Notices regarding the solicitation “Research and Evaluation for the 

Testing and Interpretation of Physical Evidence in Publicly Funded 

Forensic Laboratories”

February 25, 2019: The link to the DOJ Grants Financial Management Online Training under 

“Financial Management and System of Internal Controls” was updated.

February 19, 2019: Information regarding submission of information pertaining to disclosure and 

justification for DOJ High Risk Grantees was redacted.

The original solicitation document begins on the next page.
U.S. Department of Justice OMB No. 1121-0329 

Office of Justice Programs Approval Expires 11/30/2020 

National Institute of Justice 

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

Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for research and evaluation studies to produce practical 

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

evidence in forensic science laboratories. This program furthers the Department’s mission by 

sponsoring research to provide objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to 

meet the challenges of criminal justice, particularly at the State and local levels. 

Research and Evaluation for the Testing and 

Interpretation of Physical Evidence 

in Publicly Funded Forensic 

Laboratories 

Applications Due: April 29, 2019

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 federally 

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

made as an inter-agency reimbursable agreement.) Foreign governments, foreign 

organizations, and foreign colleges and universities are not eligible to apply. Applicants must be, 

or be partnered with, publicly funded forensic science laboratories that are currently accredited 

by an independent accrediting or certifying forensic science organization. Publicly funded 

forensic science laboratories include State, regional, county, municipal, and tribal agencies. 

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

management fee. 

NIJ welcomes applications under which two or more entities would carry out the federal award; 

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

(subgrantees).1

 The applicant must be the entity that would have primary responsibility for 

carrying out the award, including administering funding, managing the entire project, and 

monitoring and appropriately managing any subawards (“subgrants”).

 

1

 For additional information on subawards, see "Budget and Associated Documentation" under Section D. Application 

and Submission Information. 
2 

NIJ-2019-15507 

Under this solicitation, any particular applicant entity may submit more than one application, as 

long as each application proposes a different project in response to the solicitation. Also, an 

entity may be proposed as a subrecipient (subgrantee) in more than one application.

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

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

availability of appropriations. 

Deadline 

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

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

April 29, 2019.

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

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

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

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

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

problems that may have caused a rejection notification. 

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

For additional information, see How to Apply in Section D. Application and Submission 

Information. 

Contact Information 

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

Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, at 

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, or via email to support@grants.gov. The

Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays. 

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

prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline may email the NIJ contact identified 

below within 24 hours after the application deadline to request approval to submit its 

application. Additional information on reporting technical issues appears under Experiencing 

Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues in the How to Apply section. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grants.gov number assigned to this solicitation: NIJ-2019-15507

Release date: February 8, 2019 
3 

NIJ-2019-15507 

Contents 

A. Program Description .............................................................................................................. 4

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

Program-Specific Information ................................................................................................. 4

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Scholarly Products ....................................................... 5

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

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

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

Budget Information ................................................................................................................10

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

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

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

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs ...................12

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

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

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

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

How To Apply ........................................................................................................................29

E. Application Review Information .............................................................................................33

Review Criteria ......................................................................................................................33

Review Process ....................................................................................................................34

F. Federal Award Administration Information ............................................................................36

Federal Award Notices ..........................................................................................................36

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements ............................................37

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements .............................38

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) ...................................................................................38

H. Other Information..................................................................................................................38

Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 552a) ....................38

Provide Feedback to OJP .....................................................................................................39

Application Checklist .............................................................................................................40
4 

NIJ-2019-15507 

Research and Evaluation for the Testing and 

Interpretation of Physical Evidence 

in Publicly Funded Forensic 

Laboratories 

(CFDA No. 16.560) 

A. Program Description 

Overview 

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for research and evaluation projects that will: 

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

existing laboratory protocols; and 

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

laboratory policy decisions. 

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

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

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

most current forensic science operational needs discussed at the FY 2018 TWG meeting may 

be found on NIJ.gov. NIJ’s Forensic Science Technology Working Group (TWG) assists in 

identifying and prioritizing operational needs and requirements of the field and are intended to 

facilitate proposal development. Additional research needs of the forensic science community 

can be found at the Organization of Scientific Area Committees website. 

Statutory Authority: Any awards under this solicitation would be made under statutory 

authority provided by a full-year appropriations act for FY 2019. As of the writing of this 

solicitation, the Department of Justice is operating under a short-term "Continuing Resolution"; 

no full-year appropriation for the Department has been enacted for FY 2019.

Program-Specific Information 

This solicitation seeks applications for research and evaluation studies to produce practical 

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

evidence in forensic science laboratories. 

Proposals are expected to identify the forensic science discipline(s) intended to benefit from the 

project. The forensic science discipline(s) should be listed in the key words on the title 

page. Some of the forensic science disciplines are listed below. 

 DNA and forensic biology. 

 Forensic crime scene analysis. 
5 

NIJ-2019-15507 

 Forensic anthropology and forensic odontology. 

 Controlled substances. 

 Fire debris analysis and arson scene investigations. 

 Firearms and toolmark identification. 

 Latent print. 

 Shoeprint/tire tread examination. 

 Questioned documents. 

 Trace evidence. 

 Forensic toxicology. 

 Medicolegal death investigations, including forensic pathology. 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Scholarly Products 

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

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

objectives. Proposals should address at least one of the goals specified below:

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

rationale underpinning existing laboratory processes. 

To achieve this goal, applicants should perform research and evaluation of existing 

laboratory schemes and methods to determine possible improvements. Examples of such 

projects include: 

 Evaluation of minimum acceptance criteria of analytical data, such as mass spectra, 

generated in case samples; 

 Evaluation of accuracy gained from additional orthogonal testing of controlled substance 

samples; 

 Evaluation of the effectiveness of a blind verification program for technical reviews; and 

 Evaluation of implementation of software and statistical methods used for the 

interpretation of DNA mixtures. 

2. Evaluating Emerging Methods – Assess the value of emerging laboratory processes.

To achieve this goal, applicants should conduct research to compare emerging methods to 

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

laboratories. These evaluations should consider factors such as accuracy, reliability, cost, 

and analysis time. Examples of such projects include: 
6 

NIJ-2019-15507 

 Comparison of a newly developed broad spectrum method to existing multi-step 

method(s). 

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

instrumentation that is currently used in the laboratory. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

samples. 

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

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

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

appropriate lab. 

To assist non-publicly funded lab applicants in identifying appropriate collaborators, NIJ has 

developed a site for labs to indicate their interest in participating in this research. Interested labs 

are encouraged to visit https://www.nij.gov/topics/forensics/lab-operations/Pages/connectingpostgraduate-researchers-with-publicly-funded-forensic-laboratories.aspx to provide their 

contact information. 

Applicants who wish to propose a collaboration in the form of a subaward as part of their 

application are advised to consult Section D. Application and Submission Information of this 

solicitation, which describes required documents for proposals involving subrecipients. 

NIJ also strongly encourages applicants to seek guidance from a statistician in order to ensure 

that rigorous testing measures are employed. Areas that may benefit from a statistician include, 

but are not limited to, research design (e.g., experimental design, planning sample size or 

sampling designs, designing data collection methods), selection and application of appropriate 

statistical methods, and how to use software to perform data analyses. Such associations foster 

a greater understanding of the testing and validation issues unique to the field of forensic 

science, and may strengthen the scope of the proposed application. 

Final Research Report. Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be expected to 

submit a final research report. Additional information on the final research report requirement for 

the solicitation is posted on the Post Award Reporting Requirements Page on NIJ’s website.

In addition to these deliverables (and the required reports and data on performance measures 

described in Section F. Federal Award Administration Information), NIJ expects scholarly 

products to result from each award under this solicitation, taking the form of one or more 

published, peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles, and/or (if appropriate) law review journal 

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

inventions, or similar scientific products. 

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

information, including examples of previous workshops and evaluations, can be found through 
7 

NIJ-2019-15507 

the following links: http://www.nij.gov/topics/forensics/lab-operations/Pages/workshops.aspx and 

http://www.forensiccoe.org. 

The Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Expected Scholarly Products are directly related to the 

performance measures that demonstrate the results of the work completed. 

Performance Measures 

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

the results of the work carried out under the award (see “General Information about PostFederal Award Reporting Requirements” in Section F. Federal Award Administration 

Information).

The application should demonstrate the applicant’s understanding of the performance data 

reporting requirements for this grant program and detail how the applicant will gather the 

required data should it receive funding. 

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

Performance measures information is included as an alert that successful applicants will be 

required to submit performance data as part of the reporting requirements under an award. 

Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Recipient Provides

Conduct research 

in science, 

technology, 

engineering, and/or 

mathematics 

having clear 

implications for 

criminal justice 

policy and practice 

in the United 

States.

1.Relevance to the needs of the field as 

measured by whether the project’s substantive 

scope did not deviate from the funded proposal 

or any subsequent agency-approved 

modifications to the scope.

2.Quality of the research as demonstrated by the 

scholarly products that result in whole or in part 

from work funded under the NIJ award 

(published, peer-reviewed, scientific journal 

articles, and/or (as appropriate for the funded 

project) law review journal articles, book 

chapter(s) or book(s) in the academic press, 

technological prototypes, patented inventions, 

or similar scientific products).

3.Quality of management as measured by such 

factors as whether significant project 

milestones were achieved, reporting and other 

deadlines were met, and costs remained within 

approved limits.

4.Number of technologies fielded as a result (in 

whole or in part) of work funded under the NIJ 

award.

1. Quarterly financial reports, 

semi-annual and final 

progress reports of the 

work performed under the 

NIJ award, and, if 

applicable, an annual 

audit report.

2. List of citation(s) to all 

scholarly products that 

resulted in whole or in part 

from work funded under 

the NIJ award.

3. If applicable, each data

set that resulted in whole 

or in part from work 

funded under the NIJ 

award.

4. If applicable, a description 

of all technologies fielded 

as a result (in whole or in 

part) of work funded under 

the NIJ award.
8 

NIJ-2019-15507 

B. Federal Award Information 

NIJ estimates that it will make awards with an estimated total amount awarded for all awards of 

up to $2,500,000. Successful applicants will be expected to complete the work proposed within 

a five-year period of performance.

An applicant should base its federal funding request and period of performance on the actual 

requirements of the research, and not necessarily on the anticipated amount of funding 

available in FY 2019 for awards under this solicitation nor to fit within a three-year period of 

performance. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit realistic proposals — including a 

reasonable project timeline and end date — as project extensions may not be granted. 

However, to expedite the budget approval process, applicants are encouraged to break out their 

budgets by project year or by phases in the event that NIJ choses to fund the project partially or 

incrementally. 

Applications proposing research involving partnerships with other agencies, such as publicly 

funded forensic laboratories, must include a strong letter of cooperation/support or 

administrative agreement, signed by an appropriate decision-making authority from each 

proposed, partnering agency. If selected for award, grantees will be expected to have a formal 

agreement in place with partnering agencies by January 1, 2020. 

To allow time for (among other things) any necessary post-award review and financial clearance 

by OJP of the proposed budget and for any associated responses or other action(s) that may be 

required of the recipient, applicants should propose an award start date of January 1, 2020. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

would be productive. (If, in FY 2019, NIJ elects to fund only certain phases of a proposed 

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

vary from those described above.) 

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

solicitation, through continuation awards. In making decisions regarding continuation awards, 

OJP will consider, among other factors, the availability of appropriations, when the program or 

project was last competed, OJP’s strategic priorities, and OJP’s assessment of both the 

management of the award (for example, timeliness and quality of progress reports), and the 

progress of the work funded under the award.

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

additional requirements that may be imposed by law. 
9 

NIJ-2019-15507 

Type of Award 

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

National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements, under Section F. Federal Award Administration 

Information, for a brief discussion of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that 

apply to many (or in some cases, all) OJP grants. 

Please note: Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be required to comply with 

DOJ regulations on confidentiality and protection of human subjects. See “Requirements related 

to Research” under “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and 

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

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

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls 

Award recipients and subrecipients (including recipients or subrecipients that are pass-through 

entities2

) must, as described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements3 as set out at 2 C.F.R. 

200.303: 

(a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that

provides reasonable assurance that [the recipient (and any subrecipient)] is

managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations,

and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls

should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the

Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States and

the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of

Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

(b) Comply with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the

Federal awards.

(c) Evaluate and monitor [the recipient’s (and any subrecipient’s)] compliance with

statutes, regulations and the terms and conditions of Federal awards.

(d) Take prompt action when instances of noncompliance are identified including

noncompliance identified in audit findings.

(e) Take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable

information and other information the Federal awarding agency or pass-through

entity designates as sensitive or [the recipient (or any subrecipient)] considers

sensitive consistent with applicable Federal, state, local, and tribal laws regarding

privacy and obligations of confidentiality.

To help ensure that applicants understand applicable administrative requirements and cost 

principles, OJP encourages prospective applicants to enroll, at no charge, in the DOJ Grants 

2 For purposes of this solicitation, the phrase “pass-through entity” includes any recipient or subrecipient that provides 

a subaward (“subgrant”) to carry out part of the funded award or program.

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

modifications) the provisions of 2 C.F.R. Part 200. 
10

NIJ-2019-15507 

Financial Management Online Training, available at https://onlinegfmt.training.ojp.gov/. (This 

training is required for all OJP recipients.) 

Also, applicants should be aware that OJP collects information from applicants on their financial 

management and systems of internal controls (among other information) which is used to make 

award decisions. Under Section D. Application and Submission Information, applicants may 

access and review the OJP Financial Management and System of Internal Controls 

Questionnaire (https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/FinancialCapability.pdf) that OJP 

requires all applicants (other than an individual applying in his/her personal capacity) to 

download, complete, and submit as part of the application.’’

Budget Information 

What will not be funded:

 Applications primarily to purchase equipment, materials, software, or supplies, or to

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

of the proposed research project. (A budget may include these items if they are

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

Proposals that include equipment purchases should include a discussion of how

federally-funded equipment is proposed to be used after the funded work has been

completed and/or the project period has ended. Note that OJP may issue specific

equipment disposition instructions in appropriate circumstances.

 Applications that are not responsive to this specific solicitation. This includes:

o Proposals that do not propose assessing current lab processes, or otherwise do not

respond to the specific goals of this solicitation.

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

 Work that will be funded under another specific solicitation.

 Costs associated with conducting conferences. A conference is a symposium, seminar,

workshop, or any other organized and formal meeting, whether conducted face-to-face

or via the Internet, where individuals assemble (or meet virtually) to exchange

information and views or explore or clarify a defined subject, problem, or area of

knowledge, whether or not a published report results from such meeting. A meeting

where a gathering discusses general matters as part of a normal course of doing

business is not considered a conference. Funds may be used to attend conferences for

the purposes of disseminating research findings.

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

 Proposals in the area of digital evidence or digital forensics. Digital evidence includes

information stored or transmitted in binary form that may be relied on in court. It is typically

found on computer hard drives, mobile phones, personal digital assistants, CDs/DVDs,

flash memory equipment, and other electronic devices. Digital evidence is commonly
11

NIJ-2019-15507 

associated with electronic crime (e.g., child pornography or credit card fraud); however, 

digital evidence can also be used as forensic evidence in other types of crimes.4

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 

See “Cofunding” paragraph under item 4 (“Budget and Associated Documentation”) under What 

an Application Should Include in Section D. Application and Submission Information. 

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

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

performance of the federal award. 

OJP does not typically approve pre-agreement costs; an applicant must request and obtain the 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Requiring Prior Approval in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide at 

https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm for more 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, a recipient may 

not use federal funds to pay total cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses) to any 

employee of the recipient at a rate that exceeds 110 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.5 The 2019 salary 

table for SES employees is available at the Office of Personnel Management website at 

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salarytables/19Tables/exec/html/ES.aspx. Note: A recipient may compensate an employee at a 

greater rate, provided the amount in excess of this compensation limitation is paid with nonfederal funds. (Non-federal funds used for any such additional compensation will not be 

considered matching funds, where match requirements apply.) If only a portion of an 

employee’s time is charged to an OJP award, the maximum allowable compensation is equal to 

the percentage of time worked times the maximum salary limitation. 

The Director of the National Institute of Justice may exercise discretion to waive, on an 

individual basis, this limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award. An applicant 

that requests a waiver should include a detailed justification in the budget narrative of its 

application. An applicant that does not submit a waiver request and justification with its 

application should anticipate that OJP will require the applicant to adjust and resubmit the 

budget. 

 

4 www.nij.gov/topics/forensics/evidence/digital/welcome.htm. 

5

 OJP does not apply this limitation on the use of award funds to the nonprofit organizations listed in Appendix VIII to 

2 C.F.R. Part 200. 
12

NIJ-2019-15507 

The justification should address, in the context of the work the individual would do under the 

award, the particular qualifications and expertise of the individual, the uniqueness of a service 

the individual will provide, the individual’s specific knowledge of the proposed program or 

project, and a statement that explains whether and how the individual’s salary under the award 

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

qualifications and expertise, and for the work he/she would do under the award. 

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

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

meeting-, or training-related activity (or similar event) to review carefully—before submitting an 

application—the OJP policy and guidance on approval, planning, and reporting of such events, 

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

policy and guidance (1) encourage minimization of conference, meeting, and training costs; (2) 

require prior written approval (which may affect project timelines) of most conference, meeting, 

and training costs for cooperative agreement recipients and of some conference, meeting, and 

training costs for grant recipients; and (3) set cost limits, which include a general prohibition of 

all food and beverage costs. 

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) 

If an applicant proposes a program or activity that would deliver services or benefits to 

individuals, the costs of taking reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to those services 

or benefits for individuals with limited English proficiency may be allowable. Reasonable steps 

to provide meaningful access to services or benefits may include interpretation or translation 

services, where appropriate. 

For additional information, see the "Civil Rights Compliance" section under “Overview of Legal 

Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and Cooperative Agreements – FY 2018 

Awards” in the OJP Funding Resource Center at https://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm. 

C. Eligibility Information 

For eligibility information, see title page. 

For information on cost sharing or match requirements, see “What an Application Should 

Include” in Section D. Application and Submission Information. 

D. Application and Submission Information 

What an Application Should Include 

This section describes in detail what an application should include. An applicant should 

anticipate that if it fails to submit an application that contains all of the specified elements, it may 

negatively affect the review of its application; and, should a decision be made to make an 

award, it may result in the inclusion of award conditions that preclude the recipient from 

accessing or using award funds until the recipient satisfies the conditions and OJP makes the 

funds available. 
13

NIJ-2019-15507 

Moreover, an applicant should anticipate that an application that OJP determines is 

nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation, or that OJP determines does not include the 

application elements that NIJ has designated to be critical, will neither proceed to peer review 

nor receive further consideration. For this solicitation, NIJ has designated the following 

application elements as critical: Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet, Budget Narrative, 

resumes/curriculum vitae of key personnel, and Proof of Forensic Laboratory Accreditation for 

the involved publicly funded forensic laboratory. (For purposes of this solicitation, “key 

personnel” means the principal investigator, and any and all co-principal investigators and other 

significant contributors.)

NOTE: OJP has combined the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative in a single 

document collectively referred to as the Budget Detail Worksheet. See “Budget Information and 

Associated Documentation” below for more information about the Budget Detail Worksheet and 

where it can be accessed. 

OJP strongly recommends that applicants use appropriately descriptive file names (e.g., 

“Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet,” “Timelines,” “Memoranda of Understanding,” 

“Resumes”) for all attachments. Also, OJP recommends that applicants include resumes in a 

single file. 

Please review the “Note on File Names and File Types” under How to Apply to be sure 

applications are submitted in permitted formats. 

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

The SF-424 is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of preapplications, applications, and related information. Grants.gov and OJP’s Grants 

Management System (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, 

select "For-Profit Organization" or "Small Business" (as applicable). 

To avoid processing delays, an applicant must include an accurate legal name on its SF424. On the SF-424, current OJP award recipients, when completing the field for “Legal 

Name” (box 8a), should use the same legal name that appears on the prior year award 

document (which is also the legal name stored in OJP’s financial system.) Also, current 

recipients should enter the Employer Identification Number (EIN) in box 8b exactly as it 

appears on the prior year award document. An applicant with a current, active award(s) 

must ensure that its GMS profile is current. If the profile is not current, the applicant should 

submit a Grant Adjustment Notice updating the information on its GMS profile prior to 

applying under this solicitation. 

A new applicant entity should enter its official legal name in box 8a, its address in box 8d, its 

EIN in box 8b, and its Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in box 8c of the 

SF-424. A new applicant entity should attach official legal documents to the application (e.g., 

articles of incorporation, 501(c)(3) status documentation, organizational letterhead) to 

confirm the legal name, address, and EIN entered into the SF-424. OJP will use the System 

for Award Management (SAM) to confirm the legal name and DUNS number entered in the 

SF-424; therefore, an applicant should ensure that the information entered in the SF-424 

matches its current registration in SAM. See the How to Apply section for more information 

on SAM and DUNS numbers. 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

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

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

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

2. Project Abstract

The project abstract is a very important part of the application, and serves as an introduction 

to the proposed project. NIJ uses the project abstract for a number of purposes, including 

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

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

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

project in 250-400 words. Project abstracts not submitted in the template below should be—

 Written for a general public audience. 

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

 A single-spaced Word document, using a standard 12-point font (with 1-inch margins). 

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

program narrative. 

3. Program Narrative

The program narrative section of the application should not exceed 14 double-spaced pages 

in 12-point font with 1-inch margins, of which a minimum of seven (7) pages should be 

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

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

toward the 14-page limit for the narrative section. The project abstract, table of contents, 

appendices, and government forms do not count toward the 14-page limit. 

The program narrative should be attached as a separate file with an appropriately 

descriptive file name. 

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

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

The following sections should be included as part of the program narrative.6

Program Narrative Guidelines: 

a. Title Page (not counted against the 14-page program narrative limit).

 

6

 As noted earlier, if the proposed program or project reasonably could be conducted in discrete phases, with each 

phase resulting in completion of one or more significant, defined milestones, then NIJ strongly recommends that the 

applicant structure the application – specifically including the narrative, expected scholarly products, 

timelines/milestones, and budget detail worksheet and budget narrative – to set out each phase clearly. (In 

appropriate cases, the expected scholarly product(s) from a particular phase may vary from those described above.) 

See generally, “Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Expected Scholarly Products” under “Program-Specific 

Information,” above.
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NIJ-2019-15507 

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

opportunity number, the name and complete contact information (that is, address, 

telephone number, and e-mail address) for both the applicant and the principal 

investigator, and key words. 

b. Resubmit Response (if applicable) (not counted against the 14-page program 

narrative limit). 

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

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

than two pages, addressing: (1) the title, submission date, and NIJ-assigned 

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

to the application, including responses to previous feedback received from NIJ. 

c. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the 14-page program narrative 

limit). 

d. Main Body

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

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

 Statement of the Problem. 

 Project Design and Implementation. 

 Potential Impact. 

 Capabilities/Competencies. 

The main body of the program narrative should be organized in the specified order 

above. Start each section with the appropriate section heading – Statement of the 

Problem, Project Design and Implementation, Potential Impact, 

Capabilities/Competencies. 

Within these sections, the narrative should address: 

 Statement of the Problem and Research Questions. The statement of the 

problem should: 

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

field proposed. 

o Explain how the proposed project may improve forensic practice through 

scientific knowledge and/or technical capability. Describe how concepts, 

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

changed if the proposed aims are achieved. 

This section should also identify the proposed research questions and discuss the 

purpose, goals, and objectives of the proposed project. 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

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

of seven [7] pages of the main body of the narrative.) 

o State concisely the goals of the proposed research. 

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

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

and methods proposed and how they will achieve robust and unbiased 

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

well as any resource sharing plans as appropriate. 

o Power and effect size: Use power analyses to describe the range of effect 

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

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

significance level would be used for testing. Include all appropriate 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

determine success, describe your strategy for that process. 

 Potential Impact. Applicants should describe the potential impact of the research 

and how it may inform or improve criminal or juvenile justice-related policy, 

practice, or theory in the United States. Applicants should: 

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

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

o Explain the criminal justice significance of the proposed study. 

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

practice paradigms. 

The discussion of impact should include a discussion of the deliverables, 

including planned scholarly products (See Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and 

Expected Scholarly Products under Program-Specific Information, above, for a 

discussion of expected scholarly products) and a plan for dissemination to 

appropriate audiences. Applicants should identify plans to produce or make 

available to broader interested practitioners and policy makers in a form that is 

designed to be readily accessible and useful to them. 

 Capabilities/Competencies/Applicant Information. This section should describe 

the experience and capability of the applicant organization, key staff, and any 

proposed subgrantees (including consultants) that the applicant will use to 

implement and manage this effort and the federal funds under this award, 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of similar scope, 

design, and magnitude. Applicants should also address: 

o Facilities and other resources: Describe how the scientific environment in 

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

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

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

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

scientific environment or subject populations or will employ useful 

collaborative arrangements. If there are multiple performance sites, describe 

the resources available at each site. 

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

and, if appropriate, identify location and pertinent capabilities. 

o Senior/key personnel profile: Describe each senior/key personnel member’s 

role in the project and why the individual is well-suited for that role. The 

relevant factors may include: aspects of past training; previous experimental 

work on this specific topic or related topics; technical expertise; collaborators 

or scientific environment; and/or past performance in this or related fields. 

Senior/key personnel are defined as all individuals who contribute in a 

substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of the 

project, whether or not salaries are requested. Consultants should be 

included if they meet this definition. 

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

- Senior/key personnel profile: Any remaining senior/key personnel profiles 

should be listed in alphabetical order. While alphabetical order is 

preferred, it is not required. However, be aware that these profiles will 

appear in the application in the order provided by the applicant. 

Therefore, peer reviewers will see them in the order presented. Those 

with a postdoctoral/postgraduate role should be included. 

- Other significant contributors (OSCs): OSCs are those individuals who 

commit to contribute to the scientific development or execution of the 

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

months) to the project. These individuals are typically presented at effort 

of “zero person months” or "as needed." Individuals with measurable 

effort may not be listed as other significant contributors (OSCs). 

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

should be listed after all senior/key persons. 

e. Appendices (not counted against the 14-page program narrative limit) include: 

 Bibliography/references. 

 Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/charts/graphs, or maps pertaining 

to the proposed project that are supplemental to such items included in the main 

body of the narrative. 
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 Curriculum vitae or resume of the principal investigator and any and all coprincipal investigators. In addition, curriculum vitae, resume, or biographical 

sketches of all other individuals (regardless of “investigator” status) who will be 

significantly involved in substantive aspects of the proposed project (including, 

for example, individuals such as statisticians used to conduct proposed data 

analysis). 

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

conflicts on the part of prospective reviewers of the application), a complete list of 

the individuals named or otherwise identified anywhere in the application 

(including in the budget or in any other attachment) who will or may work (or 

advise or consult) on the proposed research, development, or evaluation project. 

This applies to all such individuals, including, for example, individuals who are or 

would be employees of the applicant or employees of any proposed subrecipient 

entity, any individuals who themselves may be a subrecipient, and individuals 

who may (or will) work without compensation (such as advisory board members). 

This appendix to the program narrative is to include, for each listed individual: 

name, title, employer, any other potentially-pertinent organizational affiliation(s), 

and the individual's proposed roles and responsibilities in carrying out the 

proposed project. If the application identifies any specific entities or organizations 

(other than the applicant) that will or may work (or advise or consult) on the 

proposed project, without also naming any associated individuals, the name of 

each such organization also should be included on this list. Applicants should 

use the “Proposed Project Staff, Affiliation, and Roles” form available at

https://www.nij.gov/funding/documents/nij-project-staff-template.xlsx to provide 

this list. 

If the application (including the budget) identifies any proposed non-competitive 

agreements that are or may be considered procurement "contracts" (rather than 

subawards) for purposes of federal grants administrative requirements the 

applicant also must list the entities with which the applicant proposes to contract. 

Applicants should provide this list as a separate sheet entitled "Proposed noncompetitive procurement contracts." 

For information on distinctions -- for purposes of federal grants administrative 

requirements -- between subawards and procurement contracts under awards, 

see “Budget and Associated Documentation,” below.

 Proposed project timeline and expected milestones 

 Human Subjects Protection paperwork (documentation and forms related to 

Institutional Review Board (IRB) review). (See 

nij.gov/funding/humansubjects/Pages/welcome.aspx) Note: Final IRB approval is 

not required at the time an application is submitted. 

 Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to 

nij.gov/funding/humansubjects/pages/confidentiality.aspx) 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

 List of any previous and current NIJ awards to the applicant, including the NIJassigned award numbers and a brief description of any scholarly products that 

resulted in whole or in part from work funded under the NIJ award(s). (See 

“Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Expected Scholarly Products” under 

“Program-Specific Information,” above, for definition of “scholarly products.”) 

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

has been submitted (if applicable) 

 Applicants proposing to use incentives or stipends payments as part of their 

research project design, must submit an incentive or stipend approval request, as 

a separate document, according to the requirements set forth at 

https://www.nij.gov/funding/Pages/research-participant-costs-andincentives.aspx. 

 Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations 

collaborating in the project, such as universities, publicly funded forensic 

laboratories, law enforcement and correctional agencies (if applicable). 

4. Budget and Associated Documentation

Budget document(s) should be attached as a separate file with an appropriately 

descriptive file name. 

The Budget Detail Worksheet and the Budget Narrative are now combined in a single 

document collectively referred to as the Budget Detail Worksheet. The Budget Detail 

Worksheet is a user-friendly, fillable, Microsoft Excel-based document designed to calculate 

totals. Additionally, the Excel workbook contains worksheets for multiple budget years that 

can be completed as necessary. All applicants should use the Excel version when 

completing the proposed budget in an application, except in cases where the 

applicant does not have access to Microsoft Excel or experiences technical 

difficulties. If an applicant does not have access to Microsoft Excel or experiences 

technical difficulties with the Excel version, then the applicant should use the 508-compliant 

accessible Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) version. 

Both versions of the Budget Detail Worksheet can be accessed at 

https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Forms/BudgetDetailWorksheet.htm. 

a. Budget Detail Worksheet

The Budget Detail Worksheet should provide the detailed computation for each budget 

line item, listing the total cost of each and showing how it was calculated by the 

applicant. For example, costs for personnel should show the annual salary rate and the 

percentage of time devoted to the project for each employee paid with grant funds. The 

Budget Detail Worksheet should present a complete itemization of all proposed costs. 

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

see the DOJ Grants Financial Guide at https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm. 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

b. Budget Narrative

The budget narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of expense 

listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. OJP expects proposed budgets to be complete, 

cost effective, and allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and necessary for project 

activities). 

An applicant should demonstrate in its budget narrative how it will maximize cost 

effectiveness of award expenditures. Budget narratives should generally describe cost 

effectiveness in relation to potential alternatives and the goals of the project. For 

example, a budget narrative should detail why planned in-person meetings are 

necessary, or how technology and collaboration with outside organizations could be 

used to reduce costs, without compromising quality. 

The budget narrative should be mathematically sound and correspond clearly with the 

information and figures provided in the Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative should 

explain how the applicant estimated and calculated all costs, and how those costs are 

necessary 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 describe costs by year. 

c. Cofunding 

An award 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. 

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

under Section B. Federal Award Information. 

If a successful application proposes a voluntary match amount, and OJP approves the 

budget, the total match amount incorporated into the approved budget becomes 

mandatory and subject to audit. 

d. Information on Proposed Subawards (if any), as well as on Proposed Procurement 

Contracts (if any) 

Applicants for OJP awards typically may propose to make subawards. Applicants also 

may propose to enter into procurement contracts under the award. 

Whether an action – for federal grants administrative purposes – is a subaward or 

procurement contract is a critical distinction as significantly different rules apply to 

subawards and procurement contracts. If a recipient enters into an agreement that is a 

subaward of an OJP award, specific rules apply – many of which are set by federal 

statutes and DOJ regulations; others by award conditions. These rules place particular 

responsibilities on an OJP recipient for any subawards the OJP recipient may make. The 

rules determine much of what the written subaward agreement itself must require or 

provide. The rules also determine much of what an OJP recipient must do both before 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

and after it makes a subaward. If a recipient enters into an agreement that is a 

procurement contract under an OJP award, a substantially different set of federal rules 

applies. 

OJP has developed the following guidance documents to help clarify the differences 

between subawards and procurement contracts under an OJP award and outline the 

compliance and reporting requirements for each. This information can be accessed 

online at https://ojp.gov/training/training.htm. 

 Subawards under OJP Awards and Procurement Contracts under Awards: A 

Toolkit for OJP Recipients. 

 Checklist to Determine Subrecipient or Contractor Classification. 

 Sole Source Justification Fact Sheet and Sole Source Review Checklist. 

In general, the central question is the relationship between what the third-party will do 

under its agreement with the recipient and what the recipient has committed (to OJP) to 

do under its award to further a public purpose (e.g., services the recipient will provide, 

products it will develop or modify, research or evaluation it will conduct). If a third party 

will provide some of the services the recipient has committed (to OJP) to provide, will 

develop or modify all or part of a product the recipient has committed (to OJP) to 

develop or modify, or will conduct part of the research or evaluation the recipient has 

committed (to OJP) to conduct, OJP will consider the agreement with the third party a 

subaward for purposes of federal grants administrative requirements. 

This will be true even if the recipient, for internal or other non-federal purposes, labels or 

treats its agreement as a procurement, a contract, or a procurement contract. Neither 

the title nor the structure of an agreement determines whether the agreement -- for 

purposes of federal grants administrative requirements -- is a subaward or is instead a 

procurement contract under an award. The substance of the relationship should be given 

greater consideration than the form of agreement between the recipient and the outside 

entity. 

1. Information on proposed subawards 

A recipient of an OJP award may not make subawards ("subgrants") unless the 

recipient has specific federal authorization to do so. Unless an applicable statute or 

DOJ regulation specifically authorizes (or requires) subawards, a recipient must have 

authorization from OJP before it may make a subaward. 

A particular subaward may be authorized by OJP because the recipient included a 

sufficiently-detailed description and justification of the proposed subaward in the 

Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet, and Budget Narrative as approved by 

OJP. If, however, a particular subaward is not authorized by federal statute or 

regulation, and is not approved by OJP, the recipient will be required, post-award, to 

request and obtain written authorization from OJP before it may make the subaward. 

If an applicant proposes to make one or more subawards to carry out the federal 

award and program, the applicant should-- (1) identify (if known) the proposed 

subrecipient(s), (2) describe in detail what each subrecipient will do to carry out the 
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federal award and federal program, and (3) provide a justification for the 

subaward(s), with details on pertinent matters such as special qualifications and 

areas of expertise. Pertinent information on subawards should appear not only in the 

Program Narrative, but also in the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative. 

2. Information on proposed procurement contracts (with specific justification for 

proposed noncompetitive contracts over $250,000) 

Unlike a recipient contemplating a subaward, a recipient of an OJP award generally 

does not need specific prior federal authorization to enter into an agreement that --

for purposes of federal grants administrative requirements -- is considered a 

procurement contract, provided that (1) the recipient uses its own documented 

procurement procedures and (2) those procedures conform to applicable federal law, 

including the Procurement Standards of the (DOJ) Part 200 Uniform Requirements 

(as set out at 2 C.F.R. 200.317 - 200.326). The Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget 

Narrative should identify proposed procurement contracts. (As discussed above, 

subawards must be identified and described separately from procurement contracts.) 

The Procurement Standards in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements, however, reflect 

a general expectation that agreements that (for purposes of federal grants 

administrative requirements) constitute procurement “contracts” under awards will be 

entered into on the basis of full and open competition. All noncompetitive (sole 

source) procurement contracts must meet the OJP requirements outlined at 

https://ojp.gov/training/subawards-procurement.htm. If a proposed procurement 

contract would exceed the simplified acquisition threshold — currently, $250,000 —

a recipient of an OJP award may not proceed without competition unless and until 

the recipient receives specific advance authorization from OJP to use a noncompetitive approach for the procurement. An applicant that (at the time of its 

application) intends — without competition — to enter into a procurement contract 

that would exceed $250,000 should include a detailed justification that explains to 

OJP why, in the particular circumstances, it is appropriate to proceed without 

competition. 

If the applicant receives an award, sole source procurements that do not exceed the 

Simplified Acquisition Threshold (currently $250,000) must have written justification 

for the noncompetitive procurement action maintained in the procurement file. If a 

procurement file does not have the documentation that meets the criteria outlined in 

2 C.F.R. 200, the procurement expenditures may not be allowable. Sole source 

procurement over the $250,000 Simplified Acquisition Threshold must have prior 

approval from OJP using a Sole Source Grant Adjustment Notice (GAN). Written 

documentation justifying the noncompetitive procurement must be submitted with the 

GAN and maintained in the procurement file. 

e. Pre-Agreement Costs 

For information on pre-agreement costs, see Section B. Federal Award Information. 

5. Proof of Forensic Laboratory Accreditation (required) 

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

copy of the current accreditation certificate(s), a digital photograph of the current 
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accreditation certificate(s), or a letter from the accrediting body that includes the certificate 

number. Additionally, if a certificate references another document that contains key 

information on the type or scope of the accreditation, provide a copy of that supplemental 

documentation. Independent accrediting or certifying organizations may include the ANSIASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB), the American Association for Laboratory 

Accreditation (A2LA), or other appropriate accrediting bodies. 

Applicants should list the name of their accrediting body in the key words on the title 

page. 

6. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

Indirect costs may be charged to an award only if: 

(a) The recipient has a current (unexpired), federally-approved indirect cost rate or; 

(b) The recipient is eligible to use, and elects to use, the “de minimis” indirect cost rate

described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements, as set out at 2 C.F.R. 200.414(f). 

An applicant with a current (unexpired) federally-approved indirect cost rate is to attach a 

copy of the indirect cost rate agreement to the application. An applicant that does not have a 

current federally-approved rate may request one through its cognizant federal agency, which 

will review all documentation and approve a rate for the applicant entity, or, if the applicant’s 

accounting system permits, applicants may propose to allocate costs in the direct cost 

categories. 

For assistance with identifying the appropriate cognizant federal agency for indirect costs, 

please contact the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) Customer Service Center at 

1-800-458-0786 or at ask.ocfo@usdoj.gov. If DOJ is the cognizant federal agency, 

applicants may obtain information needed to submit an indirect cost rate proposal at 

https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/IndirectCosts.pdf. 

Certain OJP recipients have the option of electing to use the “de minimis” indirect cost rate. 

An applicant that is eligible to use the “de minimis” rate that wishes to use the "de minimis" 

rate should attach written documentation to the application that advises OJP of both-- (1) the 

applicant’s eligibility to use the “de minimis” rate, and (2) its election to do so. If an eligible 

applicant elects the “de minimis” rate, costs must be consistently charged as either indirect 

or direct costs, but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. The "de 

minimis" rate may no longer be used once an approved federally-negotiated indirect cost 

rate is in place. (No entity that ever has had a federally-approved negotiated indirect cost 

rate is eligible to use the "de minimis" rate.) For the "de minimis" rate requirements 

(including information on eligibility to elect to use the rate), see the Part 200 Uniform 

Requirements, at 2 C.F.R. 200.414(f). 

7. Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

A tribe, tribal organization, or third party that proposes to provide direct services or 

assistance to residents on tribal lands should include in its application a resolution, letter, 

affidavit, or other documentation, as appropriate, that demonstrates (as a legal matter) that 

the applicant has the requisite authorization from the tribe(s) to implement the proposed 

project on tribal lands. In those instances when an organization or consortium of tribes 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

applies for an award on behalf of a tribe or multiple specific tribes, the application should 

include appropriate legal documentation, as described above, from all tribes that would 

receive services or assistance under the award. A consortium of tribes for which existing 

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

an authorizing resolution or comparable legal documentation from each tribal governing 

body) may submit, instead, a copy of its consortium bylaws with the application. 

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

applicant disclosure of high-risk status)

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

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

Internal Controls Questionnaire (Questionnaire) at 

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

The Questionnaire helps OJP assess the financial management and internal control 

systems, and the associated potential risks of an applicant as part of the pre-award risk 

assessment process. 

The Questionnaire should only be completed by financial staff most familiar with the 

applicant's systems, policies, and procedures in order to ensure that the correct responses 

are recorded and submitted to OJP. The responses on the Questionnaire directly impact the 

pre-award risk assessment and should accurately reflect the applicant’s financial 

management and internal control system at the time of the application. The pre-award risk 

assessment is only one of multiple factors and criteria used in determining funding. 

However, a pre-award risk assessment that indicates that an applicant poses a higher risk to 

OJP may affect the funding decision and/or result in additional reporting requirements, 

monitoring, special conditions, withholding of award funds, or other additional award 

requirements. 

Among other things, the form requires each applicant to disclose whether it currently is 

designated “high risk” by a federal grant-making agency outside of DOJ. For purposes of 

this disclosure, high risk includes any status under which a federal awarding agency 

provides additional oversight due to the applicant’s past performance, or other programmatic 

or financial concerns with the applicant. If an applicant is designated high risk by another 

federal awarding agency, the applicant must provide the following information: 

 The federal awarding agency that currently designates the applicant high risk. 

 The date the applicant was designated high risk. 

 The high-risk point of contact at that federal awarding agency (name, phone number, 

and email address). 

 The reasons for the high-risk status, as set out by the federal awarding agency. 

OJP seeks this information to help ensure appropriate federal oversight of OJP awards. An 

applicant that is considered “high-risk” by another federal awarding agency is not 

automatically disqualified from receiving an OJP award. OJP may, however, consider the 

information in award decisions, and may impose additional OJP oversight of any award 
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under this solicitation (including through the conditions that accompany the award 

document). 

9. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Each applicant must complete and submit this information. An applicant that expends any funds 

for lobbying activities is to provide all of the information requested on the form Disclosure of 

Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) posted at https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Disclosure.pdf. 

An applicant that does not expend any funds for lobbying activities is to enter “N/A” in the text 

boxes for item 10 (“a. Name and Address of Lobbying Registrant” and “b. Individuals Performing 

Services”).

10. Additional Attachments

a. Potential Environmental Impact Coversheet and Checklist

Each applicant is to submit an NIJ Programmatic Coversheet and Checklist with its 

application to assist NIJ in assessing the potential environmental impacts of the activities 

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

• Carefully read the Programmatic Environmental Assessment; 

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

• Attach the completed documents to the grant application. 

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

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

through a sub-award or procurement contract to perform any of the following activities: 

new construction or renovations that change the basic prior use of a facility or 

significantly change the size; research and/or technology development that could be 

expected to have an effect on the environment; or implementation of programs 

involving the use of chemicals. 

b. Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications 

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

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

include requests for funding to support the same project being proposed in the 

application under this solicitation, and (2) would cover any identical cost items outlined in 

the budget submitted to OJP as part of the application under this solicitation. The 

applicant is to disclose applications made directly to federal awarding agencies, and also 

applications for subawards of federal funds (e.g., applications to State agencies that will 

subaward (“subgrant”) federal funds). 

OJP seeks this information to help avoid inappropriate duplication of funding. Leveraging 

multiple funding sources in a complementary manner to implement comprehensive 

programs or projects is encouraged and is not seen as inappropriate duplication. 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

Each applicant that has one or more pending applications as described above is to 

provide the following information about pending applications submitted within the last 12 

months: 

 The federal or State funding agency. 

 The solicitation name/project name. 

 The point of contact information at the applicable federal or State funding agency. 

SAMPLE

Federal or State 

Funding Agency 

Solicitation 

Name/Project 

Name

Name/Phone/Email for Point of Contact 

at Federal or State Funding Agency

DOJ/Office of 

Community Oriented 

Policing Services 

(COPS Office)

COPS Hiring 

Program

Jane Doe, 202/000-0000; 

jane.doe@usdoj.gov

Health and Human 

Services/Substance 

Abuse and Mental 

Health Services 

Administration

Drug-Free

Communities 

Mentoring Program/

North County Youth 

Mentoring Program

John Doe, 202/000-0000; 

john.doe@hhs.gov

Each applicant should include the table as a separate attachment to its application. The 

file should be named “Disclosure of Pending Applications.” The applicant’s Legal Name 

on the application must match the entity named on the disclosure of pending 

applications statement. 

Any applicant that does not have any pending applications as described above is to 

submit, as a separate attachment, a statement to this effect: “[Applicant Name on SF424] does not have (and is not proposed as a subrecipient under) any pending 

applications submitted within the last 12 months for federally-funded grants or 

cooperative agreements (or for subawards under federal grants or cooperative 

agreements) that request funding to support the same project being proposed in this 

application to OJP and that would cover any identical cost items outlined in the budget 

submitted as part of this application.”

c. Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees7 (if applicable) 

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

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

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

award under this solicitation. The file should be named “DOJ High Risk Grantee 

Applicant Disclosure and Justification.” (See, also, “Review Process,” below, under 

 

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

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

or noncompliance with award terms and conditions on prior awards, or that is otherwise not responsible. 
27 

NIJ-2019-15507 

Section E. Application Review Information, for a brief discussion of how such information 

may considered in the application review process.) 

OJP constantly seeks to optimize its investments in criminal- and juvenile justicefocused programs and activities, increase program effectiveness, and maximize the 

return – and program impact – from limited programmatic resources. Therefore, OJP 

may remove from consideration or not select for award a “DOJ High Risk Grantee” 

applicant that is determined to pose a substantial risk of program implementation failure. 

In making such determinations, OJP will consider one or more of the following factors: 

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

necessary for removal of the DOJ High Risk Grantee designation; the nature and 

severity of the issues leading to or accompanying the applicant’s DOJ High Risk Grantee 

designation; or the applicant’s expected ability to manage grant funds and achieve grant 

goals and objectives. 

In this attachment, the applicant is to provide any additional information or justification –

especially with regard to corrective actions yet to be implemented (as of the application 

date) – that may help demonstrate how the applicant has addressed or otherwise 

mitigated such uncorrected matters, such that any negative impact on the proposed 

program and its implementation would be immaterial or would be significantly reduced or 

eliminated. (To the extent that the applicant believes that any of the information provided 

pursuant to this disclosure may be confidential in nature, the applicant should specifically 

identify it.) 

d. Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity 

When an application proposes research (including research and development) and/or 

evaluation, the applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation independence and 

integrity, including appropriate safeguards, before it may receive award funds. The 

applicant must demonstrate independence and integrity regarding both this proposed 

research and/or evaluation, and any current or prior related projects. 

Each application should include an attachment that addresses both i. and ii. below. 

i. For purposes of this solicitation, each applicant is to document research and 

evaluation independence and integrity by including one of the following two items: 

a. A specific assurance that the applicant has reviewed its application to identify 

any actual or potential apparent conflicts of interest (including through review of 

pertinent information on the principal investigator, any co-principal investigators, 

and any subrecipients), and that the applicant has identified no such conflicts of 

interest – whether personal or financial or organizational (including on the part of 

the applicant entity or on the part of staff, investigators, or subrecipients) – that 

could affect the independence or integrity of the research, including the design, 

conduct, and reporting of the research. 

OR

b. A specific description of actual or potential apparent conflicts of interest that the 

applicant has identified – including through review of pertinent information on the 

principal investigator, any co-principal investigators, and any subrecipients – that 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

could affect the independence or integrity of the research, including the design, 

conduct, or reporting of the research. These conflicts may be personal (e.g., on 

the part of investigators or other staff), financial, or organizational (related to the 

applicant or any subrecipient entity). Some examples of potential investigator (or 

other personal) conflict situations are those in which an investigator would be in a 

position to evaluate a spouse’s work product (actual conflict), or an investigator 

would be in a position to evaluate the work of a former or current colleague 

(potential apparent conflict). With regard to potential organizational conflicts of 

interest, as one example, generally an organization would not be given an award 

to evaluate a project, if that organization had itself provided substantial prior 

technical assistance to that specific project or a location implementing the project 

(whether funded by OJP or other sources), because the organization in such an 

instance might appear to be evaluating the effectiveness of its own prior work. 

The key is whether a reasonable person understanding all of the facts would be 

able to have confidence that the results of any research or evaluation project are 

objective and reliable. Any outside personal or financial interest that casts doubt 

on that objectivity and reliability of an evaluation or research product is a problem 

and must be disclosed. 

ii. In addition, for purposes of this solicitation, each applicant is to address possible 

mitigation of research integrity concerns by including, at a minimum, one of the 

following two items: 

a. If an applicant reasonably believes that no actual or potential apparent conflicts 

of interest (personal, financial, or organizational) exist, then the applicant should 

provide a brief narrative explanation of how and why it reached that conclusion. 

The applicant also is to include an explanation of the specific processes and 

procedures that the applicant has in place, or will put in place, to identify and 

prevent (or, at the very least, mitigate) any such conflicts of interest pertinent to 

the funded project during the period of performance. Documentation that may be 

helpful in this regard may include organizational codes of ethics/conduct and

policies regarding organizational, personal, and financial conflicts of interest. 

There is no guarantee that the plan, if any, will be accepted as proposed. 

OR

b. If the applicant has identified actual or potential apparent conflicts of interest 

(personal, financial, or organizational) that could affect the independence and 

integrity of the research, including the design, conduct, or reporting of the 

research, the applicant is to provide a specific and robust mitigation plan to 

address each of those conflicts. At a minimum, the applicant is expected to 

explain the specific processes and procedures that the applicant has in place, or 

will put in place, to identify and eliminate (or, at the very least, mitigate) any such 

conflicts of interest pertinent to the funded project during the period of 

performance. Documentation that may be helpful in this regard may include 

organizational codes of ethics/conduct and policies regarding organizational, 

personal, and financial conflicts of interest. There is no guarantee that the plan, if 

any, will be accepted as proposed. 

OJP will assess research and evaluation independence and integrity based on 

considerations such as the adequacy of the applicant’s efforts to identify factors that 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

could affect the objectivity or integrity of the proposed staff and/or the applicant entity 

(and any subrecipients) 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. 

How To Apply 

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

federal funding opportunities and apply for funding. Find complete instructions on how to 

register and submit an application at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html. 

Applicants that experience technical difficulties during this process should call the Grants.gov 

Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606–545–5035, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 

days a week, except on federal holidays. 

Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time process; however, processing delays may occur, 

and it can take several weeks for first-time registrants to receive confirmation of registration 

and a user password. OJP encourages applicants to register several weeks before the 

application submission deadline. In addition, OJP urges applicants to submit applications at 

least 72 hours prior to the application due date, in order to allow time for the applicant to receive 

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

any problems that may have caused a rejection notification. 

OJP strongly encourages all prospective applicants to sign up for Grants.gov email notifications 

regarding this solicitation at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/manage-subscriptions.html. If 

this solicitation is cancelled or modified, individuals who sign up with Grants.gov for updates will 

be automatically notified. 

Browser Information: Grants.gov was built to be compatible with Internet Explorer. For 

technical assistance with Google Chrome, or another browser, contact Grants.gov Customer 

Support. 

Note on Attachments: Grants.gov has two categories of files for attachments: “mandatory” and

“optional.” OJP receives all files attached in both categories. Attachments are also labeled to 

describe the file being attached (e.g., Project Narrative, Budget Narrative, Other, etc.) Please 

ensure that all required documents are attached in the correct Grants.gov category and are 

labeled correctly. Do not embed “mandatory” attachments within another file. 

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

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

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

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

 

An application can be checked for errors via the Check Application button on the Forms tab of 

the Manage Workspace page. The button is active if the set of forms in the workspace matches 

those required in the application package. If you receive a Cross-Form Errors message after 

clicking the Check Application button, refer to the Cross-Form Errors help article for more 

detailed information about this validation error. 

Note on File Names and File Types: Grants.gov only permits the use of certain specific 

characters in the file names of attachments. Valid file names may include only the characters 

shown in the table below. Grants.gov rejects any application that includes an attachment(s) with 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

a file name that contains any characters not shown in the table below. Grants.gov forwards 

successfully-submitted applications to the OJP Grants Management System (GMS). 

Characters

Upper case (A – Z)

Lower case (a – z)

Underscore (__)

Hyphen ( - )

Space

Period (.)

Special Characters Special Characters Special Characters

Parenthesis ( ) Curly braces { } Square brackets [ ]

Ampersand (&)* Tilde (~) Exclamation point (!)

Comma ( , ) Semicolon ( ; ) Apostrophe ( ‘ )

At sign (@) Number sign (#) Dollar sign ($)

Percent sign (%) Plus sign (+) Equal sign (=)

*When using the ampersand (&) in XML, applicants must use the “&” format.

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.” GMS may reject applications 

with files that use these extensions. It is important to allow time to change the type of file(s) if 

the application is rejected. 

All applicants are required to complete the following steps: 

Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number) and SAM

Every applicant entity must comply with all applicable SAM and unique entity identifier 

(currently, a DUNS number) requirements. SAM is the repository for certain standard 

information about federal financial assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. A DUNS 

number is a unique nine-digit identification number provided by the commercial company Dun 

and Bradstreet. More detailed information about SAM and the DUNS number is in the numbered 

sections below. 

If an applicant entity has not fully complied with the applicable SAM and unique identifier 

requirements by the time OJP makes award decisions, OJP may determine that the applicant is 

not qualified to receive an award and may use that determination as a basis for making the 

award to a different applicant. 

Registration and Submission Steps 

1. Acquire a unique entity identifier (currently, a DUNS number). In general, the Office of 

Management and Budget requires every applicant for a federal award (other than an 

individual) to include a "unique entity identifier" in each application, including an application 

for a supplemental award. Currently, a DUNS number is the required unique entity identifier. 

This unique entity identifier is used for tracking purposes, and to validate address and point 

of contact information for applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. It will be used throughout 

the life cycle of an OJP award. Obtaining a DUNS number is a free, one-time activity. Call 

Dun and Bradstreet at 866–705–5711 to obtain a DUNS number or apply online at 

https://www.dnb.com. A DUNS number is usually received within 2 business days. 

2. Acquire or maintain registration with SAM. Any applicant for an OJP award creating a 

new entity registration (or updating or renewing a registration) in SAM.gov must submit an 

original, signed notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator within thirty 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

(30) days of the registration activation. Notarized letters must be submitted via U.S. 

Postal Service Mail. Read the Alert at sam.gov/SAM/ to learn more about what is required 

in the notarized letter, and read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at 

www.gsa.gov/samupdate to learn more about this process change. All applicants for OJP 

awards (other than individuals) must maintain current registrations in the SAM database. 

Applicants will need the authorizing official of the organization and an Employer 

Identification Number (EIN). Information about SAM registration procedures can be 

accessed at sam.gov/SAM/. 

An application cannot be successfully submitted in Grants.gov until Grants.gov receives the 

SAM registration information. Once the SAM registration/renewal is complete, the 

information transfer from SAM to Grants.gov can take as long as 48 hours. OJP 

recommends that the applicant register or renew registration with SAM as early as possible. 

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. An applicant entity’s "unique entity identifier" (DUNS number) must be used 

to complete this step. For more information about the registration process for organizations 

and other entities, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organizationregistration.html. 

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. The E-Biz POC will need the Marketing Partner Identification 

Number (MPIN) password obtained when registering with SAM to complete this step. Note 

that an organization can have more than one AOR.

5. Search for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov. 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, and the funding 

opportunity number is NIJ-2019-15507. 

6. Access Funding Opportunity and Application Package from Grants.gov. Select “Apply 

for Grants” under the “Applicants” column. Enter your email address to be notified of any 

changes to the opportunity package before the closing date. Click the Workspace icon to 

use Grants.gov Workspace.

7. Submit a valid application consistent with this solicitation by following the directions 

in Grants.gov. To preview the application prior to (or after) submitting, go to the View 

Application tab in Workspace. For additional information, review the View Application Tab

help article and Attachments Tab help article. 

Within 24-48 hours after submitting the electronic application, the applicant should receive 

two notifications from Grants.gov. The first will confirm the receipt of the application. The 

second will state whether the application has been validated and successfully submitted, or 

whether it has been rejected due to errors, with an explanation. It is possible to first receive 

a message indicating that the application is received, and then receive a rejection notice a 

few minutes or hours later. Submitting an application well ahead of the deadline provides 

time to correct the problem(s) that caused the rejection. Important: OJP urges each 

applicant to submit its application at least 72 hours prior to the application due date, to 

allow time to receive validation messages or rejection notifications from Grants.gov, and to 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

correct in a timely fashion any problems that may have caused a rejection notification. 

Applications must be successfully submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. eastern time 

on April 29, 2019.

Go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html for further 

details on DUNS numbers, SAM, and Grants.gov registration steps and timeframes. 

Note: Application Versions 

If an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, OJP will review only the most 

recent system-validated version submitted. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues 

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

prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline must contact the Grants.gov Customer 

Support Hotline at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html or the SAM Help Desk

(Federal Service Desk) at https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do to report the technical issue and 

receive a tracking number. The applicant must e-mail the NIJ contact identified in the Contact 

Information section on the title page within 24 hours after the application deadline to request 

approval to submit its application after the deadline. The applicant’s e-mail must describe the 

technical difficulties, and must include a timeline of the applicant’s submission efforts, the 

complete grant application, the applicant’s DUNS number, and any Grants.gov Help Desk or 

SAM tracking number(s). 

Note: OJP does not automatically approve requests to submit a late application. After 

OJP reviews the applicant’s request, and contacts the Grants.gov or SAM Help Desks to verify 

the reported technical issues, OJP will inform the applicant whether the request to submit a late 

application has been approved or denied. If OJP determines that the untimely application 

submission was due to the applicant’s failure to follow all required procedures, OJP will deny the 

applicant’s request to submit its application.

The following conditions generally are insufficient to justify late submissions: 

 Failure to register in SAM or Grants.gov in sufficient time (SAM registration and renewal 

can take as long as 10 business days to complete. The information transfer from SAM to 

Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours.) 

 Failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its 

website. 

 Failure to follow each instruction in the OJP solicitation. 

 Technical issues with the applicant’s computer or information technology environment, 

such as issues with firewalls or browser incompatibility. 

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

the top of the OJP Funding Resource Center at https://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm.
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NIJ-2019-15507 

E. Application Review Information 

Review Criteria 

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

the following review criteria. Each individual criterion is assigned a different weight based on the 

percentage value listed. For example, the first criterion, Statement of the Problem, is worth 15 

percent of the score in the assessment of the application’s technical merit. 

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

1. Demonstrated understanding of the need to determine and employ best processes for a 

procedure currently used by a forensic science field/discipline. 

2. Demonstrated awareness of the state of current protocols widely used by the forensic 

science community within the proposed forensic science discipline of the application. 

Project Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit) – 40%

1. Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach to addressing the stated 

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

be well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project. 

2. Feasibility of proposed project. Detailed description and justification of the sample type 

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

appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project. 

3. Awareness of potential pitfalls of proposed project design and feasibility of proposed 

actions to minimize and/or mitigate them. 

Potential Impact – 30% 

Potential for a significant scientific or technical advance(s) that will improve criminal/juvenile 

justice in the United States, such as: 

1. Potential to determine and increase the awareness of best practices for the evaluation 

and interpretation of physical evidence for the forensic science community. 

2. Potential to improve the understanding of the scientific rationale underpinning existing 

laboratory processes. 

 

3. Potential for innovative protocols to increase the efficiency, accuracy, reliability, or costeffectiveness for the analysis and interpretation of physical evidence. 

4. Proposed plan to produce or to make available to broader interested audiences, such as 

criminal/juvenile justice practitioners or policymakers, as well as practitioners in other, 

related fields, summary information from the planned scholarly products of the project. 

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

applicant organization and proposed project staff) – 15% 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

1. Qualifications and experience of proposed project staff (that is, the principal investigator, 

any and all co-principal investigators, and all other individuals (and organizations) 

identified in the application (regardless of “investigator” status) who will be significantly 

involved in substantive aspects of the proposal). 

2. Demonstrated ability of the applicant organization to manage the effort. 

3. Relationship between the capabilities/competencies of the proposed project staff 

(including the applicant organization) and the scope of the proposed project. 

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

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

contribution to the probability of success. 

Budget

In addition peer 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 (cost effectiveness). 

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

3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

4. Alignment of the proposed budget with proposed project activities. 

5. Proposed plan (if any) to produce or to make available to broader interested audiences, 

such as criminal/juvenile justice practitioners or policymakers, summary information from 

the planned scholarly products of the project. 

Review Process 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

applicable). 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

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

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

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

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

been determined by the Director/Administrator to pose a substantial risk of program 

implementation failure, based on 1) the applicant’s lack of sufficient progress in 

addressing required corrective actions necessary for removal of the DOJ High Risk 

Grantee (or non-DOJ high risk) designation, 2) the nature and severity of the issues 

leading to or accompanying the DOJ High Risk Grantee (or non-DOJ high risk) 

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

achieve grant goals and objectives. 

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

under Section D. Application and Submission Information. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

important considerations for NIJ include geographic diversity (e.g. border areas), strategic 

priorities, and available funding, as well as the planned scholarly products and the extent to 

which the budget detail worksheet and budget narrative accurately explain project costs that are 

reasonable, necessary, and otherwise allowable under federal law and applicable federal cost 

principles. 

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

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

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

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

applicant is listed in SAM as excluded from receiving a federal award. In addition, if OJP 

anticipates that an award will exceed $250,000 in federal funds, OJP also must review and 

consider any information about the applicant that appears in the non-public segment of the 

integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently, the Federal Awardee 

Performance and Integrity Information System; "FAPIIS"). 

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

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

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

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

The evaluation of risks goes beyond information in SAM, however. OJP itself has in place a 

framework for evaluating risks posed by applicants for competitive awards. OJP takes into 

account information pertinent to matters such as —

 

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

above, for a definition of “DOJ High Risk Grantee.”
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NIJ-2019-15507 

1. Applicant financial stability and fiscal integrity. 

2. Quality of the applicant’s management systems, and applicant’s ability to meet 

prescribed management standards, including those outlined in the DOJ Grants Financial 

Guide. 

3. Applicant’s history of performance under OJP and other DOJ awards (including scholarly 

products, and compliance with reporting requirements and award conditions), as well as 

awards from other federal agencies. 

4. Reports and findings from audits of the applicant, including audits under the Part 200 

Uniform Requirements. 

5. Applicant's ability to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements, and to effectively 

implement other award requirements. 

Note on applicants with a “high risk” designation: Risks associated with DOJ High Risk 

Grantees, or applicants designated as “high risk” by a federal grant-making agency outside of 

DOJ, are taken into account during the review process, and each applicant with such “high risk” 

designations will be considered for funding on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature 

and severity of the issues that led to the DOJ High Risk Grantee (or non-DOJ high risk) 

designation, status of progress in addressing corrective actions, and expected ability to manage 

grant funds and achieve grant goals and objectives. A “high risk” designated applicant is to 

submit disclosure and justification documentation consistent with the requirements specified, 

above, under “What an Application Should Include” in Section C. Application and Submission 

Information. 

All final award decisions for research and statistics programs will be made by the Director of the 

National Institute of Justice, who may take into account not only peer review ratings and NIJ 

recommendations, but also other factors as indicated in this section. In addition to peer review 

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

limited to, planned scholarly products, proposed budgets, past performance (including scholarly 

products) under prior NIJ and OJP awards, research independence and integrity, strategic 

priorities, and available funding when making awards. 

F. Federal Award Administration Information 

Federal Award Notices

Award notifications will be made by September 30, 2019. OJP sends award notifications by 

email through GMS to the individuals listed in the application as the point of contact and the 

authorizing official (E-Biz POC and AOR). The email notification includes detailed instructions 

on how to access and view the award documents, and steps to take in GMS to start the award 

acceptance process. GMS automatically issues the notifications at 9:00 p.m. eastern time on 

the award date. 

For each successful applicant, an individual with the necessary authority to bind the applicant 

will be required to log in; execute a set of legal certifications and a set of legal assurances; 

designate a financial point of contact; thoroughly review the award, including all award 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

conditions; and sign and accept the award. The award acceptance process requires a physical 

signature on the award document by the authorized representative. The fully executed award 

document must then be scanned and submitted to OJP. 

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements 

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

applicable requirements of federal statutes and regulations (including applicable requirements 

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

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

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

Applicants should consult the “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP 

Grants and Cooperative Agreements – FY 2018 Awards,” available in the OJP Funding 

Resource Center at https://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm. In addition, applicants should examine the 

following two legal documents, as each successful applicant must execute both documents 

before it may receive any award funds. (An applicant is not required to submit these documents 

as part of an application.) 

 Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility 

Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements. 

 Certified Standard Assurances. 

The webpages accessible through the “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to 

OJP Grants and Cooperative Agreements – FY 2018 Awards” are intended to give applicants 

for OJP awards a general overview of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that 

apply to many (or in some cases, all) OJP grants and cooperative agreements awarded in FY 

2019. Individual OJP awards typically also will include additional award conditions. Those 

additional conditions may relate to the particular statute or program, or solicitation under which 

the award is made; to the substance of the funded application; to the recipient's performance 

under other federal awards; to the recipient's legal status (e.g., as a for-profit entity); or to other 

pertinent considerations. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the federal government. 
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General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements 

In addition to the deliverables and expected scholarly products described in Section A. Program 

Description, any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be required to submit the 

following reports and data. 

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

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

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

should anticipate that progress reports will be required to follow the non-budgetary components 

of the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) template/format. General information on 

RPPRs may be found at www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/rppr/. Future awards and fund drawdowns 

may be withheld if reports are delinquent. (In appropriate cases, OJP may require additional 

reports.) 

Awards that exceed $500,000 will include an additional condition that, under specific 

circumstances, will require the recipient to report (to FAPIIS) information on civil, criminal, and 

administrative proceedings connected with (or connected to the performance of) either the OJP 

award or any other grant, cooperative agreement, or procurement contract from the federal 

government. Additional information on this reporting requirement appears in the text of the 

award condition posted on the OJP webpage at https://ojp.gov/funding/FAPIIS.htm. 

Data on performance measures. In addition to required reports, an award recipient under this 

solicitation also must provide data that measure the results of the work done under the award. 

To demonstrate program progress and success, as well as to assist DOJ with fulfilling its 

responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Public 

Law 103-62, and the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, Public Law 111–352, OJP will require 

any award recipient, post award, to provide performance data listed as part of regular progress 

reporting. Successful applicants will be required to access OJP’s performance measurement 

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

OJP. 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 

For questions directed to the Federal Awarding Agency, see NCJRS contact information on the 

title page. 

For contact information for Grants.gov, see the title page. 

H. Other Information 

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

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

federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and to the Privacy Act. By law, DOJ may withhold 

information that is responsive to a request pursuant to FOIA if DOJ determines that the 

responsive information either is protected under the Privacy Act or falls within the scope of one 

of nine statutory exemptions under FOIA. DOJ cannot agree in advance of a request pursuant 

to FOIA not to release some or all portions of an application. 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

In its review of records that are responsive to a FOIA request, OJP will withhold information in 

those records that plainly falls within the scope of the Privacy Act or one of the statutory 

exemptions under FOIA. (Some examples include certain types of information in budgets, and 

names and contact information for project staff other than certain key personnel.) In appropriate 

circumstances, OJP will request the views of the applicant/recipient that submitted a responsive 

document. 

For example, if OJP receives a request pursuant to FOIA for an application submitted by a 

nonprofit or for-profit organization or an institution of higher education, or for an application that 

involves research, OJP typically will contact the applicant/recipient that submitted the 

application and ask it to identify -- quite precisely -- any particular information in the application 

that the applicant/recipient believes falls under a FOIA exemption, the specific exemption it 

believes applies, and why. After considering the submission by the applicant/recipient, OJP 

makes an independent assessment regarding withholding information. OJP generally follows a 

similar process for requests pursuant to FOIA for applications that may contain law-enforcement 

sensitive information. 

Provide Feedback to OJP 

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

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

review process. Provide feedback to OJPSolicitationFeedback@usdoj.gov. 

IMPORTANT: This email is for feedback and suggestions only. OJP does not reply from this 

mailbox to messages it receives in this mailbox. Any prospective applicant that has specific 

questions on any program or technical aspect of the solicitation must use the appropriate 

telephone number or email listed on the front of this document to obtain information. These 

contacts are provided to help ensure that prospective applicants can directly reach an individual 

who can address specific questions in a timely manner. 

If you are interested in being a reviewer for other OJP grant applications, please email your 

résumé to ojpprsupport@usdoj.gov. (Do not send your résumé to the OJP Solicitation Feedback 

email account.) Note: Neither you nor anyone else from your organization or entity can be a 

peer reviewer in a competition in which you or your organization/entity has submitted an 

application. 
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NIJ-2019-15507 

Application Checklist 

Research and Evaluation for the Testing and Interpretation of Physical 

Evidence in Publicly Funded Forensic Laboratories 

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

What an Applicant Should Do: 

Prior to Registering in Grants.gov:

_____ Acquire a DUNS Number (see page 30) 

_____ Acquire or renew registration with SAM (see page 30) 

To Register with Grants.gov: 

_____ Acquire AOR and Grants.gov username/password (see page 31) 

_____ Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Biz POC (see page 31) 

To Find Funding Opportunity:

_____ Search for the Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov (see page 31) 

_____ Access Funding Opportunity and Application Package (see page 31) 

_____ Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) (see page 29) 

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

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

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

(see page 12) 

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

_____ (1) application has been received, 

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

(see page 31) 

If no Grants.gov receipt, and validation or error notifications are received: 

_____ Please refer to the section: Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues 

(see page 32) 

Overview of Post-Award Legal Requirements: 

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

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

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

Eligibility Requirement: See cover page. 

What an Application Should Include: 

_____ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) (see page 13) 

_____ Project Abstract (if applicable) (see page 14) 

_____ Program Narrative (see page 14) 

_____ Appendices (see page 17) 

_____ Bibliography/references 

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

to the proposed study that supplement those in the narrative 

_____ Curriculum vitae or resumes of the principal investigator and any and all coprincipal investigators (critical element) 

_____ List (to the extent known) of all proposed project staff members 
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_____ Proposed project timeline and expected milestones

_____ Human Subjects Protection Paperwork

_____ Privacy Certificate

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

investigator(s)

_____ Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations 

collaborating in the project, or letters of intent to establish agreements (if 

applicable)

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (critical element) (see page 19)

_____ Budget Narrative (critical element) (see page 20)

_____ Proof of Forensic Laboratory Accreditation (critical element) (see page 22)

_____ Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) (see page 23)

_____ Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see page 23)

_____ Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (see page 24)

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see page 25)

_____ Additional Attachments 

_____ Potential Environmental Impact Coversheet and Checklist (see page 25)

_____ Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications (see page 25)

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

(see page 26)

_____ Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity (see page 27)

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

(see page 11)