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

Approval Expires 07/31/2016

Office of Justice Programs

National Institute of Justice

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

Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for funding under the Solving Cold Cases With DNA 

program. This program furthers the Department’s mission by offering assistance to States and 

units of local government to identify, review, and investigate Uniform Crime Report (UCR) Part 1 

Violent Crime “cold cases” that have the potential to be solved through DNA analysis, and to 

locate and analyze biological evidence associated with these cases.

Solving Cold Cases With DNA

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are States (including territories) and units of local government (including 

federally recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior).

Current FY 2010 or FY 2011 “Solving Cold Cases With DNA” program awardees whose awards 

1) are active and 2) have unobligated balances as of April 30, 2014, are not eligible to apply.

Deadline

Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. (See “How to Apply,”

page 18.) All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 27, 2014. (See 

“Deadlines: Registration and Application,” page 3.)

All applicants are encouraged to read this Important Notice: Applying for Grants in 

Grants.gov.

Contact Information

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

Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035, or via e-mail to support@grants.gov.

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

federal holidays. 

Applicants that experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond their control that 

prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the NIJ contact 

identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline and request approval to 

submit their application.

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact Charles Heurich, 

Program Manager, by e-mail at Charles.Heurich@usdoj.gov. Additional information can be 

found at www.nij.gov/nij/funding/welcome.htm. Frequently asked questions that may assist with 

applying are posted at www.nij.gov/funding/faqs.htm.

Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement: NIJ–2014-3757

Release date: April 11, 2014

SL001117
2 NIJ–2014-3757

Contents

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

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

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

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

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

What an Application Should Include .........................................................................................9

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) ...........................9

Project Abstract.....................................................................................................................9

Program Narrative...............................................................................................................10

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative .................................................................12

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

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

Additional Attachments .......................................................................................................14

Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire...............................................15

Selection Criteria.....................................................................................................................15

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

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

How to Apply...........................................................................................................................18

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

Application Checklist...............................................................................................................22
3 NIJ–2014-3757

Solving Cold Cases With DNA

(CFDA No. 16.560)

Overview

NIJ seeks applications from States and units of local government for funding to identify, review, 

and investigate “violent crime cold cases” that have the potential to be solved using DNA 

analysis, and to locate and analyze the biological evidence associated with these cases. 

Experience has shown that cold case programs can solve a substantial number of violent crime 

cold cases, including homicides and sexual assaults. Advances in DNA technologies have 

substantially increased the successful DNA analysis of aged, degraded, limited, or otherwise 

compromised biological evidence. As a result, crime scene samples once thought to be 

unsuitable for testing may now yield DNA profiles. Additionally, samples that previously 

generated inconclusive DNA results may now be successfully analyzed.

For the purposes of this announcement: a “violent crime cold case” refers to any 

unsolved UCR Part 1 Violent Crime case for which all significant investigative leads have 

been exhausted.

Authorizing Legislation: Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113-76).

Deadlines: Registration and Application

Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. OJP encourages

applicants to register several weeks before the application submission deadline. In addition, 

OJP urges applicants to submit applications 72 hours prior to the application due date. The 

deadline to apply for funding under this announcement is 11:59 eastern time on May 27, 2014.

See “How to Apply” on page 18 for details.

Eligibility

Refer to the title page for eligibility under this program.

Program-Specific Information

The goal of this solicitation is to make funding available to States and units of local government 

for projects that will address all three of these purpose areas: 

1. Case review—to identify, review, and prioritize violent crime cold cases that have the 

potential to be solved using DNA analysis (by appropriate persons such as prosecutors, 

public defenders, law enforcement personnel, forensic scientists, and medical 

examiners) in order to determine whether DNA analysis of any existing biological 

evidence could help solve the cold case.

2. Location of evidence—to identify, collect, retrieve, and evaluate biological evidence 

from such cases that may reasonably be expected to contain DNA.
4 NIJ–2014-3757

3. DNA analysis of biological evidence—to perform DNA analyses on such biological 

evidence, including the handling and screening of this evidence. 

Funds may be used for certain investigative purposes provided they fall within the scope of the 

solicitation. Specifically, all investigative activities must be directly related to the funding 

purposes (1, 2, and 3) listed above. Activities such as interviewing victims, witnesses, suspects, 

etc., are permissible in violent crime cold case investigations that have the potential to be solved 

through DNA analysis until: (a) all samples with potential DNA evidence have been collected 

and analyzed (including probative evidentiary samples, cold hit confirmatory samples, reference 

samples from victims and consensual partners, etc.), or (b) the review of the case demonstrates 

that no biological material was present for further analysis. 

All DNA analyses conducted using funding from this program must be performed by a laboratory 

(government-owned or fee-for-service) that is accredited and currently undergoes external 

audits not less than once every 2 years. These audits must demonstrate that the laboratory 

maintains compliance with the DNA Quality Assurance Standards established by the Director of 

the Federal Bureau of Investigation. All eligible DNA profiles obtained with funding under this 

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

applicable, uploaded to the National DNA Index System (NDIS). 

Please note: No profiles generated with funding from this program may be entered into any 

non-governmental DNA database without prior express written approval from NIJ. 

All DNA analyses conducted and profiles generated under this program must be maintained 

pursuant to all applicable Federal privacy requirements, including those described in 42 U.S.C. 

§ 14132(b)(3). 

Applicants should be aware that NIJ may choose to conduct an evaluation of one or more 

projects funded under this solicitation. Any such evaluation may focus on the impact of the 

project and its implementation and may result in publication of a report. An example of a NIJfunded report (on Boston’s Operation Ceasefire) may be found 

at www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/188741.pdf.

Amount and Length of Awards

Total funding for this solicitation and the number of awards made will depend on the availability 

of funds, the quality of the applications, and other pertinent factors, which may include, but are 

not limited to, underserved populations, geographic diversity, and past performance and 

previous funding. All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to 

any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

Applicants may apply for an award amount not to exceed $300,000.

In general, NIJ will limit any grants under this program to a period of 2 years after the start of 

the award.

The project period for awards under this FY 2014 program is expected to be October 1, 2014, to 

September 30, 2016. 
5 NIJ–2014-3757

Budget Information

Permissible Expenses

All expenditures under this program must relate directly to violent crime cold cases that have the 

potential to be solved through DNA analysis and to one or more of the three award purpose 

areas listed above.

1. Salary and benefits of additional employees

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

the extent that such employees are directly engaged in case review, location of evidence, or 

DNA analysis of biological evidence as described above. Applicants should demonstrate 

that additional full-time/part-time employee(s) would be directly engaged in these activities. 

Supplanting is not permitted.

2. Overtime

Funds may be used for overtime for existing employees for the purpose of case review, 

location of evidence, DNA analysis of biological evidence, and post-hit case investigation 

necessary for retrieval of confirmatory DNA samples. All overtime payments must be made 

in accordance with the applicable provisions of the OJP Financial Guide, available 

at www.ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm.

3. Travel (limited)

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

the scope of the program (excluding witness travel). These costs must be in accordance 

with Federal policy or an organizationally approved travel policy. The Office of the Chief 

Financial Officer reserves the right to determine the reasonableness of the recipient's own 

established travel rates. The current travel policy and per diem rate information is available 

at the Per Diem Rates — General Services Administration Web site.

4. Computer equipment (limited)

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

computer hardware or software that will be used exclusively for case review, location of 

evidence, or DNA analysis of biological evidence. 

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

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

5. Laboratory supplies

Funds may be used to acquire laboratory supplies for DNA analysis of biological evidence. 

The proposal must clearly demonstrate that the types and number of supplies requested are 

appropriate for the proposed level of effort. 

Applicants should note that award recipients whose proposals involve the use or purchase 

of chemicals may encounter delays in the release of their award funds pending satisfactory 

completion of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) review process. 
6 NIJ–2014-3757

6. Consultant and contractor services

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

reviews, locate evidence, or conduct DNA analysis of biological evidence. Funds may also 

be used for contracts with accredited fee-for-service laboratories to conduct DNA analysis of 

biological evidence. 

7. Training (limited)

In limited circumstances, funds may be used for cold case training directly related to case 

review, location of biological evidence, and DNA analysis of biological evidence. Funds for 

this purpose must be used only for grant-funded personnel directly engaged in case review, 

location of biological evidence, and DNA analysis of biological evidence. The proposal must 

clearly demonstrate that the proposed training directly supports the program’s purpose 

areas, and is related directly to the job position and duties of the individual(s) receiving the 

training. 

What will not be funded: 

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

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

1. Budgets that do not address all three of the program-specific purposes (case review, 

location of evidence, and DNA analysis of biological evidence).

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

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

of biological evidence, or DNA analysis of biological evidence. 

4. Travel for witnesses.

5. Laboratory equipment.

6. Portable investigative equipment.

7. Cell phones and cell phone plans. 

8. Vehicles.

9. Construction. 

10. Renovation. 

11. Rental costs for space. 

12. Office furnishings.

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

crimes, or do not have the potential to be solved through DNA analysis. 
7 NIJ–2014-3757

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

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver

With respect to any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation, recipients may 

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

employee of the award recipient at a rate that exceeds 110% of the maximum annual salary 

payable to a member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an 

agency with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System for that year. The 2014 salary table 

for SES employees is available at www.opm.gov/salary-tables. Note: A recipient may 

compensate an employee at a greater rate, provided the amount in excess of this compensation 

limitation is paid with non-federal funds. (Any such additional compensation will not be 

considered matching funds where match requirements apply.)

The Assistant Attorney General for OJP may exercise discretion to waive, on an individual 

basis, the limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award. An applicant requesting a 

waiver should include a detailed justification in the budget narrative of the application. Unless 

the applicant submits a waiver request and justification with the application, the applicant should 

anticipate that OJP will request the applicant to adjust and resubmit the budget.

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

uniqueness of the service the individual will provide, the individual’s specific knowledge of the 

program or project being undertaken with award funds, and a statement explaining that the 

individual’s salary is commensurate with the regular and customary rate for an individual with 

his/her qualifications and expertise, and for the work to be done.

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

OJP strongly encourages applicants that propose to use award funds for any conference-, 

meeting-, or training-related activity to review carefully – before submitting an application – the 

OJP policy and guidance on “conference” approval, planning, and reporting available 

at www.ojp.gov/funding/confcost.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 such costs for cooperative agreement recipients and of some such 

costs for grant recipients; and (3) set cost limits, including 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 of the OJP "Other 

Requirements for OJP Applications" Web page 

at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm.
8 NIJ–2014-3757

Match Information

See “Cofunding” paragraph under “What an Application Should Include” (below).

Performance Measures

To assist the Department 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, applicants that receive funding under this solicitation must provide data 

that measure the results of their work done under this solicitation. OJP will require any award 

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

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

for this solicitation are as follows:

Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Grantee Provides

To identify, review, and 

investigate “violent 

crime cold cases” that 

have the potential to be 

solved through DNA 

analysis, and to locate 

and analyze biological 

evidence associated 

with these cases.

1. Percentage of (UCR Part 1) 

“violent crime cold cases” 

reviewed in which biological 

evidence still existed.

2. Percentage of “violent crime 

cold cases” with biological 

evidence that are subjected 

to DNA analysis that yielded 

viable DNA profiles.

3. Number of “violent crime 

cold case” DNA profiles

generated that have been 

entered into CODIS.

4. Number of CODIS hits 

resulting from “violent crime 

cold case” DNA analyses.

1. The number of “violent crime cold cases” reviewed.

2. The number of “violent crime cold cases” reviewed in 

which biological evidence still existed.

3. The number of “violent crime cold cases” with 

biological evidence that are subjected to DNA 

analysis.

4. The number of “violent crime cold cases” that yielded 

viable DNA profiles.

5. The number of DNA profiles entered into CODIS.

6. The number of CODIS hits.

7. Quarterly financial reports, semi-annual progress 

reports, and a final comprehensive progress report.

OJP does not require applicants to submit performance measures data with their applications. 

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

for performance measures. Refer to the section “What an Application Should Include” on page 9

for additional information.

Note on Project Evaluations

Applicants that propose to use funds awarded through this solicitation to conduct project 

evaluations should be aware that certain project evaluations (such as systematic investigations 

designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge) may constitute “research” for 

purposes of applicable DOJ human subjects protection regulations. However, project 

evaluations that are intended only to generate internal improvements to a program or service, or 

are conducted only to meet OJP’s performance measure data reporting requirements likely do 

not constitute “research.” Applicants should provide sufficient information for OJP to determine 

whether the particular project they propose would either intentionally or unintentionally collect 

and/or use information in such a way that it meets the DOJ regulatory definition of research. 
9 NIJ–2014-3757

Research, for the purposes of human subjects protections for OJP-funded programs, is defined 

as, “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation, 

designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge” 28 C.F.R. § 46.102(d). For 

additional information on determining whether a proposed activity would constitute research, 

see the decision tree to assist applicants on the “Research and the Protection of Human 

Subjects” section of the OJP “Other Requirements for OJP Applications” Web page 

(www://ojp.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm). Applicants whose proposals may involve a 

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

page.

What an Application Should Include

Applicants should anticipate that if they fail to submit an application that contains all of the 

specified elements, it may negatively affect the review of their application; and, should a 

decision be made to make an award, it may result in the inclusion of special conditions that 

preclude the recipient from accessing or using award funds pending satisfaction of the 

conditions.

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications determined to be nonresponsive to the 

scope of the solicitation, that do not request funding within the funding limit, or that do not 

include the application elements that NIJ has designated to be critical, will neither proceed to 

peer review nor receive further consideration. Under this solicitation, NIJ has designated the 

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

Budget Narrative, and resumes/curriculum vitae of key personnel. Applicants may combine the 

Budget Narrative and the Budget Detail Worksheet in one document. However, if an applicant 

submits only one document, it must contain both narrative and detail information.

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

“Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” 

“Memoranda of Understanding,” “Resumes”) for all attachments. Also, OJP recommends that

applicants include resumes in a single file.

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).

2. Project Abstract

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

project in 250-400 words. Project abstracts should be—

• Written for a general public audience.

• Submitted as a separate attachment with “Project Abstract” as part of its file name.
10 NIJ–2014-3757

• Single-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman) with 1-inch margins.

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

program narrative. 

All project abstracts should follow the detailed template available 

at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/Project_Abstract_Template.pdf.

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.

3. Program Narrative

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

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

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

government forms do not count toward the 15-page limit.

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.

Program Narrative Guidelines: 

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

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

opportunity number, and the applicant’s name and complete contact information 

(i.e., address, telephone number, and e-mail address).

b. Resubmit Response (if applicable) (not counted against the 15-page program 

narrative limit).

If an applicant is resubmitting a proposal 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 NIJassigned application number of the previous proposal, and (2) a brief summary of 

revisions to the proposal, including responses to previous feedback received 

from NIJ. 

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

limit).

d. Main Body.

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

depth. Proposals should clearly define the strategy and criteria that will be used 

to identify, prioritize, and select violent crime cold cases that have the potential to 
11 NIJ–2014-3757

be solved through DNA analysis. These may be demonstrated through the 

inclusion of checklists, flowcharts, diagrams, or narratives, and should be 

developed through collaboration with appropriate members of the criminal justice 

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

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

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

to conduct DNA analyses of biological evidence, including data review and/or 

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

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

• Statement of the Problem.

• Project Design and Implementation.

• Capabilities/Competencies.

• Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation.

• Plan for Collecting Data Required for this Solicitation’s Performance 

Measures. 

NIJ does not require applicants to submit performance measures data 

with their application. Performance measures are included as an alert that 

NIJ will require successful applicants to submit specific data as part of 

their reporting requirements. For the application, applicants should 

indicate an understanding of these requirements and discuss how they 

will gather the required data, should they receive funding.

Within these sections, the narrative should address:

• Purpose, goals, and objectives.

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

• Management plan and organization.

e. Appendices (not counted against the 15-page program narrative limit) include:

• Bibliography/references (if applicable).

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

• Proposed project timeline and calendar with expected milestones.

• Human Subjects Protection paperwork (documentation and forms related to 

Institutional Review Board (IRB) review). 

(See www.nij.gov/funding/humansubjects/Pages/welcome.aspx) NOTE: Final 

IRB approval is not required at the time an application is submitted. 
12 NIJ–2014-3757

• Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go 

to www.nij.gov/funding/humansubjects/pages/confidentiality.aspx). 

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

including the NIJ-assigned award numbers.

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project (if applicable).

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

proposal has been submitted (if applicable)

4. Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

a. Budget Detail Worksheet 

A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found 

at www.ojp.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf. Applicants that submit their budget in a 

different format should include the budget categories listed in the sample budget 

worksheet.

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

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

b. Budget Narrative

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

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

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

activities).

Applicants should demonstrate in their budget narratives how they will maximize cost 

effectiveness of grant 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 narrative should be mathematically sound and correspond 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 they are relevant to the completion 

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

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

Narrative should be broken down by year.

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. 
13 NIJ–2014-3757

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.

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. Non-Competitive Procurement Contracts In Excess of Simplified Acquisition 

Threshold

If an applicant proposes to make one or more non-competitive procurements of products 

or services, where the non-competitive procurement will exceed the simplified 

acquisition threshold (also known as the small purchase threshold), which is currently 

set at $150,000, the application should address the considerations outlined in the OJP 

Financial Guide.

5. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

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

(This requirement does not apply to units of local government.) Attach a copy of the 

federally approved indirect cost rate agreement to the application. Applicants that do not 

have an approved rate may request one through their cognizant federal agency, which will

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

applicant’s accounting system permits, costs may be allocated in the direct cost categories.

For assistance with identifying your cognizant agency, please contact the 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 www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/pdfs/indirect_costs.pdf.

6. Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

Tribes, tribal organizations, or third parties proposing to provide direct services or assistance 

to residents on tribal lands should include in their applications a resolution, a letter, affidavit, 

or other documentation, as appropriate, that certifies that the applicant has the legal 

authority from the tribe(s) to implement the proposed project on tribal lands. In those 

instances when an organization or consortium of tribes applies for a grant 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 grant. 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.

Applicants unable to submit an application that includes a fully executed (i.e., signed) copy 

of appropriate legal documentation, as described above, consistent with the applicable 

tribe’s governance structure, should, at a minimum, submit an unsigned, draft version of 

such legal documentation as part of its application (except for cases in which, with respect 

to a tribal consortium applicant, consortium bylaws allow action without the support of all 

consortium member tribes). If selected for funding, NIJ will make use of and access to funds 

contingent on receipt of the fully-executed legal documentation.
14 NIJ–2014-3757

SAMPLE

7. Additional Attachments

a. Applicant disclosure of pending applications

Applicants are to disclose whether they have pending applications for federally funded

grants or subgrants (including cooperative agreements) that include requests for funding 

to support the same project being proposed under this solicitation and will cover the 

identical cost items outlined in the budget narrative and worksheet in the application 

under this solicitation. The disclosure should include both direct applications for federal 

funding (e.g., applications to federal agencies) and indirect applications for such funding 

(e.g., applications to State agencies that will subaward federal funds).

OJP seeks this information to help avoid any 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.

Applicants that have pending applications as described above are 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 funding agency.

Applicants should include the table as a separate attachment, with the file name 

“Disclosure of Pending Applications,” to their application. Applicants that do not have 

pending applications as described above are to include a statement to this effect in the 

separate attachment page (e.g., “[Applicant Name on SF-424] does not have pending 

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

(including cooperative agreements) that include requests for funding to support the same 

project being proposed under this solicitation and will cover the identical cost items 

outlined in the budget narrative and worksheet in the application under this solicitation.”).

Federal or 

State 

Funding 

Agency 

Solicitation 

Name/Project 

Name

Name/Phone/E-mail for Point of Contact at 

Funding Agency

DOJ/COPS COPS Hiring 

Program

Jane Doe, 202/000-0000; jane.doe@usdoj.gov

HHS/ 

Substance 

Abuse & 

Mental Health 

Services 

Administration

Drug Free 

Communities 

Mentoring Program/ 

North County Youth 

Mentoring Program

John Doe, 202/000-0000; john.doe@hhs.gov
15 NIJ–2014-3757

8. Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire

Any applicant (other than an individual) that is a non-governmental entity and that has not 

received any award from OJP within the past 3 years is to download, complete, and submit

this form.

Selection Criteria

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

the following criteria.

Statement of the Problem (Understanding of the problem and its importance) – 10%

Applicants should include appropriate citations and other information to demonstrate an 

understanding of the problem and the expected impact of the funding in solving violent crime 

cold cases with DNA.

Project Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit) – 40%

1. Awareness of the state of current DNA technology and its application to solving cold 

cases.

2. Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach.

3. Feasibility of proposed project and awareness of pitfalls.

4. Innovation and creativity (when appropriate).

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

applicants) – 20%

1. Qualifications and experience of proposed staff.

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

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

and resources are used.

Budget – (effective and efficient use of funds to achieve the proposed project results) - 10%

Note: The budget should be complete, cost effective, and allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, 

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

applicants will maximize cost effectiveness of grant expenditures. Budget narratives should 

demonstrate cost effectiveness in relation to the proposed level of effort, potential alternatives, 

and the goals of the project.

1

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

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

costs.
16 NIJ–2014-3757

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.

Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation/Plan for Collecting Data for Performance Measures

(Relevance to policy and practice) – 20% 

1. Potential for resolving violent crime cold cases.

2. Potential for significant advances in the field.

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

Review Process

OJP is committed to ensuring a fair and open process for awarding grants. NIJ reviews the 

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

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

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

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

combination, to review the applications. An external peer reviewer is an expert in the subject 

matter of a given solicitation who is NOT a current DOJ employee. An internal reviewer is a 

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

solicitation. A peer review panel will evaluate, score, and rate applications that meet basic 

minimum requirements. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any resulting recommendations are 

advisory only. In addition to peer review ratings, considerations for award recommendations and 

decisions may include, but are not limited to, underserved populations, geographic diversity, 

strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding. 

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer, in consultation with NIJ, reviews applications for 

potential discretionary awards to evaluate the fiscal integrity and financial capability of 

applicants, examines proposed costs to determine if the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget 

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

necessary, and allowable under applicable federal cost principles and agency regulations. 

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

award decisions will be made by the Assistant Attorney General, who may consider factors 

including, but not limited to, underserved populations, geographic diversity, strategic priorities, 

past performance, and available funding when making awards.

Additional Requirements

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

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

these additional requirements prior to submitting an application. Additional information for each 

requirement can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm. 
17 NIJ–2014-3757

• Civil Rights Compliance

• Civil Rights Compliance Specific to State Administering Agencies

• Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations

• Confidentiality

• Research and the Protection of Human Subjects

• Anti-Lobbying Act

• Financial and Government Audit Requirements

• Reporting of Potential Fraud, Waste, and Abuse, and Similar Misconduct

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

• DOJ Information Technology Standards (if applicable) 

• Single Point of Contact Review

• Non-Supplanting of State or Local Funds

• Criminal Penalty for False Statements

• Compliance with Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide

• Suspension or Termination of Funding

• Non-profit Organizations

• For-profit Organizations

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

• Rights in Intellectual Property 

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

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

• Active SAM Registration 

• Policy and Guidance for Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conferences (including 

Meetings and Trainings)

• OJP Training Guiding Principles for Grantees and Subgrantees
18 NIJ–2014-3757

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

materials, including quarterly financial reports, semi-annual progress reports, a final progress 

report, and, if applicable, an annual audit report in accordance with Office of Management and 

Budget Circular A-133. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if reports are 

delinquent. If a cold case DNA hit occurs during a reporting period, a brief description of the 

case should be included in the progress report. The description should detail the type of hit 

(offender or forensic) and the evidence from which the hit was obtained.

How to Apply

Applicants must register in, and submit applications through Grants.gov, a “one-stop storefront” 

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

register and submit an application at www.Grants.gov. Applicants that experience technical 

difficulties during this process should call the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-

4726 or 606–545–5035, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. Registering 

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

take several weeks for first-time registrants to receive confirmation and a user password. OJP 

encourages applicants to register several weeks before the application submission deadline. 

In addition, OJP urges applicants to submit applications 72 hours prior to the application due 

date to allow time 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.

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

regarding this solicitation. If this solicitation is cancelled or modified, individuals who sign up with 

Grants.gov for updates will be notified.

Note on File Names and File Types: Grants.gov only permits the use of certain specific

characters in names of attachment files. Valid file names may include only the characters 

shown in the table below. Grants.gov is designed to reject any application that includes 

an attachment(s) with a file name that contains any characters not shown in the table 

below. Grants.gov is designed to forward successfully submitted applications to OJP’s 

Grants Management System (GMS).

Characters Special Characters

Upper case (A – Z) Parenthesis ( ) Curly braces { } Square brackets [ ]

Lower case (a – z) Ampersand (&) Tilde (~) Exclamation point (!)

Number 0 – 9 Comma ( , ) Semicolon ( ; ) Apostrophe ( ‘ )

Underscore ( __ ) At sign (@) Number sign (#) Dollar sign ($)

Hyphen ( - ) Percent sign (%) Plus sign (+) Equal sign (=)

Space When using the ampersand (&) in XML, applicants must use the “&” 

Period (.) 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.
19 NIJ–2014-3757

All applicants are required to complete the following steps:

1. Acquire a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. In general, the Office of 

Management and Budget requires that all applicants (other than individuals) for federal 

funds include a DUNS number in their applications for a new award or a supplement to an 

existing award. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the 

universal standard for identifying and differentiating entities receiving federal funds. The 

identifier is used for tracking purposes and to validate address and point of contact 

information for federal assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. The DUNS 

number will be used throughout the grant life cycle. Obtaining a DUNS number is a free, 

one-time activity. Call Dun and Bradstreet at 866–705–5711 to obtain a DUNS number or 

apply online at www.dnb.com. A DUNS number is usually received within 1-2 business days. 

2. Acquire registration with the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM is the 

repository for standard information about federal financial assistance applicants, recipients, 

and subrecipients. OJP requires all applicants (other than individuals) for federal financial 

assistance to maintain current registrations in the SAM database. Applicants must be 

registered in SAM to successfully register in Grants.gov. Applicants must update or renew 

their SAM registration annually to maintain an active status.

Applications cannot be successfully submitted in Grants.gov until Grants.gov receives the

SAM registration information. The information transfer from SAM to Grants.gov can take up 

to 48 hours. OJP recommends that the applicant register or renew registration with SAM as 

early as possible.

Information about SAM registration procedures can be accessed at www.sam.gov.

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

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

and password. The applicant organization’s DUNS number must be used to complete this 

step. For more information about the registration process, go 

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

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

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

applicant organization’s AOR. 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 number for this solicitation is 16.560, titled “National Institute 

of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants,” and the funding 

opportunity number is NIJ–2014-3757.

6. Complete the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities. All applicants must complete this 

information. Applicants that expend any funds for lobbying activities are to provide the 

detailed information requested on the form Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL). 

Applicants that do not expend any funds for lobbying activities should enter “N/A” in the 

required highlighted fields. 

7. Submit a valid application consistent with this solicitation by following the directions 

in Grants.gov. Within 24–48 hours after submitting the electronic application, the applicant 
20 NIJ–2014-3757

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

whether the application has been received and validated, or 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 well 

ahead of the deadline provides time to correct the problem(s) that caused the 

rejection. Important: OJP urges applicants to submit applications 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 correct in a timely fashion any problems that may have 

caused a rejection notification.

Click here for further details on DUNS, SAM, and Grants.gov registration steps and 

timeframes.

Note: Duplicate Applications

If an applicant submits multiple versions of an application, NIJ will review only the most recent 

valid version submitted. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues

Applicants that experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond their control that 

prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the NIJ contact 

identified in the Contact Information section on page 1 within 24 hours after the application 

deadline and request approval to submit their application. The e-mail must describe the 

technical difficulties, and 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: NIJ does not automatically approve requests. After the program 

office reviews the submission, and contacts the Grants.gov or SAM Help Desks to validate 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 applicant failed to follow all 

required procedures, which resulted in an untimely application submission, OJP will deny the 

applicant’s request to submit their application.

The following conditions are generally insufficient to justify late submissions:

• Failure to register in SAM or Grants.gov in sufficient time.

• 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, 

including firewalls.

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

of the OJP funding Web page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/solicitations.htm.
21 NIJ–2014-3757

Provide Feedback to OJP

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

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

review/peer review process. Provide feedback to OJPSolicitationFeedback@usdoj.gov.

IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for feedback and suggestions only. Replies are not sent from this 

mailbox. If you have specific questions on any program or technical aspect of the solicitation, 

you must directly contact the appropriate number or e-mail listed on the front of this solicitation 

document. These contacts are provided to help ensure that you can directly reach an individual 

who can address your specific questions in a timely manner.

If you are interested in being a reviewer for other OJP grant applications, please e-mail your 

resume to ojppeerreview@lmbps.com. The OJP Solicitation Feedback email account will not 

forward your resume. Note: Neither you nor anyone else from your organization can be a peer 

reviewer in a competition in which you or your organization have submitted an application.
22 NIJ–2014-3757

Application Checklist

Solving Cold Cases With DNA

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

What an Applicant Should Do:

Prior to Registering in Grants.gov:

_____ Acquire a DUNS Number (see page 19)

_____ Acquire or renew registration with SAM (see page 19)

To Register with Grants.gov: 

_____ Acquire AOR and Grants.gov username/password (see page 19)

_____ Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Biz POC (see page 19)

To Find Funding Opportunity:

_____ Search for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov (see page 19)

_____ Download Funding Opportunity and Application Package (see page 19)

_____ Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) (see page 18)

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

General Requirements:

_____ Review “Other Requirements” webpage

Scope Requirement: 

_____ The federal amount requested is within the allowable limit(s) of $300,000

What an Application Should Include: 

_____ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) (see page 9)

_____ Project Abstract (see page 9)

_____ Program Narrative (see page 10)

_____ Appendices to the Program Narrative (see page 11) 

_____ Bibliography/references (if applicable)

_____ Curriculum vitae, resumes, or biographical sketches of key personnel 

_____ Project timeline and calendar with expected milestones 

_____ Human Subject Protection Paperwork 

_____ Privacy Certificate 

_____ List of previous and current NIJ awards to applicant organization 

_____ Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations 

collaborating in the project (if applicable) 

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

has been submitted (if applicable)

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (see page 12)

_____ Budget Narrative (see page 12)

_____ Employee Compensation Waiver request and justification (if applicable)

(see page 7)

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

available at www.ojp.gov/funding/confcost.htm (see page 7)

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see page 19)
23 NIJ–2014-3757

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

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

_____ Additional Attachments

_____ Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications (see page 14)

_____ Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (if applicable) 

(see page 15)