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 basic scientific 

research that underlies the multidisciplinary field of forensic science. This program furthers the 

Department’s mission by sponsoring research to provide objective, independent, evidencebased knowledge and tools to meet the challenges of crime and criminal justice, particularly at 

the State and local levels. The availability of funding for FY 2011 has not yet been determined. 

In FY 2010, NIJ provided over $30 million in grants to fund research and development projects 

related to forensic science.

Solicitation: 

Basic Scientific Research to Support Forensic 

Science for Criminal Justice Purposes 

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. NIJ may 

also enter into interagency agreements with Federal entities in appropriate cases. 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 10.) 

All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 12, 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 NIJ by email to 

forensic.research@ojp.usdoj.gov. 

Grants.gov number assigned to announcement: NIJ–2011–2806

SL# 000945 
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CONTENTS 

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

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

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

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

Performance Measures................................................................................................8 

Notice of New Post-Award Reporting Requirements .......................................................10 

How to Apply..........................................................................................................10 

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

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

424...................................................................................................12 

Program Narrative............................................................................................12 

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative......................................................14 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)........................................................15 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)................................................. ........15 

Additional Attachments....................................................................................15 

Other Standard Forms.....................................................................................15 

Selection Criteria.....................................................................................................16 

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

Additional Requirements..............................................................................................19 

Application Checklist.................................................................................................21 
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Basic Scientific Research to Support 

Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes 

CFDA 16.560 

Overview 

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for funding basic scientific research in the physical, 

life, and cognitive sciences that is designed to increase the knowledge underlying forensic 

science disciplines intended for use in the criminal justice system. 

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

(sections 201 and 202); Homeland Security Act (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 April 12, 2011. 

Please see the “How to Apply” section, page 10, for more details. 

Eligibility 

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

Program-Specific Information—Basic Scientific Research to Support 

Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes

This solicitation seeks applications for funding basic scientific research in the physical, life, and 

cognitive sciences that is designed to increase the knowledge underlying forensic science 

disciplines intended for use in the criminal justice system. For the purposes of this solicitation, 

the following definitions apply: 

• Forensic—Of, relating to, or used in legal proceedings or argumentation.1

• Science—The observation, identification, description, experimental investigations, and 

theoretical explanation of natural phenomena.2

• Basic research—A systematic study directed toward a greater knowledge or 

understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts 

without specific applications towards any processes or products in mind. Basic research, 

however, may include activities with broad applications in mind.3

 (For the purposes of 

this solicitation, basic research must include activities with broad application to forensic 

sciences related to the criminal justice system.) 

 

1

 Definition of “forensic” is taken from Webster’s II New Riverside University Dictionary. 2

 Definition of “science” is taken from Webster’s II New Riverside University Dictionary. 3

 Definition taken from: OMB Circular A–11, Preparation, Submission, and Execution of the Budget, Section 84—

Character Classification (Schedule C). 
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• Applied research—The systematic study to gain knowledge or understanding necessary 

to determine the means by which a recognized and specific need may be met.4

• Development—The systematic application of knowledge or understanding, directed 

toward the production of useful materials, devices, systems, or methods, including 

design, development, and improvement of prototypes and new processes to meet 

specific requirements.5

Basic scientific research proposals to this solicitation should be designed to lead to: 

a. Subsequent applied research and advanced technology developments in forensic 

science-related technologies intended for use in the criminal justice system, and/or 

b. New and improved crime laboratory functional capabilities that result in faster, more 

robust, more informative, less costly, or less labor-intensive identification, collection, 

preservation, and/or analysis of evidence. 

Proposals should describe the anticipated impact of the basic scientific research on one or more 

forensic science disciplines. Some of the forensic science disciplines are listed below (where 

available, links have also been provided to sites containing additional information). 

• DNA and forensic biology (www.dna.gov, www.cstl.nist.gov/strbase/). 

• Forensic crime scene analysis (www.swgstain.org). 

• Latent print and other pattern/impression evidence (www.swgfast.org, 

www.swgtread.org). 

• Forensic anthropology and forensic odontology (www.swganth.org/). 

• Controlled substances (www.swgdrug.org). 

• Fire debris analysis and arson scene investigations (www.ncfs.ucf.edu/twgfex). 

• Firearms and toolmark identification (www.swggun.org). 

• Questioned documents (www.swgdoc.org/). 

• Trace evidence (www.swgmat.org). 

• Forensic pathology. 

• Forensic toxicology (www.swgtox.org). 

Applicable physical, life and cognitive sciences may include: 

• Life Sciences (e.g., biology, genetics). 

• Physics. 

• Medicine/Dentistry (e.g., neurology, pathology, odontology). 

• Mathematical Sciences. 

• Material Science. 

• Computer Science. 

• Chemistry and Pharmacology. 

• Psychology. 

 

4

Ibid. 

5

Ibid. 
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Note: FY 2010 Solicitations That Will Not Be Reissued in FY 2011 

The following FY 2010 solicitations will not be reissued in FY 2011. Applications that would 

previously have been submitted under these solicitations may, as appropriate, now be 

submitted to this FY 2011 solicitation, “Basic Scientific Research to Support Forensic Science 

for Criminal Justice Purposes” or to the planned FY 2011 solicitation, “Applied Research and 

Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes.” 

• Forensic DNA Research and Development 

• Fundamental Research to Improve Understanding of the Accuracy, Reliability, and 

Measurement Validity of Forensic Science Disciplines 

• Research and Development in Forensic Crime Scene and Medicolegal Death 

Investigations 

• Research and Development on Impression Evidence 

• Research and Development in the Forensic Analysis of Trace Evidence 

• Research and Development in Forensic Toxicology 

• Research and Development in Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Odontology 

• Research and Development in the Area of Controlled Substances Detection and 

Analysis 

• Research and Development in the Forensic Analysis of Fire and Arson Evidence 

• Research and Development in Instrumental Analysis for Forensic Science Applications 

New Investigator Opportunities 

NIJ is interested in funding new investigators in forensic science research as it pertains to NIJ’s 

mission. Proposals whose principal investigators are defined as “new investigators” may, in 

appropriate circumstances, be given special consideration in award decisions. 

To be considered a “new investigator” for purposes of this solicitation, one of the two sets of 

criteria below must be satisfied: 

 

• The principal investigator must have, no earlier than April 1, 2007, received an initial 

appointment in the United States to a full-time junior faculty position at a university or to 

an equivalent full-time staff scientist position in a research institution; must at the time of 

application submission hold such a full-time appointment; and must never have received 

NIJ funding for a research project, other than a Graduate Research Fellowship program 

grant. (Typically, the appropriate faculty rank is that of Assistant Professor, although 

some institutions may use a different title to designate junior faculty status.) 

• The principal investigator must be an established researcher who receives research 

funding originating from a federal science agency, but has not successfully competed for 

NIJ funding as a principal investigator or collaborative researcher in the last 10 years. 

The investigator must hold a full-time appointment in the United States to a faculty 

position at a university or an equivalent position as a scientist on the staff of a research 

institution at the time of application submission. 

In the case of a grant application that involves more than one principal investigator, all principal 

investigators must meet the definition of “new investigator” in order for the application to be 

considered as one from a “new investigator.” 
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Reading Resources: 

Information on NIJ’s research and development programs related to the forensic sciences 

(including previously funded projects) can be found at: 

• www.dna.gov/research/. 

• www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/forensics/welcome.htm. 

The following are examples of documents that may provide additional information to prospective 

applicants about forensic sciences. 

• Criminalistics, An Introduction to Forensic Science, 7th Edition, by Saferstein, R. (Upper 

Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998) ISBN 0–13–592940–7. 

• Forensic Science Handbook, Volume I, 2nd Edition, edited by Saferstein, R. (Englewood 

Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002) ISBN 0–13–091058–9. 

• Forensic Science Handbook, Volume II, 2nd Edition, edited by Saferstein, R. 

(Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005) ISBN 0–13–112434–X. 

• Forensic Science Handbook, Volume III, edited by Saferstein, R. (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: 

Prentice Hall, 1993) ISBN 0–13–325390–2. 

• Fundamentals of Forensic Science, by Houck, M., Siegel, J. (Burlington, MA: Elsevier 

Academic Press, 2006) ISBN 0–12–356762–9. 

• Forensic Chemistry, by Bell, S. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006) 

ISBN 0–13–147835–4. 

• Forensic DNA Typing, Second Edition: Biology, Technology, and Genetics of STR 

Markers, by Butler, J. (Burlington, MA: Elsevier Academic Press, 2005) ISBN 0–12–

147952–8. 

• Fundamentals of Forensic DNA Typing, by Butler, J. (San Diego, CA: Academic Press, 

2009) ISBN 0–12–374999–4. 

• Forensic Pathology, Practical Aspects of Criminal & Forensic Investigations, 2nd Edition, 

by Di Maio, D., Di Maio, V. (Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2001) ISBN 0–84–930072–X. 

• Spitz and Fisher's Medicolegal Investigation of Death: Guidelines for the Application of 

Pathology to Crime Investigation, by Spitz, W., Spitz D., Fisher, R. (Springfield, IL: 

Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 2006) ISBN 0–398–07544–1. 

• Quantitative-Qualitative Friction Ridge Analysis: An Introduction to Basic and Advanced 

Ridgeology, by Ashbaugh, D. (Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1999) ISBN 0–8493–7007–

8. 

• Handbook of Digital Forensics and Investigation, by Casey, E. (London, UK: Elsevier 

Academic Press, 2010) ISBN 0–12–374267–4. 

• Digital Image Processing: An Algorithmic Introduction Using Java, by Burger, W., Burge, 

M.J. (New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 2008) ISBN 1–84628–

379–6. 

• Principles of Forensic Toxicology: Revised and Updated, 2nd Edition, by Levine, B. 

(Washington, DC: American Association for Clinical Chemistry, Inc., 2006) ISBN 1–59–

425053–7. 
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• “Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises,” by Nickerson, R. S. 

Review of General Psychology 2(2):175–220. 

• “The vision in 'blind' justice: Expert perception, judgment and visual cognition in forensic 

pattern recognition,” by Dror, I. E. and Cole, S. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review

17(2):161–167.

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 fiscal year 2010, 

NIJ provided over $30 million in grants to fund research and development projects related to 

forensic science, including DNA. NIJ funding for an individual research or development project 

rarely exceeds $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) 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 ordinarily will not exceed 3 years. 

Award announcements are expected to be made by September 30, 2011. Applicants may wish 

to consider proposing project period start dates commencing on January 1, 2012. 

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 basic research.) 

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 addressing applied research in forensic science. Applicants proposing such 

studies may consider submitting applications to the planned FY 2011 solicitation entitled 

“Applied Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes.” 

6. Proposals addressing both a basic research and a development component. Applicants 

should submit basic research studies only. 
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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 2011 salary table for SES employees is available at 

http://www.opm.gov/oca/11tables/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 non-Federal 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 

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” 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: 
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Objective Performance 

Measure(s) 

Data Grantee Provides 

Gain knowledge and 

understanding of the 

forensic sciences for 

criminal justice 

purposes through 

basic scientific 

research.

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 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 increasing the 

knowledge underlying 

forensic science disciplines 

intended for use in the 

criminal justice system. 

2. Quarterly financial reports, 

semi-annual progress 

reports, and a final progress 

report. 

3. If applicable, citation to 

report(s)/document(s) 

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

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

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

(below) 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” for purposes of applicable DOJ human subjects protections. 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.” 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 human subjects protection for 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 “Other Requirements for OJP Applications” Web page 
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(www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm). Applicants whose proposals may involve 

a research or statistical component also should review the “Confidentiality” section on that Web 

page. 

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. 

Reports regarding subawards will be made through the FFATA Subaward Reporting System 

(FSRS), found at www.fsrs.gov. 

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 

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 

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) 
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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 Project 

Grants,” and the funding opportunity number is NIJ–2011–2806.

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. 
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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, 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 12 single-spaced 

pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins, of which a minimum of 6 pages should be 

dedicated to the description of the project/program design and execution. If included in 

the main body of the program narrative, then tables, charts, figures, and other 

illustrations do count toward the 12-page limit for the narrative section. Abstract, table of 

contents, appendices, and government forms do not count toward the 12-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. 
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Program Narrative Guidelines: 

a. Title Page (should include a list of Key Words/Phrases relevant to the proposed 

research).

b. Project Abstract (not counted against the 12-page program narrative limit and 

not to exceed 600 words). 

c. Table of Contents (not counted against the 12-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 Execution (should account for a 

minimum of 6 pages of the main body of the narrative). 

• Capabilities/Competencies. 

• Impact/Outcomes, Evaluation and Dissemination. 

• 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. 

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

• Purpose, goals, and objectives. 

• Review of relevant literature. 

• Implications of the basic scientific research for increasing the 

knowledge underlying forensic science disciplines intended for use in 

the criminal justice system. 

• Management plan and organization. 

e. Appendices (not counted against the 12-page program narrative limit) include: 

• Bibliography/references. 

• Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/charts/graphs, or maps 

pertaining to the proposed study that are supplemental to such items 

included in the narrative (tables, charts, graphs, or other relevant 

illustrations essential for comprehension of the project/program design 

should be included in the main body of the narrative). 

• Supporting Data—Includes any preliminary data to support the 

investigator’s ability to perform the work and/or proof of principle for 

the proposed research. 

• Curriculum vitae, resumes or biographical sketches of key personnel 

(Curriculum vitae, resumes or biographical sketches should be limited 

to no more than 2 pages per person). 

• Project timeline and research calendar with expected milestones. 
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• 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-certificateguidance.htm). 

• Documentation of “new investigator” status, if applicable. 

• Other funding: 

 List of previous and current NIJ awards to applicant organization 

and investigator(s). 

 List of current and pending non-NIJ support for each investigator 

collaborating on this proposal. 

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

this proposal has been submitted (if applicable). 

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project, memoranda of 

understanding (MOUs), or letters of intent to establish MOUs (if 

applicable). 

• Other materials specified by the solicitation. 

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. 
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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 should be included with the 

application. In those instances when an organization or consortium of tribes proposes to 

apply for a grant on behalf of a tribe or multiple specific tribes, then the application 

should 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 lieu of tribal resolutions. 

 6. Additional Attachments

List of Entities Involved in the Project 

An application should include a standalone attachment entitled “List of Entities” that lists 

the names of all entities that will be involved in the work. This list should include, but is 

not limited to: the organizations at which the investigators are employed; academic 

institutions at which grant-funded researchers are employed or enrolled; organizations 

that may receive subawards or contracts; and any organization(s) named in letters of 

cooperation/support, administrative agreements from organizations collaborating in the 

project, MOUs, or letters of intent to establish MOUs. 

7. 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). 
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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 

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

the following criteria. 

Depending on the number of applications received, applications may be categorized into 

discrete groups for purposes of peer review and/or selection for award. 

Statement of the Problem (Understanding of the problem and its importance)—5%

The proposal defines and demonstrates an understanding of the basic scientific problem. 

1. Clarity of the description of the problem. 

2. Strength of citations and other appropriate information to support the understanding of 

the problem. 

3. Clarity of the description of how the scientific problem relates to a problem existing in 

forensic sciences as they relate to the criminal justice system. 

Project/Program Design and Execution (Quality and technical merit)—50%

1. Awareness of the state of current research and identification of research gaps. 

2. Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach. (The overall strategy, 

methodology, and analyses should be well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the 

specific aims of the project.) 

3. Feasibility of proposed project and strength of supporting data. (The proof-of-principle of 

the proposed basic scientific research should be established and supported by 

preliminary data presented in or referenced in the proposal. More innovative plans 

and/or plans with a higher potential for failure should be counterbalanced to manage the 

inherent risk (e.g., by firm theoretical basis; reasonable preliminary data, depending on 

the mechanism; the track record of the lead investigators; and an outstanding scientific 

and management plan.) 

4. Practicality of the proposed timeline relative to the project design. (Are the timeline and 

milestones logical and realistic? Are milestones adequately developed and quantitative, 

to serve as effective guidance for assessment of progress by the investigators and NIJ?)

5. Awareness of pitfalls and feasibility of proposed actions to minimize and/or mitigate 

these. (Are key scientific and technical barriers and dependencies identified?)

6. Innovation and creativity (when appropriate). (To what extent does the proposed project 

suggest and explore creative, original, or potential transformative concepts?)
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Capabilities/Competencies (Capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience of 

applicants)—30%

1. Qualifications and experience of proposed staff. (Principal investigators (PIs) should 

have appropriate experience and training and should demonstrate an ongoing record of 

accomplishments that have advanced their field(s). If the project is collaborative or multiPI, investigators should have complementary and integrated expertise.) 

2. Qualifications of the PI(s). (The PI(s) should have a proven record of publishing in highimpact, peer-reviewed scientific journals.) 

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

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

and resources are used. 

5. Strength of the scientific environment (e.g., institutional support, equipment and other 

physical resources, or collaborative arrangements) in which the work will be done and its 

contribution to the probability of success. 

Impact/Outcomes, Evaluation and Dissemination (Relevance to increasing the scientific 

knowledge underlying forensic science disciplines intended for use in the criminal justice 

system)—15% 

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

2. Potential for significant advances in the physical, life, and cognitive science fields, with a 

broad impact on forensic sciences intended for use in the criminal justice system. 

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

including researchers, and, in line with NIJ’s mission, forensic science researchers and 

practitioners in the criminal justice system. (Does the proposal include a clear 

description of how final research findings will be shared? Does the dissemination 

strategy include intentions to publish in high-impact, peer-reviewed scientific journals? 

Does the dissemination strategy include a plan to maximize the outreach to researchers 

and practitioners in the criminal justice system?) 

Budget

Reviewers will consider and may comment on the following additional items in the context of 

scientific and technical merit. 

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

2. Appropriateness of the budget relative to the level of effort and proposed timeline. 

3. Leveraging the existing scientific environment to conserve costs. 

The budget criteria also will be considered by the program office. 

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. 
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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 

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, “new 

investigator” status, 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, “new investigator” status, and 

available funding when making awards. 
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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 

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

materials, including: 

Final technical 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; and a thorough 

discussion of the implications of the project findings for increasing the knowledge underlying 

forensic science disciplines intended for use in the criminal justice system. 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 technical 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. Grantees should anticipate that semi-annual 

progress reports will be required to follow the non-budgetary components of the Research 

Performance Progress Report template/format. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be 

withheld if reports are delinquent. 
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Application Checklist 

Basic Scientific Research to Support Forensic Science for Criminal Justice 

Purposes 

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

What an Application Should Include: 

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

_____ Program Narrative (see page 12) 

_____ Appendices to the Program Narrative: (see page 13) 

_____ Bibliography/references 

_____ Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/charts/graphs, or maps 

pertaining to the proposed study 

_____ Supporting Data – this should include any preliminary data to support the 

investigator’s ability to perform the work and/or proof of principle for the 

proposed research 

_____ Curriculum vitae, resumes or biographical sketches of key personnel 

_____ Project timeline and research calendar with expected milestones 

_____ Documentation of “new investigator” status, if applicable 

_____ Research independence and integrity 

_____ Human Subjects Protection Paperwork 

_____ Privacy Certificate 

_____ Other funding: 

_____ List of previous and current NIJ awards to applicant organization 

 and investigator(s). 

_____ List of current and pending non-NIJ support for each investigator 

 collaborating on this proposal. 

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

 this proposal has been submitted (if applicable). 

_____ Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project, memoranda of understanding 

(MOUs), or letters of intent to establish MOUs (if applicable). 

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (see page 14) 

_____ Budget Narrative (see page 14) 

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

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

_____ Program Narrative/Abstract Format: (see page 12) 

_____ Single-spaced 

_____ 12-point standard font 

_____ 1” standard margins 

_____ Narrative is 12 pages or less 

_____ Project/Program Design and Execution is at least 6 pages of the main 

body of the narrative 

_____ Additional Attachments (see page 15) 

 _____ List of Entities Involved in the Project 

_____ Other Standard Forms as applicable (see page 15), including: 

 _____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable) 

 _____ Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (if applicable)