or procurement contract to perform any of the following activities: new construction 

or renovations that change the basic prior use of a facility or significantly change the size; 

research and/or technology development that could be expected to have an effect on the 

environment; or implementation of programs involving the use of chemicals. For more 

information about NEPA and NIJ’s NEPA Process, please go to 

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/national-environmental-policy-act-nepa. 

Disclosures and Assurances

The applicant will address the following disclosures and assurances. 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

The SF-LLL attachment that was completed and submitted in Grants.gov is attached to this 

section. 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items

To ensure funding coordination across grant making agencies, and to avoid unnecessary or 

inappropriate duplication among grant awards, the applicant will disclose if it has any current or 

pending applications for federal funding, including pending applications for subawards of federal 

funds. Complete the JustGrants web-based Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items 

form. See the Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances

Review and accept the DOJ Certified Standard Assurances in JustGrants. See the Application 

Resource Guide for additional information.

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility 

Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law Enforcement and Community Policing

Review and accept in JustGrants the DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, 

Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law 

Enforcement and Community Policing. See the Application Resource Guide for additional 

information.

Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High-Risk Grantees

If applicable, submit the DOJ High-Risk Disclosure and Justification as an attachment in 

JustGrants. A DOJ High-Risk Grantee is an award 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; noncompliance with award terms and 

conditions on prior awards; or is otherwise not responsible. See the Application Resource Guide

for additional information.

Application Review Information
Page 30 O-NIJ-2024-171969

Review Criteria

Basic Minimum Review Criteria

OJP screens applications to ensure they meet the basic minimum requirements prior to 

conducting the peer review. Although specific requirements may vary, the following are 

requirements for all OJP solicitations:

• The application must be submitted by an eligible type of applicant.

• The application must request funding within any stated programmatic funding limits or 

boundaries.

• The application must be responsive to the scope of the solicitation.

• The application must include all items necessary to meet the basic minimum 

requirements.

Merit Review Criteria

Applications that meet the basic minimum requirements will be evaluated by peer reviewers on

how the proposed project/program addresses the following criteria:

Statement of the Problem (understanding of the problem) (15%)

• Demonstrated understanding of the need to determine and employ best 

processes for a procedure currently used by a forensic science field/discipline. 

• Demonstrated awareness of the state of current protocols widely used by the 

forensic science community within the proposed forensic science discipline of the 

application. 

Project Design and Implementation (quality and technical merit) (35%)

• Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach to addressing the 

stated aim(s) of the proposed project. The overall strategy, methodology, and 

analyses should be well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific 

aims of the project. 

• Feasibility of proposed project. Detailed description and justification of the 

sample type and sample size to be tested and approaches for data analysis are 

thorough and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project. 

• Awareness of potential pitfalls of proposed project design and feasibility of 

proposed actions to minimize and/or mitigate them. 

• Feasibility of completing the deliverables noted in the solicitation. 

• Feasibility of proposed project.

• Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach to addressing the 

stated aim(s) of the proposed project.

• Awareness of potential pitfalls of proposed project design and feasibility of 

proposed actions to minimize and/or mitigate them.

• Feasibility of completing the deliverables noted in the solicitation.

Capabilities and Competencies (capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience 

of the applicant organization and proposed project staff) (15%)
Page 31 O-NIJ-2024-171969

• Qualifications and experience of proposed project staff (that is, senior/key 

personnel, and all other individuals (and organizations) identified in the 

application (regardless of “investigator” status) who will be significantly involved 

in substantive aspects of the proposed project).

• Relationship between the capabilities/competencies of the proposed project staff 

(including the applicant organization) and the scope and strategies of the 

proposed project.

• Strength of the scientific environment (e.g., laboratory support, equipment and 

other physical resources, or collaborative arrangements) in which the work will be 

done and its contribution to the probability of success. 

Potential Impact (30%)

• Potential to determine and increase the awareness of best practices for the 

evaluation and interpretation of physical evidence for the forensic science 

community. 

• Potential for significantly improved understanding of the scientific rationale 

underpinning existing laboratory processes. 

• Potential for innovative solutions to protocols to increase the efficiency, accuracy, 

reliability, or cost-effectiveness for the analysis and interpretation of physical 

evidence. 

• Strength and feasibility of the proposed dissemination plan to produce scholarly 

products (such as published, peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles, book 

chapter(s) or book(s) in the academic press, technological prototypes, patented 

inventions, databases, standards, or similar scientific products) as well as make 

summary information available to broader interested audiences, such as forensic 

science criminal justice practitioners or policymakers. 

Budget (5%)

In addition, peer reviewers will consider and may comment on the following additional 

items in the context of scientific and technical merit.

• Alignment of the proposed budget with proposed project activities.

• Total cost of the project relative to the perceived benefit (cost effectiveness).

• Appropriateness of the budget relative to the level of effort.

• Use of existing resources to conserve costs.

Reviewers are not expected to conduct a detailed financial analysis and assessment of 

the budget, but rather to consider it from the perspective of their experience.

Other Review Criteria/Factors

Other important considerations for OJP include geographic diversity, strategic priorities

(specifically including, but not limited to, Minority Serving Institutions if applicable), available 

funding, past performance, planned scholarly products, and the extent to which the Budget webbased form accurately explains project costs that are reasonable, necessary, and otherwise 

allowable under federal law and applicable federal cost principles. Costs are allowable when 

they are reasonable, allocable to, and necessary for the performance of the federal award, and 

when they comply with the funding statute and agency requirements (to include the conditions 
Page 32 O-NIJ-2024-171969

of the award), including the cost principles set out in the Uniform Requirements 2 C.F.R. Part 

200, Subpart E. 

Risk Criteria/Factors

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 with one or more prior federal awards has a satisfactory 

record of performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP checks whether the applicant is listed 

in SAM.gov 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 non-public 

segment of the integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (currently, the 

Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, FAPIIS). 

Important note on FAPIIS: An applicant may review and comment on any information about its 

organization that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal awarding agency. 

OJP will consider such comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in 

FAPIIS, in its assessment of the risk posed by the applicant.

Review Process

Applications submitted under this solicitation that meet the basic minimum requirements will be 

evaluated for technical merit by a peer review panel(s) in accordance with OJP peer review 

policy and procedures using the review criteria listed above.

All final award decisions will be made by the Director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), 

who may take into account not only peer review ratings and NIJ staff recommendations, but also 

other factors as indicated in this section. 

Peer review panels will evaluate and score applications that meet basic minimum requirements. 

NIJ may use external peer reviewers, internal 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 

matter of this solicitation. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any resulting recommendations are 

advisory only, although reviewer views are considered carefully.

Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices

Generally, award notifications are made by the end of the current federal fiscal year, September 

30. See the Application Resource Guide for information on award notifications and instructions.

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices

OJP strongly encourages the use of data and evidence in policymaking and program 

development for criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. For additional 
Page 33 O-NIJ-2024-171969

information and resources on evidence-based programs or practices (programs or practices that 

have been evaluated as effective), see the Application Resource Guide. 

Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities

OJP may conduct or support an evaluation of the projects and activities funded under this 

solicitation. For additional information on what should be included in the application, see the 

Application Resource Guide section entitled “Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of 

Programs and Activities.” 

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements

If selected for funding, in addition to implementing the funded project consistent with the OJPapproved application, the recipient must comply with all award conditions and all applicable 

requirements of federal statutes and regulations, including the 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 Application Resource Guide. 

Civil Rights Compliance

If a successful applicant accepts funding from OJP — as a recipient of OJP funding — that 

award recipient must comply with certain federal civil rights laws that prohibit it from 

discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or disability in how the 

recipient delivers its program’s services or benefits and in its employment practices. The civil 

rights laws that may be applicable to the award include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 

(Title VI), the nondiscrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act 

of 1968 (Safe Streets Act), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These and other 

federal civil rights laws are discussed in greater detail here: Overview of Legal Requirements 

Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2024 Awards under the 

“Civil Rights Requirements” section, and additional resources are available from the OJP Office 

for Civil Rights. 

Part of complying with civil rights laws that prohibit national origin discrimination includes 

recipients taking reasonable steps to ensure that people who are limited in their English 

proficiency (LEP) because of their national origin have meaningful access to a recipient’s 

program and activity. An LEP person is one whose first language is not English and who has a 

limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English. To help recipients meet this 

obligation to serve LEP persons, DOJ has published a number of resources, including a 

language access assessment and planning tool, which are available at 

https://www.lep.gov/language-access-planning. Additional resources are available at 

https://www.ojp.gov/program/civil-rights-office/limited-english-proficient-lep. If the award 

recipient proposes a program or activity that would deliver services or benefits to LEP 

individuals, the recipient may use grant funds to support the costs of taking reasonable steps 

(e.g., interpretation or translation services) to provide meaningful access. Similarly, recipients 

are responsible for ensuring that their programs and activities are readily accessible to qualified 

individuals with disabilities. Applicants for OJP funding must allocate grant funds or explain how 

other available resources will be used to ensure meaningful and full access to their programs. 

For example, grant funds can be used to support American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter 

services for deaf or hard of hearing individuals or the purchase of adaptive equipment for 
Page 34 O-NIJ-2024-171969

individuals with mobility or cognitive disabilities. For resources, see http://www.ADA.gov or 

contact OJP.

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 Requirements as set out at 2 C.F.R. § 

200.303, comply with standards for financial and program management. See the Application 

Resource Guide for additional information.

Information Technology Security Clauses

An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of information related to 

information technology security. See the Application Resource Guide for more information.

General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

In addition to the deliverables described in the “Program Description” section, all award 

recipients under this solicitation will be required to submit certain reports and data.

Required reports. Award recipients must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual 

performance reports, final financial and performance reports, technical summary 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 Application Resource Guide for additional information on specific post-award reporting 

requirements, including performance measure data.

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

For questions directed to the Federal Awarding Agency, see OJP Response Center contact 

information on in the solicitation Synopsis. 

For OJP contact(s), contact information for Grants.gov, and contact information for JustGrants,

see the solicitation Synopsis. 

Other Information

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

See the Application Resource Guide for information on the Freedom of Information and Privacy 

Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 552 and 552a).

Provide Feedback to OJP

See the Application Resource Guide for information on how to provide feedback to OJP. 
Page 35 O-NIJ-2024-171969

Performance Measures

Objective Performance Measure(s) Description Data Recipient 

Provides

Conduct research in 

social and behavioral 

sciences that has 

clear implications for 

criminal justice policy 

and practice in the 

United States.

Conduct research in 

science, technology, 

engineering, and/or 

mathematics that 

has clear 

implications for 

criminal or juvenile 

justice policy and 

practice in the United 

States.

1. Quality of the research as 

demonstrated by the 

scholarly products that result 

in whole or in part from work 

funded under the NIJ award, 

such as published, peerreviewed, scientific journal 

articles, and/or (as 

appropriate for the funded 

project) law review journal 

articles, conference 

presentations, book 

chapter(s) or book(s) in the 

academic press, 

technological prototypes, 

patented inventions, or 

similar scientific products.

2. Relevance to the needs of 

the field as measured by 

whether the project’s 

substantive scope did not 

deviate from the funded 

project or any subsequent 

agency-approved 

modifications to the scope.

3. Quality of management as 

measured by such factors as 

whether significant project 

milestones were achieved, 

reporting and other deadlines 

were met, and costs 

remained within approved 

limits.

4. Number of technologies 

fielded as a result, in whole 

or in part, of work funded 

under the NIJ award. 

A technology 

is defined as a 

tool to include, 

for example, 

test methods, 

software, 

hardware, etc. 

A fielded 

technology is 

one that 

remains in use 

at the 

conclusion of 

the grant or 

agreement.

1. List of citation(s) 

to all scholarly 

products that 

resulted in whole or 

in part from work 

funded under the NIJ 

award.

2. Quarterly financial 

reports, semi-annual 

and final 

performance reports, 

and products of the 

work performed 

under the NIJ award 

(including, at 

minimum, a technical 

summary). If 

applicable, an 

annual audit report.

3. If applicable, each 

data set that 

resulted, in whole or 

in part, from work 

funded under the NIJ 

award. 

4. Description of all 

technologies fielded 

as a result, in whole 

or in part, of work 

funded under the NIJ 

award.
Page 36 O-NIJ-2024-171969

Application Checklist

NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation for the Testing and Interpretation of Physical 

Evidence in Publicly Funded Forensic Laboratories

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

information, reference The OJP Application Submission Steps in the OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide and the DOJ Application Submission Checklist. 

Pre-Application

Before Registering in Grants.gov

• Confirm your entity’s registration in the System Award Management (SAM.gov) is active 

through the solicitation period; submit a new or renewal registration in SAM.gov if 

needed (see Application Resource Guide). 

Register in Grants.gov

• Acquire an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and a Grants.gov username

and password (see Application Resource Guide). 

• Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) (see 

Application Resource Guide). 

Find the Funding Opportunity

• Search for the funding opportunity in Grants.gov using the opportunity number, 

assistance listing number, or keyword(s). 

• Access the funding opportunity and application package (see Step 7 in the Application 

Resource Guide). 

• Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) (see Application Resource Guide). 

• Read Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov (about browser compatibility 

and special characters in file names). 

• Read OJP policy and guidance on conference approval, planning, and reporting

available at https://www.ojp.gov/funding/financialguidedoj/iii-postawardrequirements#6g3y8 (see Application Resource Guide). 

Review the Overview of Post-Award Legal Requirements

• Review the “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and 

Cooperative Agreements - FY 2024 Awards” in the OJP Funding Resource Center. 

Review the Scope Requirement

• The federal amount requested is within the allowable limit(s) of $1,500,000. 

Review Eligibility Requirement

• Review the “Eligibility” section in the Synopsis and “Eligibility Information” section in the 

solicitation.

Application Step 1

After registering with SAM.gov, submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL in Grants.gov. 

• In Section 8F of the SF-424, include the name and contact information of the individual 
Page 37 O-NIJ-2024-171969

who will complete the application in JustGrants and the SF-LLL in Grants.gov. 

Within 48 hours after the SF-424 and SF-LLL submission in Grants.gov, receive four (4) 

Grants.gov email notifications:

• A submission receipt

• A validation receipt

• A grantor agency retrieval receipt

• An agency tracking number assignment

If no Grants.gov receipt and validation email is received, or if error notifications are received:

• Contact OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov or 800-851-3420 or TTY: 301-240-

6310 (hearing impaired only) or Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 

606-545-5035, Grants.gov customer support, or support@grants.gov regarding technical 

difficulties (see Application Resource Guide section on Experiencing Unforeseen 

Technical Issues). 

Within 24 hours after receipt of confirmation emails from Grants.gov, the individual in Section 8F 

of the SF-424 will receive an email from JustGrants with login instructions.

• Proceed to Application Step 2 and complete application in JustGrants.

Application Step 2

Submit the following information in JustGrants: 

Application Components

• Entity and User Verification (First Time Applicant)

• Standard Applicant information (SF-424 information from Grants.gov)

• Proposal Abstract

• Proposal Narrative* (Critical Component)

• Application Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline

Budget and Associated Documentation

• Budget Detail Narrative and web-based form* (Critical Component)

• Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (see Application 

Resource Guide) 

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) (see Application Resource Guide) 

Additional Application Components

• Biosketch/Curriculum Vitae or Resumes* (Critical Component)

• Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see Application Resource Guide)

• Letters of Support 

• Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement (see Application 

Resource Guide) 

• Bibliography/References 

• Any Tools/Instruments, Questionnaires, Tables/Charts/Graphs, or Maps 

• List of Individuals in the Application 
Page 38 O-NIJ-2024-171969

• Human Subjects Protection

• Privacy Certificate 

• Proof of Forensic Laboratory Accreditation including Scope* (Critical Component)

• Request to Use Incentives or Stipends 

• Consortium/Contractual Arrangements 

• Data Archiving Plan 

• Project Management Plan and Timeline

• Potential Environmental Impact Coversheet and Checklist - National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA)

• Request and Justification for Employee Compensation; Waiver (if applicable) (see 

Application Resource Guide) 

Disclosures and Assurances

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see Application Resource Guide) 

• Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items (see Application Resource Guide) 

• DOJ Certified Standard Assurances (see Application Resource Guide) 

• DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other 

Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law Enforcement and 

Community Policing (see Application Resource Guide) 

• Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High-Risk Grantees (if applicable) (see 

Application Resource Guide) 

*Note: Items designated with an asterisk must be submitted for an application to meet 

the basic minimum requirements review. If OJP determines that an application does not 

include the designated items, it will neither proceed to peer review, nor receive further 

consideration.

Review, Certify, and Submit Application in JustGrants

• Any validation errors will immediately display on screen after submission.

• Correct validation errors, if necessary, and then return to the “Certify and Submit” screen 

to submit the application. Access the Application Submission Validation Errors Quick 

Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions to resolve errors prior to submission.

• Once the application is submitted and validated, a confirmation message will appear at 

the top of the page. Users will also receive a notification in the “bell” alerts confirming 

submission.

If no JustGrants application submission confirmation email or validation is received, or if error 

notification is received: 

• Contact the JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or

JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov regarding technical difficulties. See the Application 

Resource Guide for additional information. 
Page 39 O-NIJ-2024-171969

Standard Solicitation Resources

Application Resource Guide provides guidance to assist OJP grant applicants in preparing and 

submitting applications for OJP funding.

DOJ Grants Financial Guide serves as the primary reference manual to assist award recipients 

in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to safeguard grant funds and to ensure funds are used for 

the purposes for which they were awarded. It compiles a variety of laws, rules, and regulations 

that affect the financial and administrative management of DOJ awards. This guide serves as a 

starting point for all award recipients and subrecipients of DOJ grants and cooperative 

agreements in ensuring the effective day-to-day management of awards.

JustGrants Resources Website is an entryway into information about JustGrants and the grants 

management system itself. Through this portal both award recipients and applicants can access 

training resource and user support options, find frequently asked questions, and sign up for the

JustGrants Update e-newsletter. 

JustGrants Application Submission Training page offers helpful information and resources on 

the application process. This training page includes e-learning videos, reference guides, 

checklists, and other resources to help applicants complete an application.

Virtual Q&A Sessions are advertised here and provide opportunities for users to receive topicspecific training, direct technical assistance, and support on JustGrants system functionality.