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

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

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

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

international organized crime. This program furthers the Department’s mission by sponsoring 

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

challenges of international organized crime at the State, local, tribal, and Federal levels, and to 

respond to the Attorney General’s goals for DOJ regarding the impact of international organized 

crime on the United States and the criminal justice system at each of those levels. 

Solicitation: 

Research on International Organized Crime 

Eligibility 

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

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

Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior and published in the 

Federal Register), nonprofit and profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and profit 

organizations), institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education), 

and certain qualified individuals. Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign 

institutions of higher education are not eligible to apply. 

Deadline 

Registration with OJP’s Grants Management System is required prior to application submission. 

(See “How to Apply,” page 8.) 

All applications are due by 11:45 p.m. eastern time on May 28, 2010. 

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

Contact Information 

For technical assistance with submitting the application, contact the Grants Management System 

Support Hotline at 1–888–549–9901, option 3 or via e-mail to GMS.HelpDesk@usdoj.gov. 

Note: The GMS Support Hotline hours of operation are Monday–Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 

midnight eastern time, except for Federal holidays. 

For assistance with any other requirement of this solicitation, contact John T. Picarelli, Social 

Science Analyst, at 202–307–3213 or by e-mail to John.Picarelli@usdoj.gov. 

SL# 000938 
CONTENTS 

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

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

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

Specific Information .......................................................................................................... 3 

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

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

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

Standard Form 424 ............................................................................................. 10 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review Process .............................................................................................................. 15 

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

Application Checklist ....................................................................................................... 18 

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Research on International Organized Crime 

CFDA No. 16.560 

Overview 

NIJ is seeking research on international organized crime (IOC) that can help State, local, tribal, 

or Federal criminal justice agencies meet the challenge of IOC in their jurisdictions. Proposals 

are sought to develop and analyze information and data having clear implications for criminal 

justice in the United States in the following focus areas: quantification of harm; penetration of 

strategic sectors; links between IOC and terrorism or insurgency; relationships between State, 

local, tribal, or Federal governments as well as foreign governments and IOC; and evaluations 

of counter-IOC tools or programs. 

Authorizing Legislation: Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (sections 201 

and 202). 

Deadlines: Registration and Application 

Registration is required prior to submission. The deadline to register in GMS is 11:45 p.m. 

eastern time on May 28, 2010, and the deadline for applying for funding under this 

announcement is 11:45 p.m. eastern time on May 28, 2010. Please see the “How to Apply” 

section, page 8, for more details. 

Eligibility 

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

Specific Information—Research on International Organized 

Crime

NIJ seeks research on IOC that can support State, local, tribal, or Federal criminal justice 

agencies through the enhancement of our knowledge of the phenomenon. 

Background: In October 2007, DOJ released the International Organized Crime Threat 

Assessment, an interagency document that outlined eight strategic threats posed by IOC, 

thereby demonstrating the need for a concerted government-wide effort to combat it. In 

response to the threat assessment, DOJ next released the United States Law Enforcement 

Strategy to Combat International Organized Crime in April 2008. The four areas of action called 

for within the strategy were: (1) marshalling intelligence and information; (2) prioritizing and 

targeting the most significant IOC threats; (3) employing all available tools to dismantle IOC; 

and (4) developing aggressive strategies to dismantle entire criminal organizations. A public 

version of the threat assessment and strategy is found at 

http://www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2008/ioc-strategy-public-overview.pdf. 

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Since the strategy’s release, the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Council (AGOCC)1

 has 

overseen its implementation, marshalling the efforts of DOJ and its partner agencies. For 

example, in May of 2009, the AGOCC established the International Organized Crime 

Intelligence and Operations Center (IOC-2) to bring partner agencies together to combine data 

and produce actionable leads for investigators. Some member agencies of the AGOCC also 

assisted the National Intelligence Council in preparing a recently published National Intelligence 

Estimate on IOC. The National Intelligence Estimate provides the President and his cabinet 

agencies the best assessment of current threats from IOC. 

Definition: “International organized crime” (IOC), for the purposes of this solicitation, refers to 

those self-perpetuating associations of individuals that operate internationally for the purpose of 

obtaining power, influence, monetary, and/or commercial gains, wholly or in part by illegal 

means, while protecting their activities through a pattern of corruption and/or violence, or while 

protecting their illegal activities through an international organizational structure and the 

exploitation of international commerce or communication mechanisms.2

 There is no single 

structure under which international organized criminals operate; they vary from hierarchies to 

clans, networks, and cells, and may evolve to other structures. The crimes they commit also 

vary. International organized criminals act conspiratorially in their criminal activities and possess 

certain characteristics in support of that criminal activity, which may include, but are not limited 

to: 

• Commission of violence or other acts which are likely to intimidate, or actual or implicit 

threats to commit such acts. 

• Exploitation of differences between countries to further their objectives, enriching their 

organization, expanding its power, and/or avoiding detection and apprehension. 

• Attempts to gain influence in government, politics, and commerce through corruption, as 

well as legitimate means. 

• Economic gain as a primary goal, not only from patently illegal activities, but also from 

investment in legitimate business. 

• Attempts to insulate both leadership and membership from detection, sanction, and/or 

prosecution through the organizational structure. 

Limitation of Scope: The primary focus of any application submitted under this solicitation 

must be the impact or effect on, or implications of, IOC for criminal justice in the United States 

(including criminal justice policy and practice at the State, local, tribal, and/or Federal levels). 

Applications must demonstrate a clear connection between the proposed research and the 

primary focus. Applicants also may, as a secondary focus, propose research on IOC groups that 

threaten the national security of the United States, the stability of the American economy, and/or 

the integrity of State, local, tribal, or Federal government institutions, infrastructure, or systems. 

In any such case, the applicant must indicate clearly how any secondary areas of study 

complement the primary focus of the proposed research. 

 

1

The AGOCC is chaired by the Deputy Attorney General and has as members the heads of relevant Federal law 

enforcement agencies and presidentially appointed prosecutors. It is an outgrowth of an Executive Order, issued by 

President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, placing the Attorney General in charge of coordinating all Federal law 

enforcement activity against organized crime. The traditional role of the AGOCC has been to promote interagency 

coordination, evaluate the threat presented by organized crime, and advise the Attorney General on national priorities 

and a national organized crime strategy. In 2008, the AGOCC began to consider the threat from international 

organized crime to be the primary organized crime threat facing the United States. 

2

 This definition is adapted from the Overview of the Law Enforcement Strategy to Combat International Organized 

Crime of April 2008. See http://www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2008/ioc-strategy-public-overview.pdf. 

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Research Issues and Questions: Since State, local, or tribal criminal justice agencies often 

detect IOC first, and in order to support the Attorney General’s goals for countering IOC, NIJ is 

seeking research on IOC that can help U.S. criminal justice agencies (whether State, local, 

tribal, or Federal) meet the challenges of IOC in their jurisdictions. Letters of support are 

strongly encouraged when the project requires the cooperation of law enforcement or other 

criminal justice agencies. 

Proposals are sought to develop and analyze information and data having clear implications 

for criminal justice policy and practice in the United States in the following focus areas: 

1. Quantification of Harm. Studies that can describe and quantify the level of harm from IOC 

in one or more specific sectors of economic activity in the United States. Examples include, 

but are not limited to, multiple sectors victimized through theft of intellectual property; the 

insurance sector victimized through fraud; the real estate sector victimized through money 

laundering; or the banking sector victimized through identity theft. Proposals should explore 

the various ways that IOC groups harm these sectors through case studies or other 

descriptive evidence but, wherever possible, should also apply a quantitative measure of the 

aggregate harm (in the United States and globally) done to firms, markets, sectors, the 

public, or other appropriate entities. Applicants should include definitions of harm in their 

proposal and should explore not only economic but also social or other forms of harm. 

2. Penetration of Strategic Sectors. Studies that detail whether and, if so, how IOC has 

penetrated strategic sectors of the U.S. economy and/or strategic sectors of the global 

economy that appear likely to impact U.S. markets. Examples of strategic sectors include 

energy (e.g., oil and natural gas), telecommunications, commodities, rare metals, national 

defense, and aerospace. The goal of such studies is to provide a better understanding of 

whether and how IOC groups or activities have entered these sectors of vital importance to 

the United States; any effects on these U.S. sectors resulting from their presence; any 

secondary effects on governmental and political institutions within the United States; and 

how they relate to criminal justice and criminal justice agencies in the United States. 

3. Links Between IOC and Terrorism or Insurgency. Numerous cases have surfaced where 

organized crime in the United States served to raise funds or served other ends for domestic 

or foreign terrorist or insurgent groups. Bearing this in mind, NIJ seeks studies that detail the 

relationships between IOC and terrorism or insurgency where such relationships may 

significantly affect crime and/or the criminal justice system at the State, local, tribal, or 

Federal levels. Proposals may assess the methods and extent to which terrorist or insurgent 

groups are involved in international organized crimes for profit or other ends in the United 

States; how criminal organizations in the United States are specializing in forms of crime 

(e.g., document fraud, money laundering) that aid international criminal organizations, 

terrorists, or insurgents in the United States; or assess how counterterrorism programs and 

tools might also serve the ends of fighting IOC within the United States. 

4. Relationships Between IOC and Domestic or Foreign Governments. Studies that 

examine the form and function of relationships between domestic or foreign governments 

and international criminal organizations that are likely to have a clear impact on crime in the 

United States or criminal justice agencies at the State, local, tribal, or Federal levels. 

Proposals must consider how relationships between domestic or foreign governments and 

IOC might complicate or undermine the criminal justice system in the United States. 

Applicants are encouraged to consider not only relationships in which crime groups benefit 

from links to governments but also symbiotic relationships in which government agencies 

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might benefit from IOC. Applicants may also consider how third-parties (e.g., lawyers, 

lobbyists, bankers or other professionals) might wittingly or unwittingly facilitate relationships 

that impact the United States. An example of the latter is “reputation laundering,” a process 

by which organized criminals obscure their criminal pedigree in order to appear legitimate to 

the outside world by such methods as using facilitators and others to enter the licit economy, 

obtain political office, and/or undertake charitable works. 

5. Evaluations of Counter-IOC Tools or Programs. Studies that evaluate domestic or foreign 

programs or tools that can improve the ability of criminal justice agencies in the United 

States to identify, disrupt, and dismantle IOC groups. Programs and tools need not be 

located in the United States, but evaluations of foreign programs and tools must include an 

assessment of their applicability for criminal justice policy and practice in the United States. 

In addition to the standard deliverables described in this solicitation, NIJ will be requiring, at the 

conclusion of the award period, a stand-alone executive summary that is geared toward criminal 

justice practitioners and policymakers. 

Amount and length of awards: NIJ anticipates that up to a total of $1 million may become 

available for awards made through this solicitation. All NIJ awards are subject to the 

availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements 

that may be imposed by law. NIJ expects to make up to four awards, depending on funds 

available, the number of high-quality applications, and other pertinent factors. NIJ funding for an 

individual research project rarely exceeds $500,000 annually, though total funding for projects 

requiring multiple years to complete has exceeded $1 million in some cases. If feasible, NIJ 

recommends that applicants divide the proposed work into discrete phases, with each phase 

resulting in the delivery of a measurable deliverable. Applicants should try to structure the 

phases so that the funding required in any fiscal year will not exceed $500,000. Although NIJ 

cannot guarantee that subsequent phases, stages, or tasks will be funded, this approach will 

enable NIJ to fund the proposed work incrementally, depending on, among other things, the 

quality of the deliverable at the end of each phase, strategic priorities, and the availability of 

funds. However, applicants should not divide their work if it is not feasible to do so without 

impairing the technical and programmatic soundness of their approach. Note: Deliverables (e.g., 

a final report) will be required at the end of each phase to enable NIJ to assess the progress of 

the work and assist NIJ in making reasoned determinations as to the suitability of funding the 

next phase of the work. 

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

additional funding, ordinarily will not exceed 3 years. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Propensity Score Matching and Regression Discontinuity Design to address selection bias in 

evaluating outcomes and impacts.

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

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

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

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

evaluation, assessments of program processes should include objective measurements and 

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

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

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

Proposed evaluation research designs with multiple units of analysis and multiple 

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

are necessary to effectively address issues of generalizability and representativeness of 

findings. 

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

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

evaluation research. 

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

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

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

What will not be funded:

1. Provision of training or direct service. 

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

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

demonstration, evaluation, or analysis.) 

3. Work that will be funded under another specific solicitation. A list of anticipated 

solicitations is posted on the NIJ Web site, see http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding/

forthcoming.htm for more information. 

4. Studies that examine solely domestic organized crime groups or domestic gangs. 

5. Studies of human trafficking unrelated to IOC. 

6. Studies that examine terrorism unrelated to its connections to IOC. 

7. Studies of corruption unrelated to IOC. 

8. Research that lacks clear implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the 

United States. 

Budget Information 

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

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

to pay total cash compensation (salary plus bonuses) to any employee of the award recipient at 

a rate that exceeds 110% of the maximum annual salary payable to a member of the Federal 

Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an agency with a Certified SES Performance 

Appraisal System for that year. (The 2010 salary table for SES employees is available at 

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

employee at a higher rate, provided the amount in excess of this compensation limitation is paid 

with non-Federal funds. (Any such additional compensation will not be considered matching 

funds where match requirements apply.) 

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

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

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

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

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

budget. 

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

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

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

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

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

Performance Measures 

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

Results Act (GPRA), P.L. 103-62, applicants who receive funding under this solicitation must 

provide data that measure the results of their work. Applicants who receive funding under this 

solicitation are required 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 

Develop and analyze 

information and data 

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 

grantee’s substantive scope did not 

deviate from the funded proposal or 

any subsequent agency 

modifications to the scope. 

2. Quality of the research as assessed 

by peer reviewers. 

3. Quality of management as measured 

by whether significant interim project 

milestones were achieved, final 

deadlines were met, and costs 

remained within approved limits. 

4. If applicable, number of NIJ final 

grant reports, NIJ research 

documents, and grantee research 

documents published. 

1. A final report providing a 

comprehensive overview of the project 

and a detailed description of the 

project design, data, and methods; a 

full presentation of scientific findings; 

and a thorough discussion of the 

implications of the project findings for 

criminal justice practice and policy in 

the United States. 

2. Quarterly financial reports, semiannual progress reports, and a final 

progress report. 

3. If applicable, each data set that was 

collected, acquired, or modified in 

conjunction with the project. 

4. If applicable, citation to 

report(s)/document(s). 

How to Apply 

Applications will be submitted through OJP’s Grants Management System (GMS). GMS is a 

Web-based, data-driven computer application that provides cradle to grave support for the 

application, award and management of grants at OJP. Applicants should begin the process 

immediately to meet the GMS registration deadline, especially if this is the first time they have 

used the system. Complete instructions on how to register and submit an application in GMS 

can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/gmscbt/. If you experience technical difficulties at any point 

during this process, please e-mail GMSHelpDesk@usdoj.gov, or call 1–888–549–9901 (option 

3) Monday–Friday from 6:00 a.m. to midnight eastern time, except for Federal holidays. OJP 

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highly recommends starting the registration process as early as possible to prevent delays in 

the application submission by the specified deadline. 

All applicants are required to complete the following steps. 

1. Acquire a DUNS Number. A DUNS number is required to submit an application in 

GMS. The Office of Management and Budget requires that all businesses and nonprofit 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Obtain a DUNS number by calling 1–866–705–5711 or by applying online at 

www.dunandbradstreet.com. Individuals are exempt from this requirement. 

2. Acquire or Renew Registration With the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) 

Database. CCR registration is required to receive funding. OJP requires that all 

applicants (other than individuals) for Federal financial assistance maintain current 

registrations in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. The CCR database 

is the repository for standard information about Federal financial assistance applicants, 

recipients, and subrecipients. Organizations that have previously submitted applications 

via Grants.gov are already registered with CCR, as it is a requirement for Grants.gov 

registration. Please note, however, that applicants must update or renew their CCR 

registration at least once per year to maintain an active status. Information about CCR 

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

3. Acquire a GMS Username and Password. If you are a new user, please create a GMS 

profile by selecting the first time user link under the sign-in box of the GMS home page. 

For more information on how to register in GMS, go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/gmscbt/.

4. Search for the Funding Opportunity on GMS. After you log in to GMS or complete 

your GMS profile for your username and password, go to the Funding Opportunities link 

on the left hand side of the page. Please select “National Institute of Justice” and then 

“NIJ FY 10 Research on International Organized Crime.”

5. Select the Apply Online Button Associated With the Solicitation Title. The search 

results from step 4 will display the solicitation title along with the Registration and 

Application Deadlines for this funding opportunity. Please select the Apply Online button 

in the Action Column to create an application in the system. 

6. Submit an Application Consistent With This Solicitation by Following the 

Directions in GMS. Once submitted, GMS will display a confirmation screen stating 

your submission was successful. Important: You are urged to submit your application at 

least 72 hours prior to the due date of the application. 

Note: OJP’s Grants Management System (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."

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Experiencing Unforeseen GMS Technical Issues 

If you experience unforeseen GMS technical issues beyond your control which prevent you from 

submitting your application by the deadline, you must contact the NIJ staff member listed on the 

title page within 24 hours after the deadline and request approval to submit your application. 

At that time, NIJ staff will require you to e-mail the complete grant application, your DUNS 

number, and provide a GMS Help Desk tracking number(s). After the program office reviews all 

of the information submitted, and contacts the GMS Helpdesk to validate the technical issues 

you reported, OJP will contact you to either approve or deny your request to submit a late 

application. If the technical issues you reported cannot be validated, your application will be 

rejected as untimely. 

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

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

(2) failure to follow GMS instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its Web site; (3) 

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

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

Notifications regarding known technical problems with GMS are posted on the OJP funding Web 

page, www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/solicitations.htm. 

What an Application Must Include 

This section describes what an application is expected to include and sets out a number of 

elements. Applicants should anticipate that failure to submit an application that contains all of 

the specified elements may negatively affect the review of the application and, should a decision 

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

preclude access to or use of award funds pending satisfaction of the conditions. 

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications that are not responsive to the scope of 

the solicitation, or do not include a program narrative, budget detail worksheet, budget narrative, 

tribal resolution (if applicable), and resumes/curriculum vitae of key personnel will not proceed 

to peer review and will not receive further consideration. 

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

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

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

a single file. 

Standard Form 424 

Please see www07.grants.gov/assets/SF424Instructions.pdf for instructions on how to 

complete your SF424. When selecting "type of applicant," if the applicant is a for-profit 

entity, please select "For-Profit Organization" or "Small Business" (as applicable) in the 

Type of Applicant 1 data field. For-profit applicants also may select additional applicable 

categories (e.g., "Private Institution of Higher Education"). 

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 Program Narrative 

Program Narrative Guidelines: 

a. Title Page (not counted against the 30-page program narrative limit). 

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

applicant’s name and complete contact information (i.e., name, address, 

telephone number, and e-mail address).

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

The 400- to 600-word abstract should state the problem under investigation 

(including research goals and objectives) and the anticipated relevance of the 

project to criminal justice public policy, practice, or theory clearly pertinent to the 

United States. It should describe the proposed method and/or research design, 

including data to be used in addressing research questions, data collection 

procedures and instrumentation, access to data, and other methods or 

procedures of the proposed study. It should also describe procedures for data 

analysis and all expected products, including interim and final reports, 

instrumentation, and devices. If applicable, it should describe the subjects who 

will be involved in the proposed project, including the number of participants; 

participants’ age, gender, and race/ethnicity; and other pertinent characteristics, 

such as methods used to gain access to subjects. 

c. Resubmit Response (if applicable). If an applicant is resubmitting a proposal 

that was presented previously to NIJ, but not funded, the applicant must indicate 

this. A two-page document addressing the previous consensus review must be 

provided that covers the following: (1) the title, submission date, and NIJassigned application number of the previous proposal, and (2) a brief summary of 

responses to the peer review and/or revisions to the proposal. This document 

should be inserted after the abstract. This document will not be counted against 

the 30-page program narrative limit. 

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

narrative limit). 

e. Main body. The main body of the Program Narrative should describe the project 

in depth and include the following sections: 

• Purpose, goals, and objectives. 

• Review of relevant literature. 

• Detailed description of research design and methods to include: 

research questions, hypotheses, description of sample, analysis plan, 

etc. 

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

below). 

• Implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United 

States. 

• Management plan and organization. 

• Dissemination strategy. 

The program narrative section of your application must not exceed 30 doublespaced pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Abstract, table of contents, 

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charts, figures, appendices, and government forms do not count toward the 30-

page limit for the narrative section. 

Applicants should anticipate that if the program narrative fails to comply with 

these length-related restrictions, such that it provides a significant competitive 

advantage, the failure to comply may be considered in peer review and in final 

award decisions. 

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

• Bibliography/references. 

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

pertaining to the proposed study. 

• Curriculum vitae, resumes or biographical sketches of all key 

personnel. 

• Project timeline and research calendar with expected milestones. 

• Human Subjects Protection Paperwork including Institutional Review 

Board (IRB) documentation and forms (see 

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

• Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to 

http://www.ojp.gov/nij/funding/humansubjects/privacy-certificateguidance.htm). 

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

investigator(s). 

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project, such as law enforcement 

and correctional agencies (if applicable). 

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

have submitted this proposal (if applicable). 

• Other materials specified by the solicitation. 

• Data Archiving Strategy (see descriptive paragraph below). 

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

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

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

before the end of the project period.) Applications for NIJ research grants must 

include a brief (one- or two-page) data archiving strategy. For purposes of 

research replication and extension, the inclusion of only the final data set often 

prevents other researchers from replicating or extending the study because there 

are no original data, intermediate data, or documentation detailing how the data 

changed throughout the project. This data archiving strategy therefore must 

briefly describe the— 

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

applicable). 

• Methods of documentation of such manipulations. 

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

submission. 

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

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

“Data Archiving Strategy.” 

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative 

a. Budget Detail Worksheet

A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at 

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

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

included. 

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

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

b. Budget Narrative 

The Budget Narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of 

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

mathematically sound and correspond with the information and figures provided in 

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

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

proposed project. The narrative may include tables for clarification purposes and can 

be provided in a Microsoft Office Word document. As with the Budget Detail 

Worksheet, the Budget Narrative must be broken down by year. 

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

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

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

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

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

supported with non-Federal contributions. 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

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

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

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

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

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

submit an indirect cost rate proposal at 

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

Tribal Authorizing Resolution

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

provided under the grant. 

Other Standard Forms 

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

OJP’s funding page at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms.htm. Please note in 

particular the following forms. 

1. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other 

Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (required of all 

applicants as part of the GMS application process) 

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

funds for lobbying activities) 

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

applicant that is a nongovernmental entity and that has not received any award 

from OJP within the past 3 years) 

4. Standard Assurances (required of all applicants as part of the GMS application 

process) 

Note: Attachments to the application should be included in one of the following four 

categories: 1) Program Narrative; 2) Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative; 

3) Appendices; and 4) Other. 

Selection Criteria 

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

As part of the statement of the problem, applicants should include an interdisciplinary 

literature review that includes relevant studies from U.S. and foreign researchers. 

Project/Program Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit)—30%

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

2. Soundness of methodology and analytic and technical approach. 

3. Feasibility of proposed project and awareness of pitfalls. 

4. Innovation and creativity (when appropriate). 

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

applicants)—20%

1. Qualifications and experience of proposed staff. 

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

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

and resources are used. 

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

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Budget—15% 

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

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

 3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation (Relevance to policy and practice)—15% 

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

2. Potential for significant advances in the field. 

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

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

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

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

technology). 

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

(when applicable). 

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

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

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

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

collaborate with criminal justice practitioners and policymakers. You may include letters 

showing support from practitioners, but they carry less weight than clear evidence that you 

understand why criminal justice policymakers and practitioners in the United States would 

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

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

Dissemination Strategy—5% 

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

including researchers and criminal justice practitioners and policymakers. 

 2. Suggestions for print and electronic products NIJ might develop for criminal justice 

practitioners and policymakers. 

Research Independence and Integrity 

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

applicant’s proposal must demonstrate research independence, including appropriate 

safeguards to ensure research objectivity and integrity. 

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

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

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

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

remedies to control any such factors. 

Review Process 

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

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

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

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Peer reviewers will be reviewing the applications submitted under this solicitation that meet 

basic minimum requirements. NIJ may use either internal peer reviewers, external peer 

reviewers, or a combination to review the applications under this solicitation. An external peer 

reviewer is an expert in the field of the subject matter of a given solicitation who is NOT a 

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

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

Eligible applications will be evaluated, scored, and rated by a peer review panel. Peer 

reviewers’ ratings and any resulting recommendations are advisory only. In addition to peer 

review ratings, considerations for award recommendations and decisions may include, but are 

not limited to, underserved populations, geographic diversity, strategic priorities, past 

performance, and available funding. 

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

review of applications for potential discretionary awards and cooperative agreements to 

evaluate the fiscal integrity and financial capability of applicants; examines proposed costs to 

determine if the budget and budget narrative accurately explain project costs; and determines 

whether costs are reasonable, necessary, and allowable under applicable Federal cost 

principles and agency regulations. 

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

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

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

awards. 

Additional Requirements 

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

acceptance of an award. We strongly encourage you to review the information pertaining to 

these additional requirements prior to submitting your application. Additional information for 

each can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm. 

• Civil Rights Compliance 

• Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations 

• Confidentiality and Human Subjects Protection (if applicable) 

• Anti-Lobbying Act 

• Financial and Government Audit Requirements 

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (if applicable) 

• DOJ Information Technology Standards (if applicable) 

• Single Point of Contact Review 

• Nonsupplanting of State or Local Funds 

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• Criminal Penalty for False Statements 

• Compliance with Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide

• Suspension or Termination of Funding 

• Nonprofit Organizations 

• For-Profit Organizations 

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 

• Rights in Intellectual Property 

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

• Awards in excess of $5,000,000 — Federal taxes certification requirement 

If your proposal is funded, you will be required to submit several reports and other materials, 

including: 

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

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

presentation of scientific findings; a thorough discussion of the implications of the project 

findings for criminal justice practice and policy in the United States; etc. It must contain an 

abstract of no more than 600 words and an executive summary of 2,500 to 4,000 words. 

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

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

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

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

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

and electronic formats. 

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

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

modifications made to those measures as a result of the evaluation, and recommendations 

regarding these and other potential performance measures for similar programs. (This 

information will be particularly valuable to NIJ and other Federal program agencies in 

implementing performance measures for federally funded criminal justice programs.) 

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

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

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

withheld if reports are delinquent. 

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

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

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

the proposal. 

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Application Checklist 

Research on International Organized Crime 

The application checklist has been created to aid you in developing your application. 

Eligibility: 

_____ Tribal authorizing resolution (if applicable) 

Application Components: 

_____ Program Narrative (see pages 11–12 and “Selection Criteria,” pages 14–15) 

_____ Appendices to the Program Narrative 

_____ Bibliography/references 

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

pertaining to the proposed study 

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

_____ Project timeline and research calendar with expected milestones 

_____ Human Subjects Protection paperwork 

_____ Privacy Certificate 

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

investigators 

_____ 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 you 

have submitted this proposal (if applicable) 

_____ Data Archiving Strategy 

_____ Budget Narrative 

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet 

_____ Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

Program Narrative/Abstract Format:

_____ Double-spaced 

_____ 12-point standard font 

_____ 1” standard margins 

_____ Narrative is 30 pages or less 

Other: 

_____ Standard Form 424 

_____ DUNS number 

_____ Other standard forms as applicable (see page 14), including 

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable) 

_____ Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (if applicable)