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

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

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

Justice (NIJ) is pleased to announce that it is seeking applications for funding to conduct 

research to assist in developing improved methods for testing body armor performance. This 

program furthers the Department’s mission by sponsoring research to provide objective, 

independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet the challenges of crime and justice, 

particularly at the State and local levels. 

Solicitation: 

Body Armor Standards Research for Criminal 

Justice Applications 

Eligibility

In general, NIJ is authorized to make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative 

agreements with, States (including territories), units of local government (including federallyrecognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior), nonprofit 

and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and for-profit organizations), institutions of 

higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education), and certain qualified 

individuals. For-profit organizations must agree to forgo any profit or management fee. Foreign 

governments, foreign organizations, and foreign institutions of higher education are not eligible 

to apply. 

Deadline 

Registration with Grants.gov is required prior to application submission. (See “How to Apply,” 

page 8.) 

All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on February 7, 2011. (See “Deadlines: 

Registration and Application,” page 3.) 

Contact Information

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

Support Hotline at 800–518–4726 or via e-mail to support@grants.gov.

Note: The Grants.gov Support Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 

except Federal holidays. 

For assistance with any other requirement of this solicitation, contact Debra Stoe, Physical 

Scientist, at 202–616–7036 or by e-mail to Debra.Stoe@usdoj.gov. 

Grants.gov number assigned to announcement: NIJ–2011–2796

SL# 000955 
CONTENTS 

Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 3 

Deadlines: Registration and Application ....................................................................................... 3 

Eligibility ........................................................................................................................................ 3 

Program-Specific Information ....................................................................................................... 3 

Performance Measures ................................................................................................................. 7 

Notice of New Post-Award Reporting Requirements .................................................................... 8 

How to Apply ................................................................................................................................. 8 

What an Application Should Include ........................................................................................... 10 

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance, Standard Form (SF) 424 .. 11 

Program Narrative .................................................................................................................. 11 

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative ..................................................................... 13 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable). ......................................................................... 13 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) ........................................................................... 13 

Other Standard Forms............................................................................................................ 14 

Selection Criteria ......................................................................................................................... 14 

Review Process .......................................................................................................................... 16 

Additional Requirements ............................................................................................................. 16 

Application Checklist ................................................................................................................... 19 

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Body Armor Standards Research for Criminal 

Justice Applications 

(CFDA 16.560) 

Overview 

The purpose of the National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development 

Projects Grants program is to encourage and support research, development, and evaluation to 

improve criminal justice policy and practice in the United States. 

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals to fund research to assist it in developing improved 

methods for testing the performance of body armor. This solicitation specifically seeks proposals 

for research to support the revision of NIJ Standard–0115.00 Stab Resistance of Personal Body 

Armor. It also seeks proposals for research to determine the effect of wearing “soft” armor on 

the core body temperature of the individual wearing it. 

Authorizing Legislation: Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 

(sections 201 and 202); Homeland Security Act of 2002 (section 232). 

Deadlines: Registration and Application 

Registration is required prior to submission. OJP strongly encourages registering with 

Grants.gov several weeks before the deadline for application submission. The deadline for 

applying for funding under this announcement is 11:59 p.m. eastern time on February 7, 2011. 

Please see the “How to Apply” section, page 8, for more details. 

Eligibility 

Please refer to the title page for eligibility under this program. 

Program-Specific Information—Body Armor Standards Research for 

Criminal Justice Applications

NIJ’s Science and Technology (S&T) program sponsors research, development, test, and 

evaluation efforts to improve the safety and effectiveness of the tools and technologies used by 

criminal justice agencies. Although Federal agencies are part of its constituency, NIJ’s primary 

focus is on the needs of State and local agencies. 

Improved methods to ensure the continued performance of body armor is a high-priority 

technology need of criminal justice agencies. In an effort to meet this need, NIJ seeks proposals 

to fund research to assist it in development of improved methods to test the performance of 

stab- and slash-resistant body armor. The ultimate goal of this research is to reduce officer 

injuries and fatalities. 

NIJ also seeks proposals for research to determine how wearing “soft” armor affects the core 

body temperature of the individual wearing it to determine if there is an objective need to 

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incorporate cooling technology into the soft body armor worn by law enforcement and 

corrections officers. 

NIJ is specifically interested in receiving proposals for research addressing the following four 

topics as described below. A single application may not address more than one topic. However, 

an applicant may submit multiple applications, each addressing a different topic. 

1) Weapons Characterization—the threat posed by a stabbing or slashing weapon is a 

complex function involving a number of factors including the weapon’s characteristics 

(geometry, material properties, hardness, “sharpness,” etc.). 

NIJ is interested in receiving proposals for a three-phase research effort to better 

characterize the stabbing and slashing weapons faced by law enforcement and corrections 

officers today. The first phase of this effort involves a survey of these weapons, both 

manufactured and improvised (i.e., shivs, shanks, etc.). The second phase involves 

development of a typology so that the weapons can be characterized in terms of their 

relative threat potential to body armor and grouped in such a way as to require a minimum 

number of testing exemplars. The third phase involves comparing these exemplars with the 

current testing exemplars specified in NIJ Standard–0115.00. 

The proposal should describe a plan to develop statistical analyses regarding the types of 

penetration and slashing weapons that law enforcement and corrections officers encounter. 

Weapons both used in actual assaults on officers, as well as those discovered during 

searches and investigations should be considered. The typology should describe specific 

approaches for assessing the threat potential of the weapons considered and be general 

enough so that it may be successfully applied to similar threats in the future. The research 

effort should provide recommendations and justifications for revision of the exemplars to be 

considered for inclusion in a future revision to NIJ Standard–0115.00.

2) Wound Characterization—NIJ is interested in receiving proposals for research examining 

stab and slash assaults on law enforcement and corrections officers. Of specific interest are 

the details of sustained injuries such as the location on the officers’ body and the severity of 

the injuries. The research should recommend how body armor design can be improved to 

lessen the frequency and/or severity of injuries. 

3) Decision-making Factors Influencing the Wearing of Body Armor—NIJ is interested in 

receiving proposals for research to identify the factors that influence corrections officers’ 

decisions on whether to wear body armor. The proposal should develop a scientifically 

based survey of corrections officers to establish a prioritized list of factors. The research 

should provide recommendations on steps that can be taken to improve the likelihood that 

body armor will be worn in appropriate circumstances. 

4) Soft Armor Effects on Core Body Temperature—Considerable research has been done 

on the effect of wearing body armor on core body temperature. None of it is definitive from 

the perspective of the operational circumstances in which law enforcement and corrections 

officers find themselves and the soft body armor that they typically wear. 

NIJ is interested in receiving proposals for definitive research to determine the objective 

effect of wearing soft armor (both ballistic- and stab-resistant) on core body temperature in 

those circumstances. The results of this research will be used to determine if there is an 

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objective need to incorporate cooling technology into these body armors and under what 

conditions. 

This research should involve first determining the environments in which law enforcement 

and corrections officers operate (e.g., indoors, outdoors, etc.) and the types of activities they 

perform while wearing soft body armor (e.g., in a vehicle, walking, running, sitting, etc.) in 

those environments. It should then test the effect of those varying operational circumstances 

on core body temperature. Among many other questions, this research should address how 

differing body types may mitigate or increase such an effect.

NIJ strongly encourages partnerships between researchers and practitioners during all phases 

of research projects, to ensure that the research addresses the needs of the practitioner. 

Preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate an existing partnership with State or 

local criminal justice agencies. 

NIJ expects that a grantee that receives an award resulting from this solicitation will provide to 

NIJ for evaluation any fixtures or test methods developed with grant funding, along with any 

relevant designs and specifications. 

Evaluation research: Within applications proposing evaluation research, funding priority will be 

given to experimental research designs that use random selection and assignment of 

participants to experimental and control conditions. When randomized designs are not feasible, 

priority will be given to quasi-experimental designs that include contemporary procedures such 

as Propensity Score Matching or Regression Discontinuity Design to address selection bias in 

evaluating outcomes and impacts.

Evaluations that also include measurements of program fidelity and implementation as part of a 

thorough process assessment are desirable. Measurements of program fidelity should be 

included as part of an assessment of program processes and operations to ensure that policies, 

programs, and technologies are implemented as designed. As one aspect of a comprehensive 

evaluation, assessments of program processes should include objective measurements and 

qualitative observations of programs as they are actually implemented and of services that are 

delivered. These may include assessment of such aspects as adherence to program content 

and protocol, quantity and duration, quality of delivery, and participant responsiveness. 

Proposed evaluation research designs with multiple units of analysis and multiple 

measurements will also be given priority. Design aspects that contribute to the validity of results 

are necessary to effectively address issues of generalizability and representativeness of 

findings. 

Finally, applications that include cost/benefit analysis will be given priority. NIJ views 

cost/benefit analysis as an effective way to communicate and disseminate findings from 

evaluation research. 

Amount and length of awards: Total funding for this solicitation and the number of awards 

made will depend on the availability of funds, the quality of the applications, and other pertinent 

factors. All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any 

modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law. In recent years, 

approximately 8 percent of applications to NIJ's annual Science and Technology solicitations 

have been funded. NIJ funding for an individual research or development project rarely exceeds 

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$500,000 annually, though total funding for projects requiring multiple years to complete has 

exceeded $1 million in some cases. If feasible, NIJ recommends that applicants divide the 

proposed work into discrete phases, with each phase resulting in the delivery of a measurable 

deliverable. Applicants should try to structure the phases so that the funding required in any 

fiscal year will not exceed $500,000. Although NIJ cannot guarantee that subsequent phases, 

stages, or tasks will be funded, this approach will enable NIJ to fund the proposed work 

incrementally, depending on, among other things, the quality of the deliverable at the end of 

each phase, strategic priorities, and the availability of funds. However, applicants should not 

divide their work if it is not feasible to do so without impairing the technical and programmatic 

soundness of their approach. Note: Deliverables (e.g., technical reports, proof-of-concept 

demonstrations, prototypes, etc.) will be required at the end of each phase to enable NIJ to 

assess the progress of the work and assist NIJ in making reasoned determinations as to the 

suitability of funding the next phase of the work. 

Applicants should be aware that the total period for an award, including one that receives 

additional funding, ordinarily will not exceed 3 years. 

Please note: All applicants under this solicitation must comply with Department of Justice 

regulations on confidentiality and human subjects’ protection. See “Other Requirements for OJP 

Applications” at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm. 

What will not be funded: 

1. Provision of training or direct service. 

2. Proposals primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. (The budget may include 

these items if they are necessary to conduct applied research, development, demonstration, 

evaluation, or analysis.) 

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

4. Proposals that do not contain a research component or do not respond to the specific goals 

of this solicitation. 

5. Proposals that do not address the specific topics identified in this solicitation as they are 

described. 

Budget Information 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver: With respect to 

any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation, Federal funds may not be used 

to pay total cash compensation (salary plus bonuses) to any employee of the award 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. (The 2010 salary table for SES employees is available at 

www.opm.gov/oca/10tables/indexSES.asp.) Note: A recipient may compensate an employee at 

a higher rate, provided the amount in excess of this compensation limitation is paid with nonFederal funds. (Any such additional compensation will not be considered matching funds where 

match requirements apply.) 

The limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award may be waived on an individual 

basis at the discretion of the Director of the National Institute of Justice. An applicant that 

wishes to request a waiver must include a detailed justification in the budget narrative of its 

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application. Unless the applicant submits a waiver request and justification with the application, 

the applicant should anticipate that OJP will request the applicant to adjust and resubmit its 

budget. 

The justification should include: the particular qualifications and expertise of the individual, the 

uniqueness of the service being provided, the individual’s specific knowledge of the program or 

project being undertaken with award funds, and a statement explaining that the individual’s 

salary is commensurate with the regular and customary rate for an individual with his/her 

qualifications and expertise, and for the work that is to be done. 

Match Requirement: See “Cofunding” paragraph under “What an Application Should Include” 

(below). 

Performance Measures 

To assist in fulfilling the Department’s responsibilities under the Government Performance and 

Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, applicants that receive funding under this solicitation 

must provide data that measure the results of their work. Any award recipient will be required, 

post award, to provide the data requested in the “Data Grantee Provides” column so that OJP 

can calculate values for the “Performance Measures” column. Performance measures for this 

solicitation are as follows: 

Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Grantee Provides 

Provide safer, more 

effective tools and 

technologies for use 

by criminal justice 

agencies. 

1. Relevance to the needs of the 

field as measured by whether 

the grantee’s substantive scope 

did not deviate from the funded 

proposal or any subsequent 

agency modifications to the 

scope. 

2. Quality of the research as 

assessed by peer reviewers. 

3. Quality of management as 

measured by whether significant 

interim project milestones were 

achieved, final deadlines were 

met, and costs remained within 

approved limits. 

4. If applicable, number of fielded 

technologies. 

5. If applicable, number of NIJ final 

grant reports, NIJ research 

documents, and grantee 

research documents published. 

1. A final report providing a comprehensive 

overview of the project and a detailed 

description of the project design, data, 

and methods; a full presentation of 

scientific findings; and a thorough 

discussion of the implications of the 

project findings for criminal justice 

practice and policy in the United States. 

2. Quarterly financial reports, semi-annual 

progress reports, and a final progress 

report. 

3. If applicable, each data set that was 

collected, acquired, or modified in 

conjunction with the project. 

4. If applicable, description of fielded 

technologies. 

5. If applicable, citation to 

report(s)/document(s).

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Submission of performance measures data is not required for the application. Instead, 

applicants should discuss in their application their proposed methods for collecting data for 

performance measures. Please refer to the section “What an Application Should Include,” page 

10 for additional information. 

Note on project evaluations: Applicants that propose to use funds awarded through this 

solicitation to conduct project evaluations should be aware that certain project evaluations (such 

as systematic investigations designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge) may 

constitute “research.” However, project evaluations that are intended only to generate internal 

improvements to a program or service, or are conducted only to meet OJP’s performance 

measure data reporting requirements, likely do not constitute “research.” Research is subject to 

applicable DOJ human subjects protections. Applicants should provide sufficient information for 

OJP to determine whether the particular project they propose would either intentionally or 

unintentionally collect and/or use information in such a way that it meets the DOJ regulatory 

definition of research. 

Research, for the purposes of OJP-funded programs, is defined as, “a systematic investigation, 

including research development, testing, and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to 

generalizable knowledge.” 28 C.F.R. § 46.102(d). For additional information on determining 

whether a proposed activity would constitute research, see the decision tree to assist applicants 

on the “Research and the Protection of Human Subjects” section of the OJP Website 

(www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm). 

Notice of New Post-Award Reporting Requirements 

Applicants should anticipate that all recipients (other than individuals) of awards of $25,000 or 

more under this solicitation, consistent with the Federal Funding Accountability and 

Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA), will be required to report award information on any first-tier 

subawards totaling $25,000 or more, and, in certain cases, to report information on the names 

and total compensation of the five most highly compensated executives of the recipient and 

first-tier subrecipients. Each applicant entity must ensure that it has the necessary processes 

and systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements should it receive funding. 

It is expected that reports regarding subawards will be made through the FFATA Subaward 

Reporting System (FSRS), found at https://www.fsrs.gov. Additional guidance on reporting will 

be provided in the near future by OJP and/or the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 

Please note also that applicants should anticipate that no subaward of an award made under 

this solicitation may be made to a subrecipient (other than an individual) unless the potential 

subrecipient acquires and provides a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. 

How to Apply 

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Applications will be submitted through Grants.gov. Grants.gov is a “one-stop storefront” that 

provides a unified process for all customers of Federal awards to find funding opportunities and 

apply for funding. Complete instructions on how to register and submit an application can be 

found at www.Grants.gov. If the applicant experiences technical difficulties at any point during 

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this process, please call the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800–518–4726, 24 hours 

a day, 7 days a week, except Federal holidays. Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time 

process; however, processing delays may occur, and it can take up to several weeks for 

first-time registrants to receive confirmation and a user password. OJP highly recommends that 

applicants start the registration process as early as possible to prevent delays in submitting an 

application package by the specified application deadline. 

All applicants are required to complete the following steps:

 

1. Acquire a DUNS number. A DUNS number is required for Grants.gov registration. In 

general, the Office of Management and Budget requires that all applicants (other than 

individuals) for Federal funds include a DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) 

number in their applications for a new award or renewal of an existing award. A DUNS 

number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal standard for 

identifying and keeping track of entities receiving Federal funds. The identifier is used for 

tracking purposes and to validate address and point-of-contact information for Federal 

assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. The DUNS number will be used 

throughout the grant life cycle. Obtaining a DUNS number is a free, one-time activity. 

Obtain a DUNS number by calling Dun and Bradstreet at 866–705–5711 or by applying 

online at www.dnb.com. Individuals are exempt from this requirement. 

2. Acquire or renew registration with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) 

database. OJP requires that all applicants (other than individuals) for Federal financial 

assistance maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) 

database. An applicant must be registered in the CCR to successfully register in 

Grants.gov. The CCR database is the repository for standard information about Federal 

financial assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. Organizations that have 

previously submitted applications via Grants.gov are already registered with CCR, as it 

is a requirement for Grants.gov registration. Please note, however, that applicants must 

update or renew their CCR registration annually to maintain an active status. 

Information about CCR registration procedures can be accessed at www.ccr.gov. 

3. Acquire an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and a Grants.gov 

username and password. Complete the AOR profile on Grants.gov and create a 

username and password. The applicant organization’s DUNS Number must be used to 

complete this step. For more information about the registration process, go to 

www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. 

4. Acquire confirmation for the AOR from the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz 

POC). The E-Biz POC at the applicant organization must log into Grants.gov to confirm 

the applicant organization’s AOR. Please note that there can be more than one AOR for 

the organization. 

5. Search for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov. Please use the following 

identifying information when searching for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov. The 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for this solicitation is 16.560 

titled “National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Projects 

Grants,” and the funding opportunity number is NIJ–2011–2796.

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6. Submit an application consistent with this solicitation by following the directions 

in Grants.gov. Within 24–48 hours after submitting the electronic application, the 

applicant should receive an e-mail validation message from Grants.gov. The validation 

message will state whether the application has been received and validated, or rejected, 

with an explanation. Important: Applicants are urged to submit applications at least 72 

hours prior to the due date of the application to allow time to receive the validation 

message and to correct any problems that may have caused a rejection notification. 

Note: Grants.gov will forward the application to OJP’s Grants Management System 

(GMS). GMS does not accept executable file types as application attachments. These 

disallowed file types include, but are not limited to, the following extensions: “.com,” “.bat,” 

“.exe,” “.vbs,” “.cfg,” “.dat,” “.db,” “.dbf,” “.dll,” “.ini,” “.log,” “.ora,” “.sys,” and “.zip.”

Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues 

If an applicant experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond the applicant’s 

control that prevent submission of its application by the deadline, the applicant must contact NIJ 

staff within 24 hours after the deadline and request approval to submit its application. At that 

time, NIJ staff will instruct the applicant to submit specific information detailing the technical 

difficulties. The applicant must e-mail: a description of the technical difficulties, a timeline of 

submission efforts, the complete grant application, the applicant DUNS number, and Grants.gov 

Help Desk tracking number(s) received. After the program office reviews all of the information 

submitted, and contacts the Grants.gov Help Desk to validate the technical issues reported, 

OJP will contact the applicant to either approve or deny the request to submit a late application. 

If the technical issues reported cannot be validated, the application will be rejected as untimely. 

To ensure a fair competition for limited discretionary funds, the following conditions are not valid 

reasons to permit late submissions: (1) failure to begin the registration process in sufficient time, 

(2) failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its Web 

site, (3) failure to follow all of the instructions in the OJP solicitation, and (4) technical issues 

experienced with the applicant’s computer or information technology (IT) environment. 

Notifications regarding known technical problems with Grants.gov, if any, are posted at the top 

of the OJP funding Web page, www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/solicitations.htm. 

What an Application Should Include 

This section describes what an application should include and sets out a number of elements. 

Applicants should anticipate that failure to submit an application that contains all of the specified 

elements may negatively affect the review of the application; and, should a decision be made to 

make an award, it may result in the inclusion of special conditions that preclude access to or 

use of award funds pending satisfaction of the conditions. 

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that some application elements are so critical that 

applications unresponsive to the scope of the solicitation, or that do not include a program 

narrative, budget detail worksheet including a budget narrative, tribal resolution (if applicable), 

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and resumes/curriculum vitae of key personnel will neither proceed to peer review nor receive 

further consideration. 

OJP strongly recommends use of appropriately descriptive file names (e.g., “Program 

Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” “Memoranda of 

Understanding,” “Resumes”) for all attachments. OJP recommends that resumes be included in 

a single file. 

1. Information to complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) 

The SF-424 is a standard form required for use as a cover sheet for submission of preapplications, applications, and related information. Grants.gov and GMS take information 

from the applicant’s profile to populate the fields on this form. When selecting "type of 

applicant," if the applicant is a for-profit entity, please select "For-Profit Organization" or 

"Small Business" (as applicable). 

2. Program Narrative 

The program narrative section of the application should not exceed 30 double-spaced 

pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Abstract, table of contents, charts, figures, 

appendices, and government forms do not count toward the 30-page limit for the 

narrative section. 

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

noncompliance may be considered in peer review and in final award decisions. 

The Program Narrative includes: 

a. Title Page 

b. Project Abstract (not counted against the 30-page program narrative limit and 

not to exceed 600 words). 

c. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the 30-page program 

narrative limit). 

d. Main body. The main body of the program narrative should describe the project 

in depth. The following sections should be included as part of the program 

narrative:

• Statement of the Problem. 

• Project/Program Design and Implementation. 

• Capabilities/Competencies. 

• Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation. 

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• Plan for Collecting the Data Required for This Solicitation’s 

Performance Measures. Note: Submission of performance measures 

data is not required for the application. Performance measures are 

included as an alert that successful applicants will be required to 

submit specific data to NIJ as part of their reporting requirements. For 

the application, the applicant should indicate an understanding of 

these requirements and discuss how the applicant will gather the 

required data, should the applicant receive funding. 

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• Dissemination Strategy. 

Note: Within the above six sections, the narrative should address: 

• Purpose, goals, and objectives. 

• Review of relevant literature. 

• Implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United 

States. 

• Management plan and organization. 

e. Appendices (not counted against program narrative page limit) include: 

• Bibliography/References 

• List of key personnel 

• Resumes of key personnel 

• List of previous and current NIJ awards to applicant organization and 

investigator(s) 

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project (if applicable) 

• Chart for timeline, research calendar, or milestones 

• Research independence and integrity (see “Selection Criteria,” below) 

• Human Subjects Protection Paperwork including Institutional Review 

Board (IRB) documentation and forms (see 

www.ojp.gov/nij/funding/humansubjects/human-subjects.htm). 

• Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to 

www.ojp.gov/nij/funding/humansubjects/privacy-certificate-guidance.htm) 

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

proposal has been submitted (if applicable) 

• Other materials specified by the solicitation 

• Data archiving strategy (if applicable) 

Data Archiving Strategy: NIJ requires that each data set resulting from funded 

research be submitted as a grant product or deliverable for archiving with the 

National Archive of Criminal Justice Data. (Data sets are to be submitted 90 days 

before the end of the project period.) Applicants for NIJ research grants are 

strongly encouraged to include a brief (one- or two-page) data archiving strategy, 

whenever applicable. For purposes of research replication and extension, the 

inclusion of only the final data set often prevents other researchers from 

replicating or extending the study because there are no original data, 

intermediate data, or documentation detailing how the data changed throughout 

the project. This data archiving strategy therefore should briefly describe the— 

• Anticipated manipulations of original, intermediate, and final data sets (as 

applicable). 

• Methods of documentation of such manipulations. 

• Preparation of original, intermediate, and final data sets for archive 

submission. 

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The data archiving strategy should be submitted as an appendix to the 

application and will not count toward the 30-page limit. Please label this appendix 

“Data Archiving Strategy.” 

3. Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative 

a. Budget Detail Worksheet 

A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at 

www.ojp.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf. If the budget is submitted in a different 

format, the budget categories listed in the sample budget worksheet should be 

included. 

For questions pertaining to budget and examples of allowable and unallowable costs, 

please see the OJP Financial Guide at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/index.htm. 

b. Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of 

expense listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative should be 

mathematically sound and correspond with the information and figures provided in 

the Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative should explain how all costs were 

estimated and calculated and how they are relevant to the completion of the 

proposed project. The narrative may include tables for clarification purposes but 

need not be in a spreadsheet format. As with the Budget Detail Worksheet, the 

Budget Narrative should be broken down by year. 

Cofunding: A grant made by NIJ under this solicitation may account for up to 100 

percent 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. 

4. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

Indirect costs are allowed only if the applicant has a federally approved indirect cost rate. 

(This requirement does not apply to units of local government.) A copy of the rate 

approval should be attached. If the applicant does not have an approved rate, one can 

be requested by contacting the applicant’s cognizant Federal agency, which will review 

all documentation and approve a rate for the applicant organization or, if the applicant’s 

accounting system permits, costs may be allocated in the direct cost categories. If DOJ 

is the cognizant Federal agency, obtain information needed to submit an indirect cost 

rate proposal at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/part3/part3chap17.htm.

5. Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

If an application is being submitted by either (1) a tribe or tribal organization or (2) a third 

party proposing to provide direct services or assistance to residents on tribal lands, then 

a current authorizing resolution of the governing body of the tribal entity or other 

enactment of the tribal council or comparable governing body authorizing the inclusion of 

the tribe or tribal organization and its membership must be included with the application. 

In those instances when an organization or consortium of tribes proposes to apply for a 

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grant on behalf of a tribe or multiple specific tribes, then the application must include a 

resolution from all tribes that will be included as a part of the services/assistance 

provided under the grant. A consortium of tribes for which existing consortium bylaws 

allow action without support from all tribes in the consortium (i.e., without authorizing 

resolution or other enactment of each tribal governing body) may submit a copy of its 

consortium bylaws with the application in order to satisfy this requirement. 

6. Other Standard Forms

Additional forms that may be required in connection with an award are available on 

OJP’s funding page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms.htm. For successful applicants, 

receipt of funds may be contingent upon submission of all necessary forms. Please note 

in particular the following forms. 

a. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other

Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (required to 

be submitted in GMS prior to the receipt of any award funds). 

b. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (required for any applicant that expends any 

funds for lobbying activities; this form must be downloaded, completed, and 

then uploaded). 

c. Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (required for any 

applicant other than an individual that is a non-governmental entity and that 

has not received any award from OJP within the past 3 years; this form must 

be downloaded, completed, and then uploaded). 

d. Standard Assurances (required to be submitted in GMS prior to the receipt of 

any award funds). 

Selection Criteria 

Statement of the Problem (Understanding of the problem and its importance)—20% 

Project/Program Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit)—20%

1. Awareness of the state of current research or technology. 

2. Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach. 

3. Feasibility of proposed project and awareness of pitfalls. 

4. Innovation and creativity (when appropriate). 

Capabilities/Competencies (Capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience of 

applicants)—20%

1. Qualifications and experience of proposed staff. 

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

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

and resources are used. 

 4. Successful past performance on NIJ grants and contracts (when applicable). 

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Budget—15% 

1. Total cost of the project relative to the perceived benefit. 

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

 3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation (Relevance to policy and practice)—20% 

1. Potential for significant advances in scientific or technical understanding of the problem. 

2. Potential for significant advances in the field. 

3. Relevance for improving the policy and practice of criminal justice and related agencies 

in the United States and improving public safety, security, and quality of life. 

4. Affordability and cost-effectiveness of proposed products, when applicable (e.g., 

purchase price and maintenance costs for a new technology or cost of training to use the 

technology). 

5 Perceived potential for commercialization and/or implementation of a new technology. 

Relevance of the project for policy and practice in the United States

Higher quality applications clearly explain the practical implications of the project. They 

connect technical expertise with criminal justice policy and practice. To ensure that the 

project has strong relevance for policy and practice, some researchers and technologists 

collaborate with practitioners and policymakers. The application may include letters showing 

support from practitioners, but they carry less weight than clear evidence of the applicant’s 

understanding of how policymakers and practitioners can best use and benefit from the 

proposed work. While a partnership may affect State or local activities, it should also have 

broader implications for other communities nationwide. 

Dissemination Strategy—5% 

1. Well-defined plan for the grant recipient to disseminate results to appropriate audiences, 

including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. 

 2. Suggestions for print and electronic products that NIJ should consider developing for 

practitioners and policymakers. 

3. If applicable, a clear strategy leading to the adoption into practice of any equipment or 

software. 

Research Independence and Integrity 

Regardless of a proposal’s rating under the criteria outlined above, in order to receive funds, the 

applicant’s proposal must demonstrate research independence, including appropriate 

safeguards to ensure research objectivity and integrity. 

For purposes of this solicitation, research independence and integrity pertains only to ensuring 

that the design, conduct, or reporting of research funded by NIJ grants, cooperative 

agreements, or contracts will not be biased by any financial interest on the part of the 

investigators responsible for the research or on the part of the applicant. 

In the appendix dealing with research independence and integrity, the applicant must explain 

the process and procedures that the applicant has put in place to identify and manage potential 

financial conflicts of interest on the part of its staff, consultants, and/or subrecipients. It must 

also identify any potential organizational financial conflicts of interest on the part of the applicant 

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with regard to the proposed research. If the applicant believes that there are no potential 

organizational financial conflicts of interest, the applicant must provide a brief narrative 

explanation of why it believes that to be the case. 

Where potential organizational financial conflicts of interest exist, in the appendix the applicant 

must identify the safeguards the applicant has put in place to address those conflicts of interest. 

Considerations in evaluating research independence and integrity will include, but may not be 

limited to, the adequacy of the applicant’s efforts to identify factors that could affect the 

objectivity/integrity of the proposed staff and/or the organization in carrying out the research, 

development, or evaluation activity; and the adequacy of the applicant’s existing or proposed 

remedies to control any such factors. 

Review Process 

OJP is committed to ensuring a fair and open process for awarding grants. 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. NIJ may use either internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers, or 

a combination to review the applications under this solicitation. An external peer reviewer is an 

expert in the field of the subject matter of a given solicitation who is NOT a current U.S. 

Department of Justice employee. An internal reviewer is a current U.S. Department of Justice 

employee who is well-versed or has expertise in the subject matter of this solicitation. Eligible 

applications will be evaluated, scored, and rated by a peer review panel. Peer reviewers’ ratings 

and any resulting recommendations are advisory only. In addition to peer review ratings, 

considerations for award recommendations and decisions may include, but are not limited to, 

underserved populations, geographic diversity, strategic priorities, past performance, and 

available funding. 

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), in consultation with NIJ, conducts a financial 

review of applications for potential discretionary awards to evaluate the fiscal integrity and 

financial capability of applicants; examines proposed costs to determine if the budget detail 

worksheet and budget narrative accurately explain project costs; and determines whether costs 

are reasonable, necessary, and allowable under applicable Federal cost principles and agency 

regulations. 

All final award decisions will be made by the Director of the National Institute of Justice, who 

also may give consideration to factors including, but not limited to, underserved populations, 

geographic diversity, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding when making 

awards. 

Additional Requirements 

Applicants selected for awards must agree to comply with additional legal requirements upon 

acceptance of an award. OJP strongly encourages applicants to review the information 

pertaining to these additional requirements prior to submitting an application. Additional 

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information for each requirement can be found at 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm. 

• Civil Rights Compliance 

• Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations 

• Confidentiality 

• Research and the Protection of Human Subjects 

• Anti-Lobbying Act 

• Financial and Government Audit Requirements 

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 

• DOJ Information Technology Standards (if applicable) 

• Single Point of Contact Review 

• Non-Supplanting of State or Local Funds 

• Criminal Penalty for False Statements 

• Compliance with Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide

• Suspension or Termination of Funding 

• Nonprofit Organizations 

• For-profit Organizations 

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 

• Rights in Intellectual Property 

• Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006 

• Awards in Excess of $5,000,000 – Federal Taxes Certification Requirement 

• Active CCR Registration 

If a proposal is funded, the award recipient will be required to submit several reports and other 

materials, including: 

Final substantive report: The final report should be a comprehensive overview of the project 

and should include a detailed description of the project design, data, and methods; a full 

presentation of scientific findings, placed in the context of existing literature; a thorough 

discussion of the implications of the project findings for criminal justice practice and policy in the 

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United States; etc. It must contain an abstract of no more than 600 words and an executive 

summary of 2,500 to 4,000 words. 

A draft of the final report, abstract, and executive summary must be submitted 90 days before 

the end date of the grant. The draft final report will be peer reviewed upon submission. The 

reviews will be forwarded to the principal investigator with suggestions for revisions. The author 

must then submit the revised final report, abstract, and executive summary by the end date of 

the grant. The abstract, executive summary, and final report must be submitted in electronic 

format. 

Interim reports: Grantees must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual progress 

reports, a final progress report, and, if applicable, an annual audit report in accordance with 

Office of Management and Budget Circular A–133. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be 

withheld if reports are delinquent. 

Data sets: NIJ requires submission of all data sets (original, intermediate, and final) produced 

or collected for the funded project, and any artifact associated with the project data. Included 

with the final sets of data should be the plan outlined in the Data Archiving Strategy section of 

the proposal. 

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Application Checklist 

Body Armor Standards Research for Criminal Justice Applications 

This application checklist has been created to assist in developing an application. 

Eligibility Requirement:

_____ Tribal authorizing resolution (if applicable) (see page 13) 

What an Application Should Include: 

_____ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) (see page 11) 

_____ Program Narrative (see page 11) 

_____ Appendices to the Program Narrative: (see page 12) 

 _____ Bibliography/References. 

 _____ List of key personnel. 

 _____ Resumes of key personnel. 

 _____ List of previous and current NIJ awards to applicant organization and 

 investigator(s) . 

 _____ Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations 

 collaborating in the project (if applicable). 

 _____ Chart for timeline, research calendar, or milestones. 

 _____ Research independence and integrity. 

 _____ Human Subjects Protection Paperwork including Institutional Review Board (IRB) 

 documentation and forms. 

 _____ Privacy Certificate. 

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

 has been submitted (if applicable). 

 _____ Data archiving strategy (if applicable). 

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (see page 12) 

_____ Budget Narrative (see page 13) 

_____ Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) (see page 13) 

_____ Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see page 13) 

_____ Program Narrative/Abstract Format: (see page 11) 

_____ Double-spaced 

_____ 12-point standard font 

_____ 1” standard margins 

_____ Narrative is 30 pages or less 

_____ Other Standard Forms as applicable (see page 13), including: 

 _____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable) 

 _____ Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (if applicable)