U.S. Department of Justice OMB No. 1121-0323

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

 

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

(NIJ) is pleased to announce that it is seeking applications for funding under the Recovery Act: 

Evaluation of Recovery Act State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance program. 

On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the landmark American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Recovery Act”). As one of its many elements, the Recovery Act 

provided the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) with funding for grants to assist State, local, and 

tribal law enforcement (including support for hiring), to combat violence against women, to fight 

internet crimes against children, to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, to 

assist victims of crime, and to support youth mentoring. DOJ is committed to working with our 

national, State, local and tribal partnerships to ensure this funding invests in the American 

workforce. 

The vast majority of funds provided to DOJ under the Recovery Act were awarded in Fiscal 

Year (FY) 2009. Under this solicitation, NIJ expects to make FY 2010 Recovery Act awards for 

evaluation projects that support the purposes of three specific OJP Recovery Act competitive 

grant programs. 

Recovery Act: Evaluation of Recovery 

Act State and Local Law Enforcement 

Assistance 

Eligibility 

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

agreements with, States (including territories), local governments (including federallyrecognized 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 Grant Management System (GMS) is required prior to application 

submission. (See “How to Apply,” page 14.) 

All applications are due by 11:45 p.m. eastern time on June 1, 2010. 

(See “Deadlines: Registration and Application,” page 4.) 

Important Note to Prospective Applicants 

This solicitation is issued pursuant to the American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), which was signed into 

law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. 

Applicants are strongly advised to check 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/recovery/solicitationrequirements.htm, 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/recovery, 

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recovery_default, and www.Recovery.gov

periodically (including before submitting an application) for updates to 

this solicitation and its associated requirements. Additional information 

may become available that could affect project proposal narratives, 

timelines, budget requests, certifications, recipient reporting 

requirements, and other matters related to applications. 

Award recipients will be required to follow any applicable provisions of 

government-wide guidance that has been or may be issued pursuant 

to the Recovery Act. DOJ/OJP guidance already issued is available at 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/recovery/. Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) guidance is available at 

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recovery_default. 

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 Katharine Browning, 

Senior Social Science Analyst, at 202–616–4786 or by email to Katharine.Browning@usdoj.gov; 

Linda Truitt, Senior Social Science Analyst, at 202–353–9081 or by email to 

Linda.Truitt@usdoj.gov; or Brett Chapman, Social Science Analyst, at 202–514–2187 or by 

email to Brett.Chapman@usdoj.gov. 

SL#000924 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 2
CONTENTS 

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

Deadlines: Registration and Application ........................................................................... 4 

Eligibility ............................................................................................................................ 4 

General Statement of Eligibility ............................................................................. 4 

Additional Requirements of the 

Recovery Act Related to Eligibility to Receive Funds ........................................... 5 

Specific Information .......................................................................................................... 5 

Accountability and Transparency Under the Recovery Act ............................................. 11 

Performance Measures ................................................................................................... 13 

How to Apply ................................................................................................................... 14 

What an Application Must Include ................................................................................... 16 

Standard Form 424 ............................................................................................. 16 

Program Narrative ............................................................................................... 17 

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative ................................................. 19 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) ...................................................... 20 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) ........................................................ 20 

Certifications ....................................................................................................... 20 

Other Standard Forms ........................................................................................ 20 

Selection Criteria ............................................................................................................. 21 

Review Process .............................................................................................................. 22 

Additional Requirements ................................................................................................. 23 

Application Checklist ....................................................................................................... 26 

Appendix: Template for Required Certification ............................................................... 27 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 3
Recovery Act: Evaluation of Recovery Act State 

and Local Law Enforcement Assistance 

CFDA No. 16.809, 16.810 

Overview 

This grant program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 

(Public Law 111-5) (the “Recovery Act”) and by the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets 

Act of 1968 (sections 201 and 202). 

The stated purposes of the Recovery Act are to preserve and create jobs and promote 

economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments 

needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and 

health; to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will 

provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize State and local government budgets, in 

order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive State and 

local tax increases. 

The Recovery Act places great emphasis on accountability and transparency in the use of 

taxpayer dollars. Among other things, it created a Recovery Accountability and Transparency 

Board and a Web site – Recovery.gov – to provide information to the public, including access to 

detailed information on grants and contracts made with Recovery Act funds. 

The Recovery Act provides funding for various competitive grant programs that are being 

administered by OJP. NIJ seeks applications that promote the goals of the Recovery Act 

through evaluations that support the purposes of three OJP Recovery Act competitive grant 

programs. Targeted areas include: (1) Programs that increase the capacity of State and local 

criminal justice systems in some of the areas identified in the Edward Byrne Memorial 

Competitive Grant Program; (2) Programs or strategies that assist law enforcement in 

preventing and combating rural crime (especially drug-related crime); and (3) Improving 

efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement in combating criminal narcotics activity along or 

stemming from the Southern border. 

Deadlines: Registration and Application 

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

eastern time on June 1, 2010, and the deadline for applying for funding under this 

announcement is 11:45 p.m. eastern time on June 1, 2010. Please see the “How to Apply” 

section, page 14, 

 for more details. 

Eligibility 

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

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 4
Additional Requirement related to the Recovery Act (including certification requirement): 

Reporting on the Use of Funds. In order to be eligible to receive funds under this solicitation, 

applicants must certify that they will satisfy the reporting requirements of section 1512(c) of the 

Recovery Act, which requires detailed reporting (including reporting on subawards) not later 

than ten calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter. Information on section 

1512(c) appears below, under “Accountability and Transparency under the Recovery Act.” A 

template for the certification is included in the appendix. (Instructions and guidance regarding 

section 1512 (c) reports can be found on www.FederalReporting.gov, on OJP’s Recovery Act 

Web page www.ojp.gov/recovery/recipientreporting.htm, and OMB’s Recovery Act Web page 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recovery_default.)

Specific Information—Recovery Act: Evaluation of Recovery 

Act State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance

Under the Recovery Act, OJP received funding that, among other things, supports three 

competitive grant programs: Recovery Act: Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant 

Program, Recovery Act: Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and Drugs, and 

Recovery Act: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity Stemming from the Southern Border of the 

United States. 

This solicitation is for proposals to evaluate one or more projects funded under Bureau of 

Justice Assistance (BJA) Recovery Act programs. Proposals that address any of the following 

three objectives will be considered: 

Recovery Act: Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program 

Up to $1.4 million is available to fund up to four awards under this objective. Single site 

evaluations may not exceed $500,000 and multi-site evaluations may not exceed $750,000. 

The focus of this objective is on programs that increase the capacity of State and local criminal 

justice systems in a number of different areas. In FY 2009, BJA solicited proposals for funding 

under the Recovery Act: Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program. That BJA 

solicitation is located at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recovery/RecoveryByrne.pdf. BJA 

awarded 117 grants in eight categories. 

NIJ is interested in proposals that seek to conduct evaluations of one or more projects funded 

by BJA under one of the following three categories: 

• Category I: Comprehensive Community-Based Data-Driven Approaches to Preventing 

and Reducing Violent Crime 

• Category II: Providing for Funding of Neighborhood Probation and Parole Officers 

• Category III: Reducing Mortgage Fraud and Crime Related to Vacant Properties 

Specifically, NIJ is interested in process and outcome evaluations. NIJ is also interested in 

impact evaluations if impacts can be determined in the limited time provided for the evaluation. 

General questions of interest include: How are these programs or strategies designed and 

implemented? Do these programs or strategies increase the overall efficiency and/or 

effectiveness of the criminal justice system in responding to the targeted crime or addressing 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 5
the needs of the targeted offenders? What is the impact of the Recovery Act investment in jobs 

and workforce enhancement on the ability of the criminal justice system to respond to the 

targeted crime and/or offenders? 

The following includes additional specific research questions of interest for each of the three 

categories that applicants should address in their proposals to the extent possible: 

Category I: NIJ and BJA identified three jurisdictions implementing Chicago Ceasefire model 

programs to target for evaluation. Given that there is a growing emphasis on place-based 

programs, there is evidence emerging that crime does not simply displace to adjacent areas and 

that there is a diffusion of benefits from place-targeted interventions. Therefore two main 

questions should be: 

• Does crime displace to (an) adjacent area(s) when police focus resources in a particular 

neighborhood? 

• Is there a diffusion of benefits to adjacent areas from a sustained focus of resources to 

improve the quality of life in neighborhoods that have had a reduction in crime from 

focused police resources? 

Category II: NIJ and BJA identified two programs in this category, one that expands adult 

probation specialized mental health caseloads and one prisoner reentry initiative. 

Research questions for probation mental health caseloads include: 

• How does the program identify, engage, and retain the target population(s)? 

• When and how are offender needs assessed, and how is functioning monitored? 

• Are service referral and delivery appropriate for the populations and their needs? 

• Do participants comply with program and probation requirements, including 

treatment participation? 

• Do functioning, medication compliance, and other mental health outcomes 

improve? 

• Do probation violations, recidivism, jail stays, and other criminal justice contacts 

decline? 

Research proposals for the prisoner reentry initiative should include: 

• A set of evaluation questions that provide structure to the evaluation and consider 

the broader implications for the criminal justice system and the process of reentry. 

• The completion of a needs assessment that provides information about the 

specific needs the reentry model intends to address. 

• A plan to conduct an assessment of program operation, implementation, and 

service delivery. 

Category III: NIJ and BJA identified four programs of particular interest in this category for 

evaluation. The effects of mortgage fraud are far reaching. Therefore, questions about efforts to 

control mortgage fraud should address prevention and connections to impact(s) in 

neighborhoods where the results can be the most damaging. 

• Is there any impact on the change of housing or financial regulatory policy that would 

prevent mortgage fraud from occurring in the first place? 

• Are there any changes to the process of identifying or investigating mortgage fraud for 

the purposes of intervention? 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 6
• Are there efforts at linking concentrations of victims of mortgage fraud to concentrations 

of foreclosures for the purpose of identifying if there is a causal link between the two and 

what impact(s) result, if any? 

NIJ has identified nine BJA-funded programs, out of the 117, that are of interest for evaluation 

under this first section of this solicitation. Information, including the BJA project summaries and 

points of contact, is available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding/NIJFY10ARRAEval

EligibleBJAByrne.doc. Applicants must use this list to identify one or more programs to target 

for evaluation. In developing applications, researchers should also consider information from 

progress and financial reports submitted quarterly by BJA grantees; see the Performance 

Measures section in BJA’s solicitation (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recovery/Recovery

Byrne.pdf). Applicants to this solicitation are advised that programs on this list are expected to 

partner with any applicants that contact them. 

Recovery Act: Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and Drugs 

Up to $1.25 million is available to fund up to four awards under this objective. 

The focus of this objective is on programs or strategies that assist law enforcement in 

preventing and combating rural crime (especially drug-related crime). In FY 2009, BJA solicited 

proposals for funding under the Recovery Act: Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat 

Crime and Drugs. That BJA solicitation is located at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recovery/

RecoveryRuralLE.pdf. BJA awarded 212 grants in the following five categories: 

• Category I: Combating Rural Crime 

• Category II: Improving Rural Law Enforcement Investigations 

• Category III: Enhancing Rural Detention and Jail Operations 

• Category IV: Facilitating Rural Justice Information Sharing 

• Category V: Training and Technical Assistance 

NIJ is interested in proposals that seek to conduct process and impact evaluations of one or 

more of the projects funded by BJA under one of the five categories. Questions of interest 

include: How are these programs or strategies designed and implemented? Do these programs 

or strategies increase the overall efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement in preventing 

and combating rural crime? What is the impact of Recovery Act investment in jobs and 

workforce enhancement on the ability of law enforcement to prevent and combat rural crime? 

NIJ has identified 33 BJA-funded programs, out of the 212, that are of interest for evaluation 

under this second section of this solicitation. Information, including the BJA project summaries 

and points of contact, is available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding/NIJFY10ARRAEval

EligibleBJARuralLE.doc. Applicants must use this list to identify one or more programs to target 

for evaluation. In developing applications, researchers should also consider information from 

progress and financial reports submitted quarterly by BJA grantees; see the Performance 

Measures section in BJA’s solicitation (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recovery/Recovery

RuralLE.pdf). Applicants to this solicitation are advised that programs on this list are expected to 

partner with any applicant that contacts them. 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 7
Recovery Act: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity Stemming from the Southern 

Border of the United States 

Up to $300,000 is available to fund one award under this objective. 

The focus of this objective is on the control, reduction, and/or prevention of criminal narcotics 

activity along or stemming from the Southern border. For the purposes of this solicitation 

objective, narcotic drug activity must relate to Mexican, Central, and South American production 

and trafficking, and the Southern border refers to the four States on the geographic land border 

of the United States (i.e., California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas). 

In FY 2009, BJA solicited proposals for funding under the Recovery Act: Combating Criminal 

Narcotics Activity Stemming from the Southern Border of the United States. That BJA 

solicitation is located at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recovery/RecoverySouthernBorder.pdf. 

BJA awarded 20 grants in the following three categories. 

• Category I: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity 

• Category II: Enhancing Southern Border Jails, Community Corrections, and Detention 

Operations 

• Category III: Facilitating Justice Information Sharing, Collaboration and Problem Solving 

NIJ is interested in proposals to conduct a process and impact evaluation of one of the projects 

funded by BJA under any category. Questions of interest include: How can we improve the 

efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement in combating criminal narcotics activity along or 

stemming from the Southern border, including drug-related crime and violence? 

NIJ has identified all 20 BJA-funded programs as of interest for evaluation under this third 

section of this solicitation. Information, including the BJA project summaries and points of 

contact, is available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding/NIJFY10ARRAEvalEligible

BJASouthernBorder.doc. Applicants must use this list to identify a program to target for 

evaluation. In developing applications, researchers should also consider information from 

progress and financial reports submitted quarterly by BJA grantees; see the Performance 

Measures section in BJA’s solicitation (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/recovery/Recovery

SouthernBorder.pdf). Applicants to this solicitation are advised that programs on this list are 

expected to partner with any applicant that contacts them. 

INSTRUCTIONS THAT APPLY TO ALL PROPOSALS:

In their proposals, researchers must: 

• Include a logic model to illustrate the inputs, activities, outputs, short- and long-term 

outcomes, and external factors associated with the BJA funded project(s). 

• Clearly state the research questions in relation to the strategy or program model 

proposed for evaluation, and detail the measurable outcomes anticipated. 

• Clearly justify the comparison proposed, and detail equivalent information available for 

both program and comparison targets if proposing impact or cost-efficiency analyses. 

• Include a research timeline that corresponds to a 24-month period. 

• Demonstrate cultural competence in research protocol and capabilities that address 

geographic, racial/ethnic, language, and other relevant diversity issues. 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 8
Amount and length of awards: NIJ expects to make up to nine awards, depending on funds 

available, the number of high-quality applications, and other pertinent factors. All NIJ awards 

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

additional requirements that may be imposed by law. Applicants should also anticipate 

that awards under the Recovery Act will be one-time awards and accordingly should 

propose project activities and deliverables that can be accomplished without additional 

DOJ funding. 

• Recovery Act: Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program—Up to $1.4 

million is available to fund up to four 24-month awards. Single site evaluations may not 

exceed $500,000 and multi-site evaluations may not exceed $750,000. 

• Recovery Act: Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and 

Drugs—Up to $1.25 million is available to fund up to four 24-month awards. 

• Recovery Act: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity Stemming from the 

Southern Border of the United States—Up to $300,000 is available to fund one 24-

month award.

An award 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 

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. 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 9
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. 

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, 

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. 

Match Requirement: Match is not required for this program.

Non-Supplanting: For purposes of this Recovery Act solicitation, the general non-supplanting 

requirement of the OJP Financial Guide (Part II, Chapter 3) does not apply. 

Recovery Act: Contracts 

Generally speaking, the Recovery Act places special emphasis on the use of fixed-price 

contracts awarded through competitive procedures. 

Recovery Act: Limit on Funds 

The Recovery Act specifically provides that funds may not be used by any State or local 

government, or any private entity, for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, 

zoo, golf course, or swimming pool. 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 10
Recovery Act: Use of Funds in Conjunction with Funds from Other Sources

Recovery Act funds may be used in conjunction with other funding as necessary to complete 

projects, but tracking and reporting of Recovery Act funds must be separate, to meet the 

reporting and other requirements of the Recovery Act and other applicable law. There can be no 

commingling of funds. (See “Accountability and Transparency under the Recovery Act,” below.) 

Accountability and Transparency Under the Recovery Act 

Separate Tracking and Reporting of Recovery Act Funds and Outcomes

Consistent with the special purposes and goals of the Recovery Act, and its strong emphasis on 

accountability and transparency, it is essential that all funds from a Recovery Act grant be 

tracked, accounted for, and reported on separately from all other funds (including DOJ grant 

funds from non-Recovery Act grants awarded for the same or similar purposes or programs). 

Recipients must also be prepared to track and report on the specific outcomes and benefits 

attributable to use of Recovery Act funds. 

The accounting systems of all recipients and subrecipients must ensure that funds from any 

award under this Recovery Act solicitation are not commingled with funds from any other 

source. 

Misuse of grant funds may result in a range of penalties, including suspension of current and 

future funds, suspension or debarment from Federal grants, recoupment of monies provided 

under a grant, and civil and/or criminal penalties. 

Quarterly Reporting Under Section 1512 (c) of the Recovery Act 

Consistent with the Recovery Act emphasis on accountability and transparency, reporting 

requirements under Recovery Act grant programs will differ from and expand upon OJP’s 

standard reporting requirements for grants (which include quarterly financial status reports using 

Standard Form 425 and semi-annual progress reports). In particular, section 1512(c) of the 

Recovery Act sets out detailed requirements for quarterly reports that must be submitted within 

10 days after the end of each calendar quarter. As of October 2009, the reports required by 

section 1512(c) are to be submitted through www.FederalReporting.gov. 

Reporting Periods for Section 1512 (c) Due Dates 

October – December January 10 

January – March April 10 

April – June July 10 

July – September October 10 

The information submitted in the section 1512(c) reports will be posted on www.Recovery.gov. 

To the extent that grant funds are available to pay a grantee’s administrative expenses, those 

funds may be used to assist the grantee in meeting the accelerated time-frame and extensive 

reporting requirements of the Recovery Act. 

Recovery Act recipients may expect that information posted by OJP will identify recipients that 

are delinquent in their reporting. In addition, in keeping with standard OJP practice, grant 

recipients who do not submit required reports by the due date may not be permitted to draw 

down funds thereafter, during the pendency of the delinquency, and may be subject to other 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 11
appropriate actions by OJP including, but not limited to, restrictions on eligibility for future OJP 

awards, restrictions on draw-down on other OJP awards, and suspension or termination of the 

Recovery Act award. 

Instructions and guidance regarding section 1512(c) reports can be found on 

www.FederalReporting.gov, www.whitehouse.gov/omb/recovery_default/, and on OJP’s 

Recovery Act Web page www.ojp.usdoj.gov/recovery/recipientreporting.htm. OJP will post 

additional guidance on OJP’s Recovery Act Web page as it becomes available. For planning 

purposes, however, all applicants should be aware that the Recovery Act section 1512(c) 

provides as follows: 

Recipient Reports–Not later than 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter, each 

recipient that received recovery funds from a Federal agency shall submit a report to that 

agency that contains: 

(1) the total amount of recovery funds received from that agency; 

(2) the amount of recovery funds received that were expended or obligated to 

projects or activities; and 

(3) a detailed list of all projects or activities for which recovery funds were 

expended or obligated, including– 

(A) the name of the project or activity; 

(B) a description of the project or activity; 

(C) an evaluation of the completion status of the project or activity; 

(D) an estimate of the number of jobs created and the number of jobs 

retained by the project or activity; and 

(E) for infrastructure investments made by state and local governments, 

the purpose, total cost, and rationale of the agency for funding the 

infrastructure investment with funds made available under this Act, 

and name of the person to contact at the agency if there are concerns 

with the infrastructure investment. 

(4) Detailed information on any subcontracts or subgrants awarded by the 

recipient to include the data elements required to comply with the Federal 

Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-282), 

allowing aggregate reporting on awards below $25,000 or to individuals, as 

prescribed by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. 

Subawards Under Recovery Act Grants 

Reporting; DUNS and CCR. As indicated above, quarterly reporting requirements for Recovery 

Act awards include reporting with respect to subawards. In order to facilitate that reporting, 

award recipients must work with their first-tier subawardees (if any) to ensure that, no later than 

the due date of the award recipient’s first quarterly report after a subaward is made, the 

subawardee has a DUNS number and is registered with the Central Contractor Registration 

(CCR) database. See “How To Apply” below, for more information on registering in CCR and 

obtaining DUNS numbers. 

Monitoring of subawards. All applicants should bear in mind that any recipient of an award 

under this solicitation will be responsible for monitoring subawards under the grant in 

accordance with all applicable statutes, regulations, OMB circulars, and guidelines, including the 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 12
OJP Financial Guide. Primary recipients will be responsible for oversight of subawardee 

spending and monitoring of specific outcomes and benefits attributable to use of Recovery Act 

funds. 

Reporting Fraud, Waste, Error, and Abuse 

Each grantee or subgrantee awarded funds made available under the Recovery Act is to 

promptly refer to an appropriate inspector general any credible evidence that a principal, 

employee, agent, contractor, subgrantee, subcontractor, or other person has submitted a false 

claim under the False Claims Act or has committed a criminal or civil violation of laws pertaining 

to fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, gratuity, or similar misconduct involving Recovery Act funds. 

You may report potential fraud, waste, abuse, or misconduct to the U.S. Department of Justice, 

Office of the Inspector General (OIG) by– 

mail: Office of the Inspector General 

U.S. Department of Justice 

 Investigations Division 

950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

Room 4706 

Washington, DC 20530 

e-mail: oig.hotline@usdoj.gov

hotline (contact information in English and Spanish): 800–869–4499 

hotline fax: 202–616–9881 

Additional information is available from the DOJ OIG website at www.usdoj.gov/oig/. 

The Recovery Act provides certain protections against reprisals for employees of non-Federal 

employers who disclose information reasonably believed to be evidence of gross 

mismanagement, gross waste, substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, abuse 

of authority, or violations of law related to contracts or grants using Recovery Act funds. For 

additional information, refer to section 1553 of the Recovery Act. 

Performance Measures 

To assist in fulfilling the accountability objectives of the Recovery Act, as well as the 

Department’s responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), 

Public Law 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. Additionally, applicants must discuss 

in their applications their methods for collecting data for Recovery Act performance measures. 

Performance measures for this solicitation are as follows: 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 13
OBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE 

MEASURES

DATA THE GRANTEE PROVIDES

FOR 3-MONTH REPORTING PERIOD

DESCRIPTION OR 

METHODOLOGY

Recovery Act: 

Preserving and 

creating jobs and 

promoting economic 

recovery 

Number of jobs 

(by type) 

resulting from 

Recovery Act 

funding. 

Reported to 

www.federalreporting.gov; see the 

guidance document entitled 

Memorandum M-10-08, Updated 

Guidance on the American 

Recovery and Reinvestment ActData Quality, Non-Reporting 

Recipients, and Reporting Job 

Estimates for additional 

information. 

Please see the guidance 

document entitled: Calculating 

and Reporting Job Creation and 

Retention for Recipients of 

Recovery Act Funding from 

Office of Justice Programs 

(OJP), Office on Violence 

Against Women (OVW), and 

Office of Community Oriented 

Policing Services (COPS)

OBJECTIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES DATA THE 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, semi-annual 

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 

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

the application submission by the specified deadline. 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 14
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 ORE Recovery Act: Evaluation of Recovery Act State and Local Law 

Enforcement Assistance Program.” 

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. 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 15
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."

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 the "type of applicant," if the applicant is a forprofit entity, please select as applicable "For-Profit Organization" or "Small Business" in 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 16
the Type of Applicant 1 data field. For-profit applicants may also select additional 

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

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. 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 first section of the Program Narrative should describe the project in depth 

and include the following subsections: 

• 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. 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 17
• Management plan and organization. 

• Dissemination strategy. 

--The second section of the Program Narrative should address the following 

Recovery Act-related content: 

• Project objectives that are linked to meaningful and measurable 

outcomes consistent with the goals of the Recovery Act, and the 

likelihood of achieving such outcomes, such as job creation and 

preservation. 

• Organization capabilities and competencies, including a description of 

how the organization will track all drawdowns and grant expenditures 

separately from other Federal funding. 

• Activities that can be started and completed expeditiously, and in a 

manner that maximizes job creation and economic benefits. 

• Timelines or project plan identifying when the goals and objectives will 

be completed. 

• Performance measures established by the organization to assess 

whether grant objectives are being met. 

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, 

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). 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 18
• 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. 

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 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 19
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. 

Description of the Applicant’s Plan for the Collection of Data Required for 

Recovery Act Performance Measures (see “Performance Measures,” above) 

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 

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. 

Certification as to Recovery Act Reporting Requirements (see Appendix) 

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) 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 20
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%

1. Clarity of problem statement. 

2. Awareness of relevant research. 

3. Connection between proposed research and problem. 

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). 

5. Project objectives that are linked to meaningful and measurable outcomes consistent 

with the goals of the Recovery Act, and the likelihood of achieving such outcomes, such 

as job creation and preservation. 

6. Timeline or project plan identifying when the goals and objectives will be completed. 

7. Activities that can be started and completed expeditiously, and in a manner that 

maximizes job creation and economic benefits. 

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). 

5. A description of how the organization will track all drawdowns and grant expenditures 

separately from other funding, including other Federal funding. 

Budget—15%

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

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

3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation/ Plan for Collecting Data for Recovery Act Performance 

Measures (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). 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 21
5. Perceived potential for commercialization and/or implementation of a new technology 

(when applicable). 

6. Description of the applicant’s plan for collecting data for Recovery Act performance 

measures. 

Relevance of the project for 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 practitioners and policymakers. You may include letters showing support 

from practitioners, but they carry less weight than clear evidence that you understand why 

policymakers and practitioners would benefit from your work and how they would use it. 

While a partnership may affect State or local activities, it should also have broader 

implications for others across the country. 

Dissemination Strategy—5% 

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

including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. 

 2. Suggestions for print and electronic products NIJ might develop for practitioners and 

policymakers. 

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. 

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 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 22
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 under this Recovery Act solicitation must agree to comply with 

additional legal requirements upon acceptance of an award. We strongly encourage you to 

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

application. Additional information for each can be found at 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/recovery/solicitationrequirements.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, includes Single Audit Act 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 (if applicable) 

• Criminal Penalty for False Statements 

• Compliance with Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide

• Suspension or Termination of Funding 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 23
• Nonprofit Organizations 

• For-Profit Organizations 

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 

• Rights in Intellectual Property 

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

• Recovery Act Reporting Requirements; Section 1512(c) of the Recovery Act 

• Section 1511 of the Recovery Act: Certifications 

• Section 1602 of the Recovery Act: Preference for Quick-Start Activities 

• Section 1604 of the Recovery Act: Limit on Funds 

• Section 1605 of the Recovery Act: Buy American 

• Section 1606 of the Recovery Act: Wage Rate Requirements 

• Section 1607 of the Recovery Act: Additional Funding Distribution and Assurance of 

Appropriate Use of Funds 

• Section 1609 of the Recovery Act: Relating to National Environmental Policy Act 

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.) 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 24
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. 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 25
Application Checklist 

Recovery Act: Evaluation of Recovery Act State and Local Law 

Enforcement Assistance 

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 17–18 and “Selection Criteria,” pages 21–22) 

_____ 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 

_____ Plan for the Collection of Recovery Act Performance Measure Data 

_____ 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 

_____ Certification as to Recovery Act Reporting Requirements (see Appendix) 

_____ Other standard forms as applicable (see page 20), including 

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable) 

_____ Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (if applicable) 

OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 26
OMB No. 1121-0323 

Approval Expires 11/30/2010 27

Appendix: Template for Required Certification 

(Instructions: Scan signed certification and submit image files electronically as part of your 

application package.) 
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE

Recovery Act: Evaluation of Recovery Act State and Local Law Enforcement 

Assistance 

Grants Program FY 2010 

Certification as to Recovery Act Reporting Requirements 

On behalf of the applicant entity named below, I certify the following to the Office of Justice 

Programs, U.S. Department of Justice: 

I have personally read and reviewed the section entitled “Accountability and 

Transparency under the Recovery Act” in the program announcement for the Recovery 

Act grant program identified above. I have also read and reviewed section 1512(c) of the 

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), concerning 

reporting requirements for grants. I agree that the applicant will comply with the reporting 

requirements set forth therein with respect to any grant the applicant may receive under 

the Recovery Act grant program identified above. 

I acknowledge that a false statement in this certification may be subject to criminal 

prosecution, including under 18 U.S.C. § 1001. I also acknowledge that Office of Justice 

Programs grants, including certifications provided in connection with such grants, are 

subject to review by the Office of Justice Programs, and/or by the Department of 

Justice’s Office of the Inspector General. 

I have authority to make this certification on behalf of the applicant entity (that is, the entity 

applying directly to the Office of Justice Programs). 

___________________________________________ 

Signature of Certifying Official 

___________________________________________ 

Printed Name of Certifying Official 

___________________________________________ 

Title of Certifying Official 

___________________________________________ 

Full Name of Applicant Entity 

____________________ 

Date