U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice 

is seeking applications to establish a Criminal Justice Technology Center of Excellence 

for Information and Sensor Systems within the National Law Enforcement and 

Corrections Technology Center System (the "NLECTC System"). The Information and 

Sensor Systems Center will provide testing, evaluation, technology assistance, and 

other services with regard to information and sensor technologies intended for use by 

law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies. This program furthers the 

Department’s mission by improving the safety and effectiveness of criminal justice 

technology and the access of law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies to that 

technology. 

Solicitation: 

Criminal Justice Technology Information and 

Sensor Systems Center of Excellence 

Eligibility 

(See “Eligibility,” page 3) 

Deadline 

Registration with the Office of Justice Programs’ Grant Management System 

(GMS) is required prior to application submission. 

(See “Deadline: Registration,” page 3) 

All applications are due June 22, 2009, 11:45 p.m. eastern time.

Contact Information 

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact Frances Scott, Physical 

Scientist, at 202–305–9950 or frances.scott@usdoj.gov. 

This application must be submitted through the Office of Justice Programs’ Grants 

Management System (GMS). For technical assistance with submitting the application, 

call the Grants Management System Support Hotline at 1–888–549–9901, option 3. 

Note: The GMS Support Hotline hours of operation are Monday–Friday from 7 a.m. to 

9 p.m. eastern time. 

SL# 000873 
CONTENTS 

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

Deadline: Registration ....................................................................................................... 3 

Deadline: Application ........................................................................................................ 3 

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

Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations ................................................ 3 

American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Tribes and/or Tribal Organizations.... 4 

Specific Information ........................................................................................................... 4 

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

How to Apply ..................................................................................................................... 9 

What an Application Must Include ................................................................................... 10 

Selection Criteria ............................................................................................................. 13 

Review Process .............................................................................................................. 14 

Additional Requirements ................................................................................................. 15 

2
Criminal Justice Technology Information and 

Sensor Systems Center of Excellence 

CFDA No. 16.560 

Overview 

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation 

agency of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and a component of the Office of 

Justice Programs (OJP). NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based 

knowledge and tools to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. NIJ 

solicits applications to inform its search for the knowledge and tools to guide policy and 

practice. 

NIJ seeks qualified applicants to establish and operate a Criminal Justice Technology 

Center of Excellence to support its research, development, testing, and evaluation 

(RDT&E) process in information and sensor systems. The Center will provide testing, 

evaluation, and technology assistance in information technology, geospatial analysis, 

and sensor systems. The Center will support the NIJ RDT&E process by providing 

scientific and technical support to NIJ’s research and development efforts; supporting 

the demonstration, transfer, and adoption of appropriate technology into practice by law 

enforcement, corrections agencies, courts, and related criminal justice agencies; 

assisting in the development and dissemination of technology guidelines and standards; 

and providing technology assistance, information, and support to law enforcement and 

other appropriate criminal justice agencies. 

Deadline: Registration 

Applicants must register with GMS prior to applying. The deadline to register is 

11:45 p.m. eastern time on June 22, 2009.

Deadline: Application 

The due date for applying for funding under this announcement is June 22, 2009, 

11:45 p.m. eastern time. 

Eligibility 

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

agreements with, States (including territories), local governments (including federally 

recognized Indian tribal governments that perform law enforcement functions), nonprofit 

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

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

individuals. Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign institutions of higher 

education are not eligible to apply. 

Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations: Consistent with Executive Order 

13279, dated December 12, 2002, and 28 C.F.R. Part 38, faith-based and other 

3
community organizations that statutorily qualify as eligible applicants under DOJ 

programs are invited and encouraged to apply for assistance awards to fund eligible 

grant activities. Faith-based and other community organizations will be considered for 

awards on the same basis as other eligible applicants and, if they receive assistance 

awards, will be treated on an equal basis with all other grantees in the administration of 

such awards. No eligible applicant or grantee will be discriminated for or against on the 

basis of its religious character or affiliation, religious name, or the religious composition 

of its board of directors or persons working in the organization. 

Faith-based organizations receiving DOJ assistance awards retain their independence 

and do not lose or have to modify their religious identity (e.g., remove religious symbols) 

to receive assistance awards. DOJ grant funds, however, may not be used to fund any 

inherently religious activity, such as prayer or worship. Inherently religious activity is 

permissible, although it cannot occur during an activity funded with DOJ grant funds; 

rather, such religious activity must be separate in time or place from the DOJ-funded 

program. Further, participation in such activity by individuals receiving services must be 

voluntary. Programs funded by DOJ are not permitted to discriminate in the provision of 

services on the basis of a beneficiary’s religion. 

If your organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the 

basis of religious belief, it may be entitled, under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 

42 U.S.C. § 2000bb, to receive Federal funds and yet maintain that hiring practice, even 

if the law creating the funding program contains a general ban on religious discrimination 

in employment. For the circumstances under which this may occur, and the certifications 

that may be required, please see the section titled “Funding to Faith-Based 

Organizations” on the "Other Requirements for OJP Applications" Web page at 

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

Applicants are also encouraged to review the “Civil Rights Compliance” section of the 

“Other Requirements for OJP Applications” Web page, which also can be found at 

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

American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Tribes and/or Tribal Organizations: If a 

grant application is being submitted on behalf of a tribe or tribal organization, a current 

authorizing resolution of the governing body of the tribal entity or other enactment of the 

tribal council or comparable government body authorizing the inclusion of the tribe or 

tribal organization named in the application must be included with the application. 

Specific Information—Criminal Justice Technology 

Information and Sensor Systems Center of Excellence 

NIJ, through its Office of Science and Technology (OST), is the national focal point for 

work on law enforcement technologies, including corrections, investigative, and forensic 

technologies, as well as technologies that support the judicial process. NIJ administers 

programs that improve the safety and effectiveness of, and criminal justice agency 

access to, these technologies. NIJ seeks applications to establish and operate, within 

the existing NLECTC System, a Center of Excellence for information and sensor 

systems that will be primarily responsible for activities related to sensor systems and 

information and geospatial technologies. 

4
The NLECTC System is an integral part of NIJ's Science and Technology program. It 

provides scientific and technical support to NIJ’s research and development efforts; 

supports the demonstration, transfer, and adoption of technology into practice by law 

enforcement and corrections agencies, courts, and crime laboratories; assists in the 

development and dissemination of technology guidelines and standards; and provides 

technology assistance, information, and support to law enforcement and corrections 

agencies, courts, and crime laboratories. NLECTC components are expected to 

collaborate on a daily basis with NIJ's program management staff, other NLECTC 

Centers, and the full range of the Nation's criminal justice practitioner community. Each 

Technology Center of Excellence is expected to work with the other existing NLECTC 

Technology Centers of Excellence, the national and regional Technology Centers and 

the Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) at the National Institute of Standards 

and Technology as part of an integrated NLECTC System. The National Center serves 

as the clearinghouse for technology information and executes NIJ's compliance testing 

program. The regional centers serve as the initial point of entry for law enforcement 

practitioners to the NLECTC System and provide generalized technology assistance to 

law enforcement and corrections agencies, public crime laboratories, and judicial 

agencies in their regions. They also forward requests for specialized assistance to the 

appropriate Technology Center of Excellence, and, as necessary, coordinate technology 

demonstrations and evaluations sponsored by a Technology Center of Excellence with 

agencies within their regions. 

The Technology Centers of Excellence, by contrast, serve as the authoritative resource 

within the NLECTC System for both practitioners and developers in their technology 

area(s) of focus. Their primary role is to assist in the transition of law enforcement 

technology from the laboratory into practice by first adopters within the criminal justice 

community. To that end, applicants must be knowledgeable about both practitioner 

requirements and potential technology solutions, including those developed by NIJ and 

other sources. Each Technology Center of Excellence must provide a high level of 

knowledge and skills necessary to support NIJ's RDT&E process in the relevant 

technology investment portfolio area by—

• Identifying technology requirements. This is to be accomplished principally by 

hosting and supporting relevant Technology Working Group (TWG) activities, 

conducting focused studies to support program development, and participating in 

relevant technical conferences and symposia. 

TWGs exist for each of the relevant technology portfolio investment areas and 

are composed of criminal justice practitioners with interest and expertise in the 

relevant portfolio. TWGs identify technology gaps in the portfolio area, assist NIJ 

in the review of ongoing efforts, facilitate outreach, and coordinate demonstration 

opportunities. Technology Centers of Excellence provide general logistics in 

support of the TWGs. The Centers are expected to capture and disseminate 

technology needs, including assessment metrics for each identified gap. 

• Supporting NIJ’s research and development programs. The Centers of 

Excellence scientists and engineers are expected to help NIJ program managers 

define program objectives; assess ongoing research and development projects; 

find relevant technology efforts for NIJ collaboration; and participate in national 

and regional groups that support the adoption of technology. 

5
• Testing, evaluating, and demonstrating technologies. The Centers of Excellence 

are expected to focus their efforts primarily on the demonstration of new 

technologies in field environments. Demonstrations must be designed to 

determine whether a technology meets all of the assessment criteria for a 

technology need area and develop guidelines for the adoption of the technology 

by other practitioners. To the greatest extent feasible, demonstrations should 

also be designed to determine criminal justice outcomes through evaluation 

research in collaboration with NIJ's Office of Research and Evaluation. The 

length of technology demonstrations may range from 2 hours to 12 months. 

Findings will be disseminated through reports, conferences, standards, and 

technology assistance activities. 

• Supporting the adoption of new technology. The focus of these efforts will be to 

facilitate the effective transfer into practice of new tools and technologies, 

including those funded by NIJ and others. Efforts are to include introducing new 

tools and technologies to the practitioner; introducing practitioner requirements to 

developers; and assisting developers in the commercialization of their products. 

Commercialization activities are to include providing feedback to technology 

developers in the criminal justice marketplace; describing criminal justice 

requirements and practices; providing opportunities for demonstration of 

technologies; and presenting strategies for the commercialization of developers’ 

technologies. In this assistance to commercialization, Centers are expected to 

play a vital role in providing practitioner agencies access to new technologies 

and improved capabilities. NIJ will not provide direct financial assistance to 

companies to commercialize products. NIJ may, however, support pilot programs 

for first adopters of new technology, particularly those that evaluate the 

effectiveness of a technology or develop best practices for the use of a 

technology. 

• Developing technology guidelines. Technology Centers of Excellence efforts are 

expected to include the development of comprehensive guides for law 

enforcement and other appropriate criminal justice practitioners that describe 

how to plan for, select, and implement technology solutions based on actual 

experience with application of the technology in practice. Examples of existing 

guides include: A Guide for Applying Information Technology for Law 

Enforcement, Guide for the Selection of Commercial Explosives Detection 

Systems for Law Enforcement Applications, and Understanding Wireless 

Communications in Public Safety. Topics for additional guides include audio and 

video analysis and enhancement technologies, less-lethal technologies, and 

electronic monitoring technologies. 

• Providing technology assistance and support to criminal justice agencies on a 

national basis. Technology Centers of Excellence are expected to provide all of 

the NLECTC system's specialized technology assistance within their particular 

technology areas of responsibility. The focus of these efforts is to be science and 

engineering advice and support to assist first-adopter law enforcement, 

corrections, and other criminal justice agencies with the use of new technologies 

or the adaptation of existing technologies to enhance their effectiveness, 

efficiency, and safety. Centers are expected to provide national expertise for the 

criminal justice community’s ongoing efforts to continuously improve operations 

6
through the adoption of new tools and methods. (Note that Technology Centers 

of Excellence do not provide assistance to agencies that are adopting 

technologies that are well established in practice.) Appropriate assistance will be 

provided to all facets of the criminal justice community, including small and rural 

law enforcement, corrections, forensic service providers, school resource 

officers, or other State and local practitioner communities.

Although the Technology Centers of Excellence will, to a certain extent, perform ongoing 

work related to responding to calls for assistance forwarded from the Regional Centers, 

Technology Centers of Excellence should expect that the majority of their work will be on 

projects specifically defined by NIJ in support of the specific technology investment 

portfolio areas. For this reason and others (such as the possibility of establishment, 

modification, or elimination of particular technology investment portfolios by NIJ; 

changes in the availability of funds; or the desire to capitalize on technology 

opportunities), applicants should expect that the level of effort for each Center of 

Excellence may vary significantly during the project period (or from year to year, should 

supplemental funding be made available). Successful applicants therefore must 

demonstrate the ability to readily add or reduce capacity in relevant areas without 

adversely affecting the ability to provide services or incurring unacceptable additional 

costs. In this connection, NIJ is very interested in entertaining applications that propose 

to leverage existing programs, facilities, and personnel. 

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 

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

What will not be funded: 

1. Provision of training or direct service, except as otherwise noted. 

2. Proposals primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. (Your 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. Applications that do not demonstrate the capability to perform the work proposed. 

5. Applications to provide general technology assistance on a regional basis or to 

rural law enforcement agencies. This work will be supported within the existing 

structure of the NLECTC system. 

6. Applications that propose the execution of research and development. 

Cost of proposed work: 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. 

NIJ expects to make one award for fiscal year 2009, depending on the amount of funds 

available and the receipt of high-quality applications. NIJ anticipates that there will be up 

to $2 million available in FY09 to fund approximately 12 months of project activity. The 

budget must be broken down on a year-to-year basis over the length of the project. 

Thus, applicants should include a 12-month budget as part of their application. 

7
Applicants should be aware that the total period of an award, including one that receives 

additional funding, ordinarily will not exceed 3 years. 

A grant made by NIJ under this solicitation may account for up to 100 percent of the total 

cost of the project. See "Cofunding" under "What an Application Must Include." 

Limitation on use of award funds for employee compensation; waiver: No portion 

of any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation may be used to pay 

any portion of the total cash compensation (salary plus bonuses) of any employee of the 

award recipient whose total cash compensation exceeds 110 percent 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 salary table for SES employees is available at http://www.opm.gov.) 

This prohibition may be waived at the discretion of the Assistant Attorney General for the 

Office of Justice Programs. An applicant that wishes to request a waiver should include 

a detailed justification in the budget narrative for the application. 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 

undertaken with the grant funds and a statement explaining that the individual’s salary is 

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

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

Performance Measures 

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

Performance and Results Act (GPRA), P.L. 103–62, applicants who receive funding 

under this solicitation must provide data that measures the results of their work. 

Additionally, applicants must discuss their data collection methods in the application. 

Performance measures for this solicitation are as follows: 

Objective Performance Measures Data Grantee Provides 

To facilitate the adoption 

of new tools and 

technologies into 

practice by criminal 

justice agencies through 

testing, evaluation, and 

the provision of 

technology assistance. 

Quality of the research/work 

performed as assessed by a peer 

review process involving relevant 

technical and practitioner experts 

and the NIJ program manager. 

Quality of management as 

measured by whether significant 

interim project milestones were 

achieved, final deadlines were met, 

and costs remained within 

approved limits. 

Individual project reports responding to 

the requirements of a specific project 

detailing the Center's activities including: 

the number of research, testing and 

evaluation, and demonstration activities 

conducted; the number of technologies 

successfully adopted into service; the 

number of technology guides published; 

and the number of calls for assistance 

responded to. 

Quarterly financial reports, semi-annual 

progress reports, and a final technical 

progress report providing a 

comprehensive overview of the Center's 

activities during the period of 

performance. 

8
How to Apply 

Grants Management System Instructions. Applications must be submitted through 

OJP’s online Grants Management System (GMS). To access the system, go to 

https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov. Applicants should begin the process a few weeks prior to 

the GMS registration deadline, especially if this is the first time they have used the 

system. Each application requires a separate GMS registration. For a step-by-step 

guide, visit http://www.ojp.gov/gmscbt/ and refer to the section entitled “External 

Overview: Locating & Applying for Funding Opportunities.” For additional assistance, call 

the GMS Help Desk at 1–888–549–9901 Monday–Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. eastern 

time. 

Note: OJP will not review any application whose attachments are in Microsoft 

Vista or Microsoft 2007 format. Applications submitted via GMS must be in the 

following formats: Microsoft Word (*.doc), Word Perfect (*.wpd), PDF files (*.pdf), or Text 

Documents (*.txt), and may include Microsoft Excel (*.xls) files. GMS is not yet 

compatible with Vista and cannot yet process Microsoft Word 2007 documents saved in 

the new default format with the extension “.docx.” Please ensure that Word documents 

you are submitting are saved using "Word 97–2003 Document (*.doc)" format. 

Additionally, 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." 

CFDA Number: 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.” 

A DUNS number is required: The Office of Management and Budget requires that all 

businesses and nonprofit applicants for Federal funds include a DUNS (Data Universal 

Numbering System) number in their application for a new award or renewal of an award. 

Applications without a DUNS number are incomplete. A DUNS number is a unique ninedigit 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. The DUNS number will be used 

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

activity. Obtain one by calling 1–866–705–5711 or by applying online at 

http://www.dnb.com/us. Individuals are exempt from this requirement. 

Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is required: In addition to the DUNS number 

requirement, OJP requires that all applicants (other than individuals) for Federal financial 

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

database. 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 at least once per year to maintain an active status. 

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

9
What an Application Must Include 

Applications should include the following: 

Standard Form 424 

Program Narrative 

Applicants should structure their narrative around a core program addressing the 

following anticipated projects for a 12-month project period commencing November 1, 

2009. The program narrative should also address the applicant's ability to scale during 

the project period to provide services in the areas identified under "Specific Information" 

above (e.g., identifying technology requirements, supporting NIJ’s research and 

development program). 

Information and Sensor Systems Center of Excellence 

Information and sensor systems are critical to the development of criminal justice 

operations, especially in law enforcement. NIJ seeks to improve police use of integrated 

systems to enable the prediction and preemption of criminal activity. This work includes 

the use of integrated justice information systems that improve the safety and 

effectiveness of patrol officers, investigators, community-oriented policing, and problemoriented policing activities. In addition, NIJ seeks to improve the use of sensor systems 

to protect public spaces and critical infrastructure, including support for critical incident 

command and control. Systems should adapt to the kind of information needed for 

specific applications, including geospatial information and analysis, information 

concerning individuals (including officers and offenders), and information concerning 

groups (e.g., gangs or drug markets). In addition, NIJ seeks to improve the ability of the 

criminal justice community to use appropriate management and policies in the adoption 

of these systems, including privacy safeguards and planning tools (e.g., using guidance 

from the Global Justice Initiative of the Department of Justice). Specific collaborations 

with the existing Centers of Excellence in communications and corrections-related 

activities will be required. 

Specific activities include: 

• Host and support the Information-Led Policing, Geospatial, Sensors and 

Surveillance, Biometrics, and Modeling and Simulation TWGs, including hosting 

two annual meetings each for a total of 10. 

• Host and support related focus groups as needed. Conduct planning and 

coordination activities relevant to evaluation of a multiyear field demonstration in 

three (3) jurisdictions focused on demonstrating the application of cutting-edge 

technologies, policies, and practices to predict and preempt crime. Evaluation of 

this demonstration will require competencies in the physical sciences, information 

sciences, and evaluation research. Full implementation of this field 

demonstration is not expected to begin before FY 2010. 

• Establish and manage an evaluation of the CrimeStat Core Component Libraries. 

This will include the publishing of guidebooks, tutorials, and written evaluations. 

10
• Establish and manage an evaluation in the field that tests the efficiency and 

responsiveness of law enforcement and other criminal justice components with 

respect to the adoption and usage of mobile information devices. 

• Establish and manage a crime-mapping pilot involving practitioner agencies to 

test and evaluate crime-mapping technologies. 

• Establish and manage the Crime Mapping and Analysis Program training 

program. This task involves developing advertisements, organizing training 

logistics, managing the training laboratory, and providing an evaluation of the 

training material and curriculum for continuous improvement. 

• Establish and manage programs involving practitioner agencies that respond to 

the needs of the Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative. 

• Establish and manage operational and outcome evaluations of technology in 

each of the sensors and surveillance focus areas. Such evaluations should 

include, but not be limited to, evaluation of automated and semi-automated video 

surveillance processing software for improved situational awareness. 

• Support development of NIJ standards for relevant sensor and surveillance 

technologies, including surveillance video (CCTV, body-worn). 

• Establish and manage operational and outcome evaluations of technology in 

each of the biometrics focus areas. Such evaluations should include, but not be 

limited to, evaluations of the following: 

– Mobile biometrics devices. 

– Touchless fast-capture fingerprint devices. 

– Facial recognition systems. 

– Alternatives to fingerprint identification, including iris and vein 

identification. 

• Support the development of NIJ standards for relevant biometric technologies, 

including touchless fast-capture devices. 

• Support NIJ's coordinated outreach with other Federal, State and local 

government agencies in the area of biometrics. 

The Program Narrative includes: 

a. Abstract (not to exceed 600 words). 

b. Table of contents. 

c. Main body, which includes: 

• Purpose, goals, and objectives. 

• Review of relevant literature. 

• Research design and methods. 

• Implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United States. 

• Management plan and organization. 

• Dissemination strategy. 

d. Appendixes (not counted against program narrative page limit) include: 

11
• Bibliography/References (if applicable). 

• List of key personnel (required). 

• Résumés of key personnel (required). 

• List of previous and current NIJ awards (required). 

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project (if applicable). 

• Chart for timeline, research calendar, or milestones (required). 

• Other materials required by the solicitation. 

Budget Detail Worksheet 

The Budget Detail Worksheet should address the full scope, duration, and cost of the 

project. It should include a breakdown of costs associated with each budget category, 

including itemizations and calculations where necessary. 

The budget must be broken down on a year-to-year basis over the length of the project. 

That is, if the proposed project is 3 years, then there should be separate budgets for 

year one, year two, and year three. Thus, applicants should include a 12-month budget 

as part of their application. 

Templates for filling out the Budget Detail Worksheet may be found online at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf, OJP Standard Forms & 

Instructions. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Chief Financial 

Officer's Customer Service Center at 1–800–458–0786. 

Budget Narrative 

The Budget Narrative is a plain-language description of each of the proposed 

expenditures listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. It should clearly explain the purpose 

and reason for all expenditures in the budget. There should be no ambiguities about any 

budget item. The narrative should also include details for calculated rates or other 

figures. 

As with the Budget Detail Worksheet, the Budget Narrative must be broken down on a 

year-by-year basis. 

Data Collection Plan 

The Data Collection Plan is a description of the applicant’s plan for the collection of the 

data required for performance measures. 

Indirect Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

Applicants that do not have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and wish to establish 

one can submit a proposal to their “cognizant” Federal agency. Generally, the cognizant 

Federal agency is the agency that provides the preponderance of direct Federal funding. 

This can be determined by reviewing an organization’s schedule of Federal financial 

assistance. If DOJ is your cognizant Federal agency, obtain information needed to 

submit an indirect cost rate proposal at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/part3/part3chap17.htm. 

12
Other Program Attachments 

These include several forms, available on OJP’s funding page at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms.htm. 

Page limit: The program narrative section of the application must not exceed 25 doublespaced pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Abstract, table of contents, charts, 

figures, appendixes, and government forms do not count toward the 25-page limit for the 

narrative section. 

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

percent of the total cost of the project. You must indicate whether you believe it is 

feasible for you to contribute cash, facilities, or services as non-Federal support for the 

project. Your application should identify generally any such contributions that you expect 

to make and your proposed budget should indicate in detail which items, if any, will be 

supported with non-Federal contributions. 

Selection Criteria 

Successful applicants must demonstrate the following: 

Statement of the Problem (Understanding of the problem and its importance)—15%

Project/Program Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit)—25% 

1. Understanding of the unique challenges of criminal justice agencies and the role 

of technology in meeting those challenges. 

2. Relevance of the proposed work to accomplishing the objectives of this 

solicitation. 

3. Soundness of the approach to accomplishing the proposed work. 

4. Innovation and creativity (when appropriate). 

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

applicants)—25% 

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. Ability to add or reduce capacity without incurring unacceptable costs. 

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

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/Plan for Collecting Data for Performance 

Measures (Relevance to policy and practice)—10%

This section should include a description of the applicant’s plan for the collection of 

the data required for performance measures. 

13
Relevance of the project for policy and practice: 

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. You may include 

letters showing support from practitioners, but they carry less weight than clear 

evidence that you understand why policymakers and practitioners would benefit from 

your work and how they would use it. While a partnership may affect State or local 

activities, it should also have broader implications for others across the country. 

Dissemination Strategy—10% 

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 NIJ might develop for practitioners 

and policymakers. 

Review Process 

OJP is committed to ensuring a standardized process for awarding grants. NIJ reviews 

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

understandable, measurable, achievable, and consistent with program or legislative 

requirements as stated in the solicitation. 

Peer reviewers will be reviewing the applications submitted under this solicitation as 

well. NIJ may use either internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers, or a 

combination of both 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 an expert in the 

field of the subject matter of a given solicitation who is a current U.S. Department of 

Justice employee. Applications will be screened initially to determine whether the 

applicant meets all eligibility requirements. Only applications submitted by eligible 

applicants that meet all other requirements 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 may include, but are not 

limited to, underserved populations, strategic priorities, past performance, and available 

funding. 

After the peer review is finalized, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), in 

consultation with NIJ, conducts a financial review of all potential discretionary awards 

and cooperative agreements to evaluate the fiscal integrity and financial capability of 

applicants; examines proposed costs to determine if the budget and budget narrative 

accurately explain project costs; and determines whether costs are reasonable, 

necessary, and allowable under applicable Federal cost principles and agency 

regulations. OCFO also reviews the award document and verifies the OJP Vendor 

Number. 

When awards will be made: All applicants, whether they are accepted or rejected, will 

be notified. The review and approval process takes about 4 months. You should not 

propose to begin work until at least 4 months after the application deadline on the cover 

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of this solicitation. Also, you should not expect to receive notification of a decision for at 

least 4 months after that date. Lists of awards are updated regularly on NIJ’s Web site at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding/welcome.htm. 

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

all final grant award decisions will be made by the Assistant Attorney General (AAG), 

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

populations, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding when making 

awards. 

Additional Requirements 

Successful applicants selected for an award must agree to comply with additional 

applicable requirements prior to receiving grant funding. We strongly encourage you to 

review the list below pertaining to these additional requirements prior to submitting your 

application. Additional information for each can be found at 

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

• Civil Rights Compliance 

• Funding to Faith-Based Organizations 

• Confidentiality and Human Subjects Protection 

• Anti-Lobbying Act 

• Financial and Government Audit Requirements 

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 

• DOJ Information Technology Standards 

• Single Point of Contact Review 

• Nonsupplanting of State and Local Funds 

• Criminal Penalty for False Statements 

• Compliance With Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/

• Suspension or Termination of Funding 

• Nonprofit Organizations 

• For-Profit Organizations 

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 

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• Rights in Intellectual Property 

• Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) 

If your proposal is funded, you 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, among other things, 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. It must contain an abstract of no more than 600 words and an executive summary 

of no more than 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 both paper and electronic formats. 

For program evaluation studies, the final report should include a section on measuring 

program performance. This section should outline the measures used to evaluate 

program effectiveness, modifications made to those measures as a result of the 

evaluation, and recommendations regarding these and other potential performance 

measures for similar programs. (This information will be particularly valuable to NIJ and 

other Federal program agencies in implementing performance measures for federally 

funded criminal justice programs.) 

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.