U.S. Department of Justice OMB No. 1121-0329 

Office of Justice Programs Approval Expires 11/30/2020 

National Institute of Justice 

Prosecuting Cold Cases using DNA and 

Other Forensic Technologies 

FY 2019 Competitive Grant Solicitation 

CFDA No.: 16.560 

Grants.gov Solicitation Number: NIJ-2019-15627

Solicitation Release Date: March 28, 2019 

Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 28, 2019

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

Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for funding to increase the capacity of state and local 

prosecution offices to address violent crime cold cases. This program furthers the Department’s 

mission by providing resources toward the resolution of violent crime cold cases, which assists 

the criminal justice community to enforce the law, improve public safety, prevent and reduce 

crime, and ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice. 

This solicitation incorporates the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide by reference. The OJP 

Grant Application Resource Guide provides guidance to applicants for the preparation and 

submission to OJP of applications for funding. If this solicitation expressly modifies any 

provision in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide, the applicant is to follow the guidelines 

in this solicitation as to that provision. 

Eligibility (Who may apply): Eligible applicants are state and local prosecuting agencies, states 

(including territories), units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribal 

governments that perform law enforcement functions (as determined by the Secretary of the 

Interior). 

Prosecuting agencies, law enforcement, state agencies, or local crime laboratories may partner 

with the agency that serves as the lead applicant for the award to work towards achieving the 

program goal of seeking resolution in violent crime cold cases. However, a prosecuting entity 

must be fully engaged in the project. 

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

management fee. 
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NIJ-2019-15627 

NIJ will consider applications under which two or more entities would carry out the federal 

award; however, only one entity may be the applicant. Any others must be proposed as 

subrecipients (subgrantees). The applicant must be the entity that would have primary 

responsibility for carrying out the award, including administering the funding and managing the 

entire project. Under this solicitation, only one application by any particular applicant entity will 

be considered. An entity may, however, be proposed as a subrecipient in more than one 

application. For additional information on subawards, see the OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide. 

NIJ may elect to fund applications submitted under this FY 2019 solicitation in future fiscal 

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

availability of appropriations. 

Contact Information 

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support 

Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, or at 

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

except on federal holidays. 

An applicant that experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond its control that 

prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline must email the National Institute of 

Justice contact identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline to request 

approval to submit its application after the deadline. Additional information on reporting technical 

issues appears under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How To 

Apply (Grants.gov) section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact the National Criminal 

Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Response Center: toll-free at 1-800-851-3420; via TTY at 

301-240-6310 (hearing impaired only); email grants@ncjrs.gov; fax to 301-240-5830; or web 

chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp. The NCJRS Response Center hours of 

operation are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 

8:00 p.m. eastern time on the solicitation close date. General information on applying for NIJ 

awards can be found at www.nij.gov/funding/Pages/welcome.aspx. Answers to frequently asked 

questions that may assist applicants are posted at www.nij.gov/funding/Pages/faqs.aspx.

Post-Award Legal Requirements Notice

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 applicable requirements referred to 

in the assurances and certifications executed in connection with award acceptance). OJP 

strongly encourages prospective applicants to review information on post-award legal 

requirements and common OJP award conditions prior to submitting an application. 

For additional information on these legal requirements, see the “Administrative, National Policy, 

and Other Legal Requirements” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 
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Deadline details 

Applicants must register with Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

prior to submitting an application. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 

28, 2019. 

To be considered timely, an application must be submitted by the application deadline using 

Grants.gov, and the applicant must have received a validation message from Grants.gov that 

indicates successful and timely submission. OJP urges applicants to submit applications at least 

72 hours prior to the application due date, to allow time for the applicant to receive validation 

messages or rejection notifications from Grants.gov, and to correct in a timely fashion any 

problems that may have caused a rejection notification. 

An applicant must use the Add Attachment button to attach a file to its application. Do not click 

the paperclip icon to attach files. This action will not attach the files to the application. After 

adding an attachment, select the View Attachment button to confirm you attached the correct 

file. To remove the file, select the Delete Attachment button. 

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

For additional information, see the “How to Apply (Grants.gov)” section in the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide.
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Contents 

A. Program Description .............................................................................................................. 5

Overview ................................................................................................................................ 5

Program Specific Information ................................................................................................. 5

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables ....................................................................................... 6

Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities .................................. 8

B. Federal Award Information ..................................................................................................... 8

Type of Award ........................................................................................................................ 9

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls ......................................................... 9

Budget Information ................................................................................................................. 9

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement .................................................................................11

Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) .......................................................11

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver ...............................11

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs ...................11

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) ...................................................12

C. Eligibility Information .............................................................................................................12

D. Application and Submission Information ...............................................................................12

What an Application Should Include ......................................................................................12

How To Apply (Grants.gov) ...................................................................................................16

E. Application Review Information .............................................................................................16

Review Criteria ......................................................................................................................16

Review Process .....................................................................................................................18

F. Federal Award Administration Information ............................................................................19

Federal Award Notices ..........................................................................................................19

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements ............................................19

Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses .......................................................................20

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements ..............................20

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) ...................................................................................20

H. Other Information..................................................................................................................21

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and U.S.C. 552a) .............................21

Provide Feedback to OJP ......................................................................................................21

Appendix A: Performance Measures Table ...........................................................................22

Appendix B: Application Checklist .........................................................................................23
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NIJ-2019-15627 

Prosecuting Cold Cases using DNA and Other 

Forensic Technologies 

CFDA No. 16.560 

A. Program Description 

Overview 

The goals of the Prosecuting Cold Cases using DNA and Other Forensic Technologies 

solicitation are to: 1) prosecute violent crime cold cases; and 2) decrease the number of violent 

crime cold cases awaiting prosecution. 

Through this program, NIJ will provide grant funding to support the prosecution of violent crime 

cold cases, where DNA has been used to identify a suspect(s). Funding support includes

investigative activities and forensic analyses that could lead to prosecuting violent crime cold 

cases, and decreasing the number of violent crime cold cases awaiting prosecution. The 

Prosecuting Cold Cases using DNA and Other Forensic Technologies program supports the 

Department’s criminal justice priorities of reducing violent crime and supporting law enforcement 

officers and prosecutors by providing resources to address violent crime cold cases. 

NIJ defines a “violent crime cold case” as a case, such as a UCR Part 1 violent crime, 

missing persons, or unidentified persons, that has remained unsolved for at least three 

years, and has (1) the potential to be solved and/or prosecuted through the application of 

forensic techniques and/or technologies, or (2) newly acquired information, or advanced 

technologies to analyze evidence. 

For the purposes of this solicitation, “prosecute” includes all activities necessary to 

adjudicate violent crime cold cases, including, but not limited to, case review, 

investigation, and evidence analyses. 

Statutory Authority: Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law 116-6); 

section 2(b) of the Justice Served Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-257). 

Program Specific Information 

The Prosecuting Cold Cases using DNA and Other Forensic Technologies program is a 

competitive grant program that will provide funding to support agencies in the resolution of 

violent crime cold cases. 

Unsolved violent crime cases continue to amass annually. As crimes occur, unresolved crimes 

accumulate, adding to an expanding caseload for prosecutors and law enforcement. Once the 

investigation leads to the identification of a suspect, prosecuting agencies may experience an 

accumulation of cases to be prosecuted due to limited resources. The purpose of this 

solicitation is to make funding available to prosecuting agencies for projects that will assist in the 

resolution of the nation’s violent crime cold cases.
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For example, an estimated 103,780 of the reported murders in the United States that occurred 

between 1996 and 2016 remain unresolved.1 Clearance rates have trended downward, with just 

46 percent of the violent crime cases cleared in 2016, and only 62 percent of the reported 

murders were cleared.2

 The violent crime cases not cleared join the number of cold cases from 

previous years, compounding the cold case crisis in the United States. NIJ’s Prosecuting Cold 

Cases using DNA and Other Forensic Technologies program is aimed at providing resources for 

agencies to prosecute cases with suspects, and to decrease the number of unresolved violent 

crime cold cases. 

Experience has shown that cold case programs with dedicated resources can solve a significant 

number of violent crime cold cases by identifying opportunities for resolution. Advances in 

forensic technologies have substantially increased the successful analysis of aged, degraded, 

limited, or otherwise compromised evidence. As a result, evidence once thought to be 

unsuitable for testing or which may have provided inconclusive results in the past may now be 

successfully analyzed in some instances, thus providing probative information for the resolution 

of cold cases. 

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables 

The goal of the Prosecuting Cold Cases using DNA and Other Forensic Technologies program 

is to provide funding assistance for projects to: 

1) Increase the number of violent crime cold case prosecutions; and

2) Decrease the number of unresolved violent crime cold cases awaiting prosecution. 

The following should be the primary objectives of all proposals submitted under this solicitation: 

 Prosecution of cold cases involving violent crime where suspects have been identified 

through DNA evidence; 

 Decreasing the number of cold case violent crimes awaiting prosecution; and

 Enter all “criteria cases” into the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP) to 

increase the chances of identifying and apprehending violent serial offenders who pose 

a serious threat to public safety. 

The following activities are permissible as secondary objectives. The proposal should 

demonstrate clearly that these activities can be successfully performed: 

 Increasing the capacity for state and local prosecution offices to address cold cases 

involving violent crime. 

 Prosecution of violent crime cold cases where a non-DNA forensic technology was used 

to identify a suspect or to assist in the adjudication process. 

 Case review to identify, review, and prioritize violent crime cold cases that have the 

potential to be resolved using forensic technologies (by appropriate persons such as 

 

1 https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/downloads-and-docs. 

2

 Ibid. 
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prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement personnel, forensic scientists, and 

medical examiners), in order to determine whether forensic analysis of any existing 

evidence could help solve these cold cases. 

 Identify, locate, collect, process, and analyze evidence to assist prosecutors with the 

litigation of violent crime cold cases. 

Funds may be used for investigative activities related to the prosecution of a case, such as 

interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects. 

 Award recipients must enter all “criteria cases” into ViCAP by the end of the grant period 

and should budget accordingly. For more information about ViCAP, including the definition 

of “criteria cases,” please refer to: https://www2.fbi.gov/hq/isd/cirg/ncavc.htm#vicap. 

 Award recipients must enter all applicable cases into the National Missing and 

Unidentified Persons System (NamUs). 

Successful applicants must also enter all “criteria cases” into ViCAP (before the end of the grant 

period) to increase the chances of identifying and apprehending violent serial offenders who 

pose a serious threat to public safety. Grantees should budget for 20 minutes per ViCAP entry, 

plus additional time for personnel to conduct searches for matches, follow-up on leads, etc. For 

more information about ViCAP, including the definition of “criteria cases,” please refer to: 

https://www2.fbi.gov/hq/isd/cirg/ncavc.htm#vicap. 

Applicants must provide information on how NIJ funds will be used to implement sustainable 

solutions to address violent crime cold cases after the NIJ award ends. All projects that 

include personnel expenses are required to include a minimum of a twenty-five percent 

(25%) match of the budgeted personnel plus benefits amount. See Section B. Federal 

Award Information for details on cost sharing or matching requirements under this program. 

Program objectives with respect to the target number of cases to be reviewed, analyzed using 

forensic analyses, and prosecuted must be outlined in the proposal. 

The following requirements apply to all DNA analyses conducted under this program: 

 The laboratory must participate in external audits, not less than once every two years, 

that demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the Quality Assurance Standards 

established by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 

 The laboratory must be accredited by a nonprofit professional organization actively 

involved in forensic science that is nationally recognized within the forensic science 

community. 

 The laboratory must participate in the National DNA Index System (NDIS), or have an 

agreement with an NDIS participating laboratory to upload their data. 

 Applicants must ensure that all eligible DNA profiles obtained with funding from this 

program are entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and, where 

applicable, are uploaded into the National DNA Index System (NDIS). No profiles 
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generated with funding from this program may be entered into any non-governmental 

DNA database without prior express written approval from NIJ. 

 Applicants must ensure that all profiles uploaded to NDIS3 follow NDIS DNA Data 

Acceptance Standards. 

 Applicants must ensure that each DNA analysis conducted and resulting profile 

generated under this program is maintained pursuant to all applicable federal privacy 

requirements, including those described in 34 U.S.C. § 12592(b)(3). 

Non-DNA evidence analyses should be performed by a facility that complies with generally 

accepted practices for the discipline, such as applicable accreditation and quality assurance 

standards. The results of non-DNA analyses should be uploaded to the appropriate forensic 

databases such as the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN), the next 

Generation Identification System (NGI), or an Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification 

System (IAFIS), as appropriate.4

 Agencies are also encouraged to collaborate and use federal 

resources such as the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP), and NIJ’s 

National Unidentified and Missing Persons System (NamUs), when applicable. 

The Goals, Objectives and Deliverables are directly related to the performance measures that 

demonstrate the results of the work completed, as discussed under What an Application Should 

Include. 

Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities 

Applicants should note OJP may conduct or support an evaluation of the programs and 

activities funded under this solicitation. For additional information, see the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide section, entitled “Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of 

Programs and Activities.”

B. Federal Award Information 

Maximum number of awards NIJ expects to make 10 

Estimated maximum dollar amount for each award Up to $500,000

Total amount anticipated to be awarded under solicitation $5.5M 

Performance period start date January 1, 2020 

Performance period duration 3 years

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or 

additional requirements that may be imposed by law. 

 

3 https://www.fbi.gov/services/laboratory/biometric-analysis/codis/codis-and-ndis-fact-sheet. 

4

 This list of forensic databases is not intended to be an exhaustive list. NIJ recognizes the value of using databases 

to assist in criminal investigations. Additional examples of forensic databases are provided in the NIJ Journal article, 

“Forensic Databases: Paint, Shoe Prints, and Beyond.” https://www.nij.gov/journals/258/pages/forensicdatabases.aspx, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Forensic Database webpage 

https://www.nist.gov/oles/forensic-database. 
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Type of Award 

NIJ expects to make any award under this solicitation in the form of a grant. See the 

“Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements” section of the OJP Grant 

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 (and cooperative agreements). 

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 Requirements5 as set out at 2 C.F.R. 

200.303, comply with standards for financial and program management. See OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

Budget Information 

Permissible Expenses

All expenditures under this program must relate directly to violent crime cold cases, and for 

activities that may lead to the eventual prosecution of violent crime cold cases. 

1. Salary and benefits of additional employees 

Funds may be used for salaries and benefits of additional full-time or part-time 

employees to the extent that such employees are directly engaged in activities related to 

the resolution of violent crime cold cases, including case review, investigation, location 

of evidence, forensic analysis of evidence, and prosecution as described above. 

Applicants should demonstrate that additional full-time/part-time employee(s) would be 

directly engaged in these activities. Supplanting is not permitted. 

2. Overtime 

Funds may be used for overtime for existing employees for the purposes of adjudication, 

case review, investigation, location of evidence, and forensic analysis of evidence, 

including post-hit case investigation necessary for retrieval of confirmatory evidence 

samples. Project activities must be related to violent crime cold cases, with a goal of 

prosecuting cases and reducing the number of violent crime cold cases. All overtime 

payments must be made in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DOJ Grants 

Financial Guide, available at https://ojp.gov/financialguide/doj/index.htm. 

3. Travel (limited) 

Funds may be used for reasonable travel expenses related to investigative purposes, 

evidence collection, and necessary prosecutorial activities within the scope of the 

program. These costs must be in accordance with Federal policy or an organizationally 

approved travel policy. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer reserves the right to 

determine the reasonableness of the recipient's own established travel rates. The 

 

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

modifications) the provisions of 2 C.F.R. Part 200. 
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current travel policy and per diem rate information is available at the Per Diem Rates —

General Services Administration website. 

4. Computer equipment (limited) 

In limited circumstances, funds may be used to upgrade, replace, lease, or purchase 

computer hardware or software that will be used exclusively for the activities related to 

the violent crime cold case activities including case review, investigation, location of 

evidence, forensic analysis, and prosecution of these cases. 

Equipment will be limited to desktop computers, monitors, keyboards, mouses, laptops, 

external CD writers, flash drivers, printers, and scanners. 

5. Consultant and contractor services 

Funds may be used to hire consultants or temporary contract staff, or both, to conduct 

case reviews, investigations, locate evidence, or conduct forensic analyses of evidence. 

Funds may also be used for contracts with accredited fee-for-service laboratories to 

conduct forensic analysis of evidence. 

What will not be funded: 

Federal funds awarded under this program may only be used for the permissible expenses 

outlined above. Among other things, funds may not be used for: 

1. Budgets that do not address the program-specific purposes of increasing the number of 

violent crime cold case prosecutions and decreasing the number of unresolved violent 

crime cold cases. 

2. Work that will be funded under another specific solicitation. 

3. Salaries, benefits, or overtime for staff who are not directly engaged in prosecution, case 

review, investigation, location of evidence, and forensic analysis of evidence. 

4. Applications with salaries or benefits that do not provide sufficient documentation to 

demonstrate that the minimum 25 percent match requirement for these budgeted costs 

has been met. 

5. Laboratory equipment. 

6. Portable investigative equipment. 

7. Cell phones and cell phone plans. 

8. Vehicles. 

9. Construction. 

10. Renovation. 

11. Rental costs for space. 
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12. Office furnishings. 

13. Costs for general cold case investigations—those that do not involve UCR, Part 1 violent 

crimes, or do not have the potential to be solved through forensic analysis. 

14. General laboratory capacity enhancement or general casework backlog reduction. 

15. Any activities prior to the identification of a suspect in a violent crime cold case. 

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 

This solicitation requires a 25 percent salaries and benefits cash or in-kind match. See OJP 

Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information on this match requirement. Priority 

consideration will be given to those agencies that exceed the 25 percent required match. This 

shows further commitment by the applicant towards a longer term sustainability plan for a cold 

case unit and investigations. Voluntary committed cost sharing (defined at 2 C.F.R. 200.99) –

or, voluntary match – must be cash-only under this program and, if that cash match is properly 

documented in the application, that additional cash contribution to the project will be considered 

in award decisions as described under Section E. Application Review Information, below. 

Pre-agreement costs are costs incurred by the applicant prior to the start date of the period of 

performance of the federal award. Requests for approval of pre-agreement costs will not be 

considered under this solicitation. 

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

Pre-agreement costs are costs 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; an applicant must request and obtain the 

prior written approval of OJP for all such costs. All such costs incurred prior to award and prior 

to approval of the costs are incurred at the sole risk of the applicant. (Generally, no applicant 

should incur project costs before submitting an application requesting federal funding for those 

costs.) Should there be extenuating circumstances that make it appropriate for OJP to consider 

approving pre-agreement costs, the applicant may contact the point of contact listed on the title 

page of the solicitation for the requirements concerning written requests for approval. If 

approved in advance by OJP, award funds may be used for pre-agreement costs, consistent 

with the recipient’s approved budget and applicable cost principles. See the section on Costs 

Requiring Prior Approval in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide Post award Requirements at 

https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm for more information. 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver 

For applicants seeking the waiver, see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information. 

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs 

OJP strongly encourages every applicant that proposes to use award funds for any conference-, 

meeting-, or training-related activity (or similar event) to review carefully—before submitting an 
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application—the OJP and DOJ policy and guidance on approval, planning, and reporting of such 

events. See OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information. 

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on costs associated with 

language assistance that may be allowable. 

C. Eligibility Information 

For eligibility information, see title page. 

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

Information. 

D. Application and Submission Information 

What an Application Should Include 

For this solicitation, NIJ has designated the following application elements as critical: Program 

Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative, and resumes/curriculum vitae of key 

personnel. 

See the “Application Elements and Formatting Instructions” section of the OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide for information on, among other things, what happens to an application that 

does not contain all the specified elements, or that is nonresponsive to the scope of the 

solicitation. 

1. Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form [SF]-424)

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

Guide for additional information on completing the SF-424. 

Intergovernmental Review: This solicitation ("funding opportunity") is not subject to 

Executive Order 12372. (In completing the SF-424, an applicant is to answer question 19 by 

selecting the response that the “Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.”) 

2. Project Abstract

Applications should include a high quality project abstract that summarizes the proposed 

project in 400 words or less. Project abstracts should be —

 Written for a general public audience. 

 Submitted as a separate attachment with “Project Abstract” as part of its file name.

 Single-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (such as Times New Roman) with 1-

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

program narrative. 

3. Program Narrative

The program narrative section of the application should not exceed fifteen (15) doublespaced pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. If included in the main body of the 

program narrative, tables, charts, figures, and other illustrations count toward the 15-page 

limit for the narrative section. The project abstract, table of contents, appendices, and 

government forms do not count toward the 15-page limit. Pages should be numbered. 

If the program narrative fails to comply with these length-related restrictions, NIJ may 

consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions. 

a. Title Page (not counted against the 15-page program narrative limit) 

The title page should include the title of the project, submission date, funding opportunity 

number, and the applicant’s name and complete contact information (i.e., address, 

telephone number, and e-mail address). 

b. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the15-page program narrative 

limit).

c. Main Body 

The main body of the program narrative should describe the proposed project in depth. 

Proposals should clearly define the strategy and criteria that will be used to identify, 

prioritize, and select violent crime cold cases that will be prosecuted AND define the 

strategy and criteria that will be used to identify, prioritize, and select violent crime cold 

cases that have the potential to be solved through forensic analysis. These may be 

demonstrated through the inclusion of checklists, flowcharts, diagrams, or narratives, 

and should be developed through collaboration with appropriate members of the criminal 

justice community (such as crime laboratory personnel, prosecutors, defense counsel, 

medical examiners, law enforcement investigators, etc.) Proposals also should clearly 

define the laboratory(ies) (government-owned or fee-for-service) expected to conduct 

forensic analyses of biological evidence (if necessary), including data review and/or 

entry of eligible DNA profiles into CODIS, and where applicable, NDIS. 

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

 Eligibility Statement. 

Demonstration, including thorough discussion of applicant’s plan and provision of 

any pertinent, supporting documentation, of how the applicant will meet the minimum 

25 percent matching requirement for salaries and benefits expenses. 

 Description of the Issue. 

 Project Design and Implementation. 
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 Capabilities and Competencies.

 Impact/Outcomes. 

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

OJP will require each successful applicant to submit regular performance data that 

demonstrate the results of the work carried out under the award. The performance 

data directly relate to the goals, objectives, and deliverables identified under "Goals, 

Objectives, and Deliverables" in Section A. Program Description. 

Applicants should visit OJP’s performance measurement page at 

www.ojp.gov/performance for an overview of performance measurement activities at 

OJP. 

Performance measures for this solicitation are listed in Appendix A: Performance 

Measures Table. 

The application should demonstrate the applicant’s understanding of the 

performance data reporting requirements for this grant program and detail how the 

applicant will gather the required data should it receive funding. 

Please note that applicants are not required to submit performance data with the 

application. Performance measures information is included as an alert that 

successful applicants will be required to submit performance data as part of the 

reporting requirements under an award. 

Award recipients will be required to submit performance metrics in semi-annual 

progress reports and a final progress report in OJP’s Grants Management System 

(GMS). Any qualitative or statistical data included in the application may be 

considered as baseline data to review project progress, and not as criterion for 

award selection. 

d. Appendices 

 Bibliography/references (if applicable). 

 Proposed project timeline and calendar with expected milestones. 

 Curriculum vitae, resumes, or biographical sketches of key personnel. 

 Organizational chart. 

 Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations 

collaborating in the project (if applicable). 

 List of any previous and current NIJ awards to the applicant organization, 

including the NIJ-assigned award numbers. 

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

has been submitted (if applicable). 
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Note on Project Evaluations 

An applicant that proposes to use award funds through this solicitation to conduct project 

evaluations should follow the guidance under Note on Project Evaluations in the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide. 

4. Budget Information and Associated Documentation

See the Budget Preparation and Submission Information section of the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for details on the Budget Detail Worksheet, and on budget 

information and associated documentation, such as information on proposed subawards, 

proposed procurement contracts under awards, and pre-agreement costs. 

5. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

See the Budget Preparation and Submission Information section of the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for information. 

6. Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of information related to 

a tribal authorizing resolution. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for 

information on tribal authorizing resolutions. 

7. Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (including 

applicant disclosure of high-risk status)

Every OJP applicant (other than an individual applying in his or her personal capacity) is 

required to download, complete, and submit the OJP Financial Management and System of 

Internal Controls Questionnaire (Questionnaire) at 

https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/FinancialCapability.pdf as part of its application. 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information and submission 

instructions for this Questionnaire. 

8. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Each applicant must complete and submit this information. See the OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide for additional information and submission instructions for this disclosure. 

9. Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications

Each applicant is to disclose whether it has (or is proposed as a subrecipient under) any 

pending applications for federally funded grants or cooperative agreements that (1) include 

requests for funding to support the same project being proposed in the application under this 

solicitation, and (2) would cover any identical cost items outlined in the budget submitted to 

OJP as part of the application under this solicitation. For additional information on the 

submission requirements for this disclosure, see the OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide. 
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NIJ-2019-15627 

10. Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees6 (if applicable)

An applicant that is designated as a DOJ High Risk Grantee is to submit, as a separate 

attachment to its application, information that OJP will use, among other pertinent 

information, to determine whether it will consider or select the application for an award under 

this solicitation. The file should be named “DOJ High Risk Grantee Applicant Disclosure and 

Justification.” (See, also, “Review Process,” below, under Section E. Application Review 

Information, for a brief discussion of how such information may considered in the application 

review process.) See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information 

and submission instructions for this disclosure. 

11. Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity

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. For additional information 

regarding demonstrating research/evaluation independence and integrity, including 

appropriate safeguards, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

How To Apply (Grants.gov) 

Applicants must register in and submit applications through Grants.gov, a primary source to find 

federal funding opportunities and apply for funding. Find information on how to apply in 

response to this solicitation in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

Registration and Submission Steps 

Applicants will need the following identifying information when searching for the funding 

opportunity on Grants.gov. 

 CFDA no. 16.560, National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development 

Project Grants. 

 Funding Opportunity Number: NIJ-2019-15627.

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

Resource Guide. 

E. Application Review Information 

Review Criteria 

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

the following review criteria: 

 

6 A “DOJ High Risk Grantee” is a recipient that has received a DOJ High-Risk designation based on a documented 

history of unsatisfactory performance, financial instability, management system or other internal control deficiencies, 

or noncompliance with award terms and conditions on prior awards, or that is otherwise not responsible. 
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1. Statement of the Problem/Description of the Issue (10%)

Applicants should include appropriate citations and other information to demonstrate an 

understanding of the problem, and the expected impact of the funding in 

solving/prosecuting violent crime cold cases. 

2. Project Design and Implementation (40%)

a. Awareness of the state of current forensic technology, and its application to 

solving/prosecuting cold cases. 

b. Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach. 

c. Feasibility of proposed project and awareness of pitfalls. 

d. Innovation and creativity (when appropriate). 

e. Sustainability of continued operations to address unresolved cold cases. 

3. Capabilities and Competencies (20%)

a. Qualifications and experience of proposed staff. 

b. Demonstrated ability of proposed staff and organization to manage the effort. 

c. Adequacy of the plan to manage the project, including how various tasks are 

subdivided and resources are used. 

4. Plan for Collecting the Data Required for this Solicitation’s Performance Measures (20%)

a. Potential for resolving violent crime cold cases. 

b. Potential for significant advances in the field. 

c. Plan for collecting data required for this solicitation’s performance measures.

5. Budget (10%): complete, cost effective, and allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and 

necessary for project activities). Budget narratives should demonstrate generally how 

applicants will maximize cost effectiveness of grant expenditures. Budget narratives 

should demonstrate cost effectiveness in relation to potential alternatives and the goals 

of the project.7

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

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

c. Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

 

7

 Generally speaking, a reasonable cost is a cost that, in its nature or amount, does not exceed that which would be 

incurred by a prudent person under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made to incur the 

costs. 
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NIJ-2019-15627 

d. Alignment with project activities. 

e. Demonstration of sustainable commitment to the project that offers the potential for 

greater overall projected impact from the project (e.g. the inclusion of a matching 

funds contribution towards the project.) 

Review Process 

OJP is committed to ensuring a fair and open process for making awards. NIJ reviews the 

application to make sure that the information presented is reasonable, understandable, 

measurable, and achievable, as well as consistent with the solicitation. 

Peer reviewers will review the applications submitted under this solicitation that meet basic 

minimum requirements. For purposes of assessing whether an application meets basic 

minimum requirements and should proceed to further consideration, OJP screens applications 

for compliance with those requirements. Although specific requirements may vary, the following 

are common requirements applicable to all solicitations for funding under OJP programs: 

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

 The application must request funding within programmatic funding constraints (if 

applicable). 

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

 The application must include all items designated as “critical elements.”

The application, if submitted by an applicant that is a DOJ High Risk Grantee,8 or is designated 

“high risk” by a federal grant-making agency outside of DOJ, must not have been determined by 

the PO Head to pose a substantial risk of program implementation failure, based on 1) the 

applicant’s lack of sufficient progress in addressing required corrective actions necessary for 

removal of the DOJ High Risk Grantee (or non-DOJ high risk) designation, 2) the nature and 

severity of the issues leading to or accompanying the DOJ High Risk Grantee (or non-DOJ high 

risk) designation, and/or 3) the applicant’s expected ability to manage grant funds and achieve 

grant goals and objectives. 

For a list of the critical elements for this solicitation, see “What an Application Should Include” 

under Section D. Application and Submission Information. 

Peer review panels will evaluate, score, and rate applications that meet basic minimum 

requirements. NIJ may use internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers, or a combination, 

to assess applications on technical merit using the solicitation’s review criteria. An internal 

reviewer is a current DOJ employee who is well-versed or has expertise in the subject matter of 

this solicitation. An external peer reviewer is an expert in the subject matter of a given 

solicitation who is not a current DOJ employee. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any resulting 

recommendations are advisory only, although reviewer views are considered carefully. 

 

8 See “Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees” under “What an Application Should Include,” 

above, for a definition of “DOJ High Risk Grantee.”
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NIJ-2019-15627 

Other important considerations for NIJ include geographic diversity, strategic priorities, potential 

project sustainability factors such as voluntary committed cost sharing (or match), and available 

funding, as well as the extent to which the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative 

accurately explain project costs that are reasonable, necessary, and otherwise allowable under 

federal law and applicable federal cost principles. An applicant proposing any voluntary 

committed cost sharing (using cash-only match) must clearly describe and properly document it 

in the program narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet, and SF-424. In its consideration of any such 

voluntary match, along with its consideration of other program policy or other factors, OJP will 

consider the significance of proposed match contribution to the potential success of the project, 

how it supports overall program goals and objectives, and how the application demonstrates an 

applicant’s commitment to sustaining the contribution and the project. 

Pursuant to the Part 200 Uniform Requirements, before award decisions are made, OJP also 

reviews information related to the degree of risk posed by the applicant. Among other things to 

help assess whether an applicant that has one or more prior federal awards has a satisfactory 

record with respect to performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP checks whether the 

applicant is listed in SAM as excluded from receiving a federal award. 

In addition, if OJP anticipates that an award will exceed $250,000 in federal funds, OJP also 

must review and consider any information about the applicant that appears in the non-public 

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

Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, FAPIIS). 

Important note on FAPIIS: An applicant, at its option, may review and comment on any 

information about itself that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal awarding 

agency. OJP will consider any such comments by the applicant, in addition to the other 

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

Absent explicit statutory authorization or written delegation of authority to the contrary, all final 

award decisions will be made by the Assistant Attorney General, who may take into account not 

only peer review ratings and NIJ recommendations, but also other factors as indicated in this 

section. 

F. Federal Award Administration Information 

Federal Award Notices 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on award notifications and 

instructions. 

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements 

OJP strongly encourages prospective applicants to review information on post-award legal 

requirements and common OJP award conditions prior to submitting an application. See the 

OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information on administrative, national 

policy, and other legal requirements. 
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NIJ-2019-15627 

Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses 

An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of information related to 

information technology security. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information 

on information technology security. 

Awards under this solicitation will include a condition (the specific terms of which will govern the 

award) related to verification of employment eligibility. The condition will, generally speaking, 

require the recipient (and any subrecipient) that accepts the award to verify the employment 

eligibility of any individual hired under the award, consonant with 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(1). 

Awards under this solicitation will include a condition (the specific terms of which will govern the 

award) related to competition requirements set forth at 2 C.F.R. § 200.319. The condition will, 

generally speaking, prohibit recipients (and any subrecipients) from procuring goods and 

services with award funds by means of any competition that disadvantages or excludes vendors 

on the basis of their having (or their having had) a prior or existing contractual relationship with 

the federal government. 

 

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements 

In addition to the deliverables described in Section A. Program Description, any recipient of an 

award under this solicitation will be required to submit certain reports and data. 

Required reports. Recipients typically must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual

progress reports, final financial and progress reports, and, if applicable, an annual audit report in 

accordance with the Part 200 Uniform Requirements or specific award conditions. 

If a case is prosecuted, resolved, or a forensic database hit occurs during a reporting period, a 

brief description of the case should be included in the progress report. The description should 

detail the offense type, date of offense, forensic analyses, and information on any database hits 

(offender or forensic) and the evidence from which the hit was obtained, and a summary of the 

case. Copies of press releases and/or links to any media publications related to the project’s 

activities should also be included in the progress reports. 

Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if reports are delinquent. (In appropriate 

cases, OJP may require additional reports.) 

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

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 

For OJP contact(s), see the title page. 

For contact information for Grants.gov, see the title page. 
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NIJ-2019-15627 

H. Other Information 

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

All applications submitted to OJP (including all attachments to applications) are subject to the 

federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and to the Privacy Act. See the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for information on DOJ and OJP processes with regard to 

application information requested pursuant to FOIA. 

Provide Feedback to OJP 

To assist OJP in improving its application and award processes, OJP encourages applicants to 

provide feedback on this solicitation, the application submission process, and/or the application 

review process. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on providing 

solicitation feedback to OJP. 
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NIJ-2019-15627 

Appendix A: Performance Measures Table 

Objective Performance 

Measure(s) Data Recipient Provides

To prosecute 

“violent crime 

cold cases” 

that have the 

potential to be 

solved through 

forensic 

technology

1. Percentage of “violent 

crime cold cases” 

where a suspect(s) 

was identified with 

DNA that have been 

prosecuted.

2. Percentage of “violent 

crime cold cases” 

where a suspect(s) 

was identified with 

DNA that have 

resulted in a 

conviction.

3. Percentage of “violent 

crime cold cases” 

where a suspect(s) 

was identified with 

DNA but additional 

forensic evidence was 

requested for 

analysis.

4. Percentage of 

prosecution cases 

involving a suspect 

currently incarcerated 

or convicted of a 

previous crime.

5. Percentage of cases 

that were entered into 

ViCAP.

6. Percentage of cases 

that have been 

entered into NamUs.

1. The number of “violent crime cold cases” where a 

suspect(s) was identified with DNA pending prosecution at 

the start of the project period.

2. The number of new “violent crime cold cases” where a 

suspect(s) was identified with DNA that have been 

submitted to the prosecutor’s office in each project 

reporting period.

3. The number of “violent crime cold cases” where additional 

forensic evidence was used to assist in the prosecution 

after the suspect(s) was identified with DNA.

4. The number of “violent crime cold cases” where the 

suspect was incarcerated at the time or had a previous 

criminal conviction(s).

5. The type of forensic evidence used to assist the 

prosecution after the suspect(s) was identified through DNA 

such as latent prints, firearms and tool marks, trace 

evidence, additional DNA evidence, and computer/digital 

forensics.

6. If additional DNA was used during the course of the

prosecution, the number of DNA profiles uploaded to 

CODIS.

7. The number of CODIS HITS.

8. The number of “violent crime cold cases” where a suspect 

was identified with DNA that have been prosecuted.

9. The number of convictions of “violent crime cold cases” 

resulting from the prosecution.

10. The number of cases associated with this award that have 

been entered into ViCAP.

11. The number of cases that resulted in a linkage in ViCAP.

12. The number of other cases solved because of entry into 

ViCAP.

13. The number of cases associated with this award that have 

been entered into NamUs.

14. The number of cases that resulted in an identification 

through NamUs.

15. Quarterly financial reports, semi-annual progress reports, 

and a final comprehensive progress report.
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NIJ-2019-15627 

Appendix B: Application Checklist 

Prosecuting Cold Cases using DNA and Other Forensic Technologies 

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

What an Applicant Should Do: 

Prior to Registering in Grants.gov:

_____ Acquire a DUNS Number 

_____ Acquire or renew registration with SAM 

To Register with Grants.gov: 

_____ Acquire AOR and Grants.gov username/password 

_____ Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Biz POC 

To Find Funding Opportunity:

_____ Search for the Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov 

_____ Access Funding Opportunity and Application Package 

_____ Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) 

_____ Read Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov

_____ Read OJP policy and guidance on conference approval, planning, and reporting

available at ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/PostawardRequirements/chapter3.10a.htm

(see page 11) 

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

_____ (1) application has been received, 

_____ (2) application has either been successfully validated or rejected with errors 

If No Grants.gov Receipt, and Validation or Error Notifications are Received: 

_____ contact NIJ regarding experiencing technical difficulties (see page 2) 

Overview of Post-Award Legal Requirements: 

_____ Review the “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and 

Cooperative Agreements – FY 2018 Awards" in the OJP Funding Resource Center at 

https://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/LegalOverview/index.htm. 

Scope Requirement: 

_____ The federal amount requested is within the allowable limit(s).

Eligibility Requirement: Eligible applicants are State or local prosecuting agencies, States 

(including territories), units of local government, federally recognized Indian tribal governments 

that perform law enforcement functions (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior).
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What an Application Should Include:

The following items are critical application elements required to pass BMR. An application that 

OJP determines does not include the application elements designated to be critical, will neither 

proceed to peer review, nor receive further consideration.

_____ Program Narrative (see page 13)

_____ Curriculum vitae, resumes, or biographical sketches of key personnel (see page 14)

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (see page 15)

_____ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) (see page 12)

_____ Project Abstract (see page 12)

_____ Program Narrative (see page 13)

_____ Appendices to the Program Narrative (see page 14)

_____ Bibliography/references (if applicable)

_____ Project timeline and calendar with expected milestones

_____ Human Subject Protection Paperwork

_____ Privacy Certificate 

_____ List of previous and current NIJ awards to applicant organization 

_____ Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations 

collaborating in the project (if applicable) 

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

has been submitted (if applicable)

_____ Organizational chart

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (see page 15)

_____ Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) (see page 15)

_____ Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see page 15)

_____ Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (see page 15)

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see page 15)

_____ Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications (see page 15)

_____ Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees (if applicable)

(see page 16)

_____ Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity (see page 16)

_____ Request and Justification for Employee Compensation; Waiver (if applicable)

(see page 11)