OMB No. 1121-0329

Approval Expires 12/31/2018 

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

National Institute of Justice

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

Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence-Inventory, 

Tracking, and Reporting (SAFE-ITR) program. The program will fund States, units of local 

government, and tribal governments to implement an evidence management program to 

inventory, track, and report untested and unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs). From the time 

an evidence SAK is collected to the time it leaves the laboratory and the case receives final 

disposition in court, the status and location of the SAK will be known. This program furthers the 

Department’s mission to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior, and to 

ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

FY 2017 Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence-Inventory, 

Tracking, and Reporting Program (SAFE-ITR)

Applications Due: April 28, 2017

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are States1, units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribal 

governments (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior)2 that collect, store, maintain, 

and/or send forensic DNA evidence to an existing and accredited crime laboratory that complies 

with the DNA Quality Assurance Standards and participates in the National DNA Index System 

(NDIS).3

Evidence-based initiatives, such as the NIJ action research projects performed in Detroit and 

Houston,4 have shown that collaboration and coordinated agency responses between primary 

stakeholders can aid in communication and overall project success. NIJ welcomes applications 

under which two or more entities would carry out the federal award; however, only one entity 

may be the applicant. Any others must be proposed as subrecipients (“subgrantees").5 The 

applicant must be the entity that would have primary responsibility for carrying out the award, 

1 For purposes of this announcement, the term “State” includes the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories. 

2 For purposes of this announcement, “Indian tribe,” as defined at 25 U.S.C. 5304, “means any Indian tribe, band, 

nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation 

as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. 1601 et 

seq.], which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians 

because of their status as Indians.”

3 See https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/about-us/lab/forensic-science-communications/fsc/july2000/quality-assurancestandards-for-forensic-dna-testing-laboratories and https://www.nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/investigations/sexualassault/Pages/untested-sexual-assault.aspx for more information. 4 http://www.nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/investigations/sexual-assault/Pages/untested-sexual-assault.aspx. 5 For additional information on subawards, see "Budget and Associated Documentation" under Section D. Application 

and Submission Information. 
NIJ-2017-11605

2

including administering the funding and managing the entire program. Under this solicitation, 

only one application by any particular applicant entity will be considered. An entity may, 

however, be proposed as a subrecipient (“subgrantee”) in more than one application.

NIJ may elect to fund applications submitted under this FY 2017 solicitation in future fiscal 

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

availability of appropriations.

Deadline

Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. All applications are 

due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 28, 2017. 

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

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

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

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

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

any problems that may have caused a rejection notification.

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

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

Information. 

Contact Information

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

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

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

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

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

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

application after the deadline. Additional information on reporting technical issues appears 

under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How to Apply section. 

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

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

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

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

from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, and from 10:00 a.m. until

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

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

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

Grants.gov number assigned to this solicitation: NIJ-2017-11605

Release date: March 13, 2017
NIJ-2017-11605

3

Contents

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

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

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables ......................................................................................... 8

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices ................................................................................... 9

B. Federal Award Information ....................................................................................................... 9

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

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls ........................................................10

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

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement.......................................................................................13

Pre-Agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs)........................................................13

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver...............................13

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs ...................14

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) ...................................................14

C. Eligibility Information ..............................................................................................................14

D. Application and Submission Information ................................................................................14

What an Application Should Include .......................................................................................14

How to Apply...........................................................................................................................26

E. Application Review Information ..............................................................................................29

Review Criteria........................................................................................................................29

Review Process ......................................................................................................................30

F. Federal Award Administration Information..............................................................................31

Federal Award Notices............................................................................................................31

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements.............................................32

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements..............................33

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) ....................................................................................33

H. Other Information ...................................................................................................................33

Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 552a)....................33

Provide Feedback to OJP .......................................................................................................34

Application Checklist...............................................................................................................35

Appendix I: Certification Template...............................................................................................37
NIJ-2017-11605

4

FY 2017 Sexual Assault Forensic EvidenceInventory, Tracking, and Reporting Program 

(SAFE-ITR) 

(CFDA # 16.741)

A. Program Description

Overview

According to the NIJ special report, “The Road Ahead: Unanalyzed Evidence in Sexual Assault 

Cases,” it is not known how many unanalyzed sexual assault kits (SAKs) there are nationwide.6

Evidence from sexual assaults like weapons, bedding, clothing, and SAKs can be used to 

corroborate that a crime occurred, identify or eliminate a possible perpetrator, and ascertain 

whether a suspect may have been involved in other crimes. SAKs contain biological and trace 

evidence along with other physical evidence collected from a victim. While all evidence from 

sexual assaults is important, this program focuses on SAKs. SAKs may be stored in a number 

of places such as crime laboratories, police department evidence storage units, hospitals and 

clinics. Many law enforcement agencies do not have computerized systems to track the 

processing of a SAK. This program will assist eligible States, units of local government, and 

tribal governments to inventory, track, and report all untested and unsubmitted SAKs and help 

these jurisdictions ensure accountability and transparency for the collection, processing ,and 

testing of SAKs.

NIJ seeks applications from eligible States, units of local government, and federally recognized 

Indian tribal governments (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior) that will inventory, 

track, and report the status of SAKs, in keeping with the purposes of certain provisions of Title X 

of Public Law 113-4, the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting (SAFER) Act of 2013. 

Since multiple grant programs for testing evidence related to sexual assault are offered through 

the Office of Justice Programs, including the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and NIJ, 

funding from this program will not be made available for testing evidence.

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

authority provided by a full-year appropriations act for FY 2017. As of the writing of this 

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

no full-year appropriation for the Department has been enacted for FY 2017. 

Program-Specific Information

This SAFE-ITR program will help defray costs associated with the following three tasks, defined 

for purposes of this program as set out immediately below:

• Task 1: Inventory. The term “inventory” refers to a detailed and descriptive list of

articles or items (for purposes of this solicitation, SAKs) containing information such as,

but not limited to: item identifiers, quantity, and location of the item.

6 https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/233279.pdf. 
NIJ-2017-11605

5

• Task 2: Tracking. The term “tracking” refers to the monitoring and accounting of SAKs

through the course, or path, of their movement from collection through final disposition.

• Task 3: Reporting. The term “reporting” refers to the task of delivering a written report

to the appropriate entity within the prescribed time period and with the applicable data

provided. See pages 7-8 for reporting requirements.

Funds may be requested for all three Tasks, or, if an inventory has already been completed, for 

Tasks 2 and 3 only. For applicants funded under this program, upon completion of the inventory, 

whether completed using the federal grant funds from this program or other applicant funding 

sources, the applicant must submit a certification of inventory completion to NIJ; see below for 

additional information. Program narratives should address all three of the aforementioned tasks, 

even if funding is not requested for all tasks. For example, if an inventory has already been 

completed, the applicant should provide information regarding the results of the inventory. 

Applicants may design project plans (or strategies) to include concurrent tasks; however, the 

inventory task is a priority.

All three tasks are applicable to all SAKs within the possession of an applicant.

Task 1: Inventory of all existing SAKs in the possession of an applicant

Applicants must inventory all existing SAKs in the applicant’s possession. If an eligible applicant 

has completed an inventory of all SAKs in its possession, then the applicant must submit a 

certification from the applicant jurisdiction’s chief law enforcement officer indicating the inventory 

is complete and accurate, and how many SAKs are currently (as of the date of the certification) 

in the applicant’s possession. For an award that includes funds to complete Task 1 (inventory), 

this certification must be submitted prior to the initiation of any other tasks, as outlined in the 

application.

• Regarding the inventory task, an applicant should address in its project plan how it will

handle SAKs in its possession for which a statute(s) of limitations will expire.

Required Certification: A certification is required for this program.

• If an applicant is requesting funds for all three Tasks under the SAFE-ITR program, a

certification must be submitted upon completion of Task 1 (Inventory-as described

above).

• If the applicant is requesting funding to begin at Task 2 (tracking-as described above),

then an applicant, prior to the award start date, should submit a certification with the

application asserting completion of its inventory. Access to award funds may be withheld

until NIJ receives a properly executed certification from the applicant (see details

Appendix page 31).

• The certification must be signed by the applicant jurisdiction’s chief law enforcement

officer.
NIJ-2017-11605

6

Task 2: Track SAK movement for a period not less than 12 months

For 12 months or more, an applicant must track SAKs from the time the applicant takes 

possession of the SAK through disposition of the case. Project plans should be designed to 

allow Task 2 (tracking) and Task 3 (reporting) activities to occur concurrently.

Tracking Requirements:

• The chief law enforcement officer of the applicant State, unit of local government, or

Indian tribe must be the identified individual accountable for compliance and reporting

within the applicant jurisdiction.

o The chief law enforcement officer can appoint a designee as long as the designee is

not an employee of any governmental laboratory or vendor laboratory.

If funded, the applicant must track SAKs in accordance with the following requirements:

• For each SAK, a unique identifier must be assigned.

• The applicant must identify the date upon which the State, unit of local government, or

Indian tribe would be barred by an applicable statute(s) of limitations from prosecuting

the person(s) to whom the SAK relates.

• For SAKs not in the possession of the applicant at the initiation of the program, within 90

days of possession, the applicant must incorporate the new SAKs into the inventory,

tracking, and reporting protocol and gather all required reporting information as

described in Task 3.

Task 3: Reporting the tracking results

Reporting requirements include reports to NIJ, as well as posting of required metrics, every 60 

days on an applicant’s website. An applicant must report to NIJ during the 12-month period in 

which it tracks SAKs in its possession (see Task 2: Tracking). All 60-day reports captured by 

an applicant must be included in the semi-annual progress reports submitted to NIJ.

Every 60 days the applicant must post the following metrics (listed below) to an appropriate 

website hosted by the applicant and open to the public. Data must include:

a. The name of the applicant State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe.

b. The period covered by the report.

c. The cumulative total number of SAKs in the possession of the applicant.

d. With respect to the cumulative total number of SAKs in the possession of the applicant

at the end of the reporting period:

i. The number of such SAKs that the applicant has determined should undergo DNA

or other appropriate forensic analyses, but that the applicant has not submitted to a

crime laboratory for testing.
NIJ-2017-11605

7

ii. The number of such SAKs identified by the applicant since the previous reporting

period that have not previously been counted.

iii. The number of such SAKs that the applicant has determined should not undergo

DNA or other appropriate forensic analyses.

e. The cumulative total number of SAKs that have been submitted to a laboratory for DNA

or other appropriate forensic analyses at the end of the reporting period.

f. The cumulative total number of SAKs identified by the inventory and tracking for which

DNA or other appropriate forensic analysis has been completed at the end of the

reporting period.

g. The cumulative total number of SAKs for which the applicant will be barred within 12

months by any applicable statute(s) of limitations from prosecuting a perpetrator of the

sexual assault to which the sample relates.

h. The cumulative total number of SAKs for which the prosecution of a perpetrator(s) is

barred by a statute of limitations.

Exceptions from reporting

• Reporting is not required for SAKs that are not considered criminal evidence, such as a

SAK collected anonymously from a victim who is unwilling to make a criminal complaint.

Publication of reports

Reports submitted during the tracking and reporting tasks of this program must be published 

and disseminated on a website hosted by the applicant and open to the public. Such reports 

must not include personally identifiable information (PII)7 or any details about a sexual assault 

that might lead to the identification of the individuals involved.

Definitions for this solicitation

Sexual Assault Kit (SAK): A collection of items used by medical personnel for the preservation 

of biological and physical evidence collected from a person, living or deceased, following an 

allegation or suspicion of sexual assault.

Unsubmitted SAK: SAKs that have not been submitted to a forensic laboratory for testing and 

analysis, including SAKs that will undergo testing, but have not yet been sent to the laboratory, 

SAKs that are being stored in a laboratory but for which a request for analysis has not been 

made, SAKs for which a request for analysis will not be made, and SAKs for which the decision 

on whether to test has not been made.

Untested SAKs: SAKs that have been submitted to a forensic laboratory with a request for 

testing but have not yet been processed or tested.

7 Personally Identifiable Information is defined as: "information which either—(1) Is labelled by name or other 

personal identifiers, or (2) Can, by virtue of sample size or other factors, be reasonably interpreted as referring to a 

particular private person." 28 C.F.R. § 22.2(e)
NIJ-2017-11605

8

Possession: With respect to SAKs, possession by a State or unit of local government includes 

the storage, control, or custody by an agency (or individual who is acting as an agent) of the 

State or unit of local government.

Final Disposition: With respect to a criminal case or investigation in which a SAK relates, the 

term final disposition refers to the conviction or acquittal of all suspected perpetrators of the 

crime; a determination by the State or unit of local government in possession of the SAK that 

the case is unfounded; or a declaration by the victim of the crime that the act constituting the 

basis of the crime was not committed.

DNA Analyses Conducted Over the Course of the Project

Expenses associated with DNA testing are not permissible under this program. See the “Budget 

Information” section under Section B. Award Information for details on expenses that may be 

funded under this program.

With respect to any DNA analyses that may be conducted over the course of the project, NIJ 

encourages applicants to give strong consideration to the following:

NIJ suggests that all DNA analyses conducted during the tracking and reporting tasks of this 

program be performed by a laboratory (government-owned or fee-for-service) that is accredited 

and currently undergoes external audits not less than once every two (2) years. These audits 

must demonstrate that the laboratory maintains compliance with the DNA Quality Assurance 

Standards established by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

NIJ also suggests that no profiles generated during the tracking portion of this program be 

entered into any non-governmental DNA database. All DNA analyses conducted and profiles 

generated during the tracking portion of this program must be maintained pursuant to all 

applicable federal privacy requirements, including those described in 42 U.S.C. § 14132(b)(3).

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

The goal of NIJ's SAFE-ITR program is to establish and maintain accountability for participants 

in the criminal justice system as it relates to sexual assaults and sexual assault evidence 

collection and analysis. Establishing and maintaining accountability for law enforcement and 

laboratories will help ensure that evidence is promptly submitted to and analyzed by an 

accredited laboratory. Once analyzed, sexual assault evidence can provide investigative leads 

to the law enforcement agency, allowing the perpetrator to be apprehended before more crimes 

are committed.

Additional goals include:

• To gain an understanding of the number of SAKs that remain in possession of law

enforcement agencies.

• To understand the movement of SAKs through the criminal justice system.

The Goals, Objectives and Deliverables are directly related to the performance measures set 

out in the table in Section D. Application and Submission Information, under "Program 

Narrative."
NIJ-2017-11605

9

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices

OJP strongly emphasizes the use of data and evidence in policy making and program 

development in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. OJP is committed to:

• Improving the quantity and quality of evidence OJP generates.

• Integrating evidence into program, practice, and policy decisions within OJP and the

field.

• Improving the translation of evidence into practice.

OJP considers programs and practices to be evidence-based when their effectiveness has been

demonstrated by causal evidence, generally obtained through one or more outcome 

evaluations. Causal evidence documents a relationship between an activity or intervention 

(including technology) and its intended outcome, including measuring the direction and size of a 

change, and the extent to which a change may be attributed to the activity or

intervention. Causal evidence depends on the use of scientific methods to rule out, to the extent 

possible, alternative explanations for the documented change. The strength of causal evidence, 

based on the factors described above, will influence the degree to which OJP considers a 

program or practice to be evidence-based. The NIJ CrimeSolutions.gov website is one resource 

that applicants may use to find information about evidence-based programs in criminal justice, 

juvenile justice, and crime victim services. 

B. Federal Award Information

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

of funds, the quality of the applications, and other pertinent factors.

Applicants should propose a performance period of no longer than 36 months beginning

January 1, 2018. 

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

additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

Type of Award

NIJ expects that any award under this solicitation will be made in the form of a cooperative 

agreement, which is a type of award that provides for OJP to have substantial involvement in 

carrying out award activities. See Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal

Requirements, under Section F. Federal Award Administration Information, for a brief discussion 

of what may constitute substantial federal involvement.
NIJ-2017-11605

10

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

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

entities8) must, as described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements9 as set out at 2 C.F.R. 

200.303: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

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

the Federal awards.

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

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

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

noncompliance identified in audit findings.

(e) Take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable

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

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

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

privacy and obligations of confidentiality.

To help ensure that applicants understand applicable administrative requirements and cost 

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

Financial Management Online Training, available here. 

Budget Information

Permissible uses of funds provided under this program may include:

1. Salary and benefits of additional employees

Funds may be used to hire additional full-time or part-time employees for the applicant or

proposed subrecipient(s) to directly inventory, track and/or report on the SAKs as a part

of this project. Funds may also be used to hire additional full-time or part-time

employees for the applicant or subrecipient(s) to implement information technology

solutions for the inventory, tracking, and reporting of the status of SAKs through the

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

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

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

modifications) the provisions of 2 C.F.R. Part 200.
NIJ-2017-11605

11

criminal justice process. Applicants should demonstrate that additional full-time/part-time 

employee(s) would be directly engaged in these activities. Supplanting is not permitted.

2. Overtime for existing employees

Funds may be used to pay overtime to existing employees of the applicant or proposed 

subrecipient(s) to directly inventory, track and/or report on the SAKs as a part of this 

project. Funds may also be used to pay overtime to existing employees of the applicant 

or subrecipient(s) to implement information technology solutions for the inventory, 

tracking, and reporting of the status of SAKs through the criminal justice process of the 

applicant jurisdiction (or, subrecipient(s) jurisdiction(s), as applicable). Any payments for 

overtime must be in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Financial Guide, 

available at http://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm.

3. Purchase of Automated Information Technology (AIT) systems

Funds may be used to purchase and implement an AIT system for the applicant to aid in 

the inventory, tracking, and accountability of SAKs as they progress through the criminal 

justice system. It is critical that an applicant jurisdiction be able to adequately account for 

and track sexual assault evidence. The system may include the software, hardware, 

accessories (e.g., barcode readers), supplies (e.g., barcode labels for barcode printers), 

and warranties or service contracts for systems purchased with funding from an award 

made under this program.

4. Travel (limited)

Funds may be requested for reasonable and justified travel for purposes including, but 

not limited to:

• Inventorying SAKs that may be in multiple facilities owned or operated by the 

applicant and its subrecipient(s).

• Meetings with agencies that have implemented SAK inventories, procedures for 

SAK tracking and testing, and AIT systems for the purpose of gaining insight to 

the applicant’s own plan for SAK inventory and tracking.

• Professional meetings with workshops dedicated to SAK issues in the law 

enforcement and criminal justice communities.

• Professional meetings where the applicant will disseminate findings from this 

project.

Funds used for travel are limited to no more than 3 percent of the total award. Travel 

expenses must be reasonable and must comply with the applicable provisions of the 

Financial Guide and any applicable special conditions on the award. Justifications for the 

number of staff traveling and the benefit of their attendance at the event must be 

included. 
NIJ-2017-11605

12

5. Direct Administrative Expenses

Up to 5 percent of the federal portion of an award under this program may be used for

direct administrative expenses specifically related to grant administration and

management.

6. Website Hosting and Maintenance

Any expenses, within the grant period, specifically associated with the hosting and

maintenance of an applicant’s webpage for the purposes of reporting program required

metrics.

Expenses That Are Not Permitted

Federal funds awarded under this program may not be used for:

1. Construction and renovations.

2. Travel, other than authorized travel expenses as discussed in Permissible Uses of

Funds, number 4.

3. Direct administrative expenses that exceed 5 percent of the federal portion of the award.

4. Indirect costs.

5. Laboratory equipment for forensic biology and DNA testing.

6. Supplies for forensic biology and DNA testing.

7. Establishing contracts to send SAKs to fee-for-service forensic biology and DNA testing.

8. Personnel expenses for forensic biology and DNA testing.

9. Salaries and benefits for existing employees, other than discussed in Permissible Uses

of Funds, numbers 1 and 2.

10. Vehicles and related expenses.

11. Cell phones and cell phone plans.

12. Rental costs for space.

13. Office furnishings and general office supplies such as paper, pens, printer cartridges,

etc.

14. General enhancement of capabilities of applicant not directly related to one of the three

inventory, tracking, or reporting tasks outlined in this solicitation.

15. Work that is funded under another federal award.
NIJ-2017-11605

13

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement

This solicitation does not require a match. However, if a successful application proposes a 

voluntary match amount, and OJP approves the budget, the total match amount incorporated 

into the approved budget becomes mandatory and subject to audit.

For additional information cost sharing and match, see the DOJ Grants Financial Guide. 

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

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

performance of the federal award. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Requiring Prior Approval in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide for more information.

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver

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

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

employee of the recipient at a rate that exceeds 110% 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.10 The 2017 salary table for SES 

employees is available at the Office of Personnel Management website. Note: A recipient may 

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

limitation is paid with non-federal funds. (Non-federal funds used for any such additional 

compensation will not be considered matching funds, where match requirements apply.) If only 

a portion of an employee's time is charged to an OJP award, the maximum allowable 

compensation is equal to the percentage of time worked times the maximum salary limitation. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 C.F.R. Part 200.
NIJ-2017-11605

14

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

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

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

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

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

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

such events, at www.ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/PostawardRequirements/chapter3.10a.htm. 

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

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

meeting-, and training-costs for cooperative agreement recipients, as well as some conference-,

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

prohibition of all food and beverage costs.

Costs Associated With Language Assistance (if applicable)

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

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

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

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

services, where appropriate.

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

Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2017 

Awards” in the OJP Funding Resource Center. 

C. Eligibility Information

For eligibility information, see the title page.

For information on cost sharing or match requirements, see Section B. Federal Award 

Information.

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include

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

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

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

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

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

funds available.

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

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

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

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

application elements as critical: Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet, and Budget 
NIJ-2017-11605

15

Narrative. An applicant may combine the Budget Narrative and the Budget Detail Worksheet in 

one document. However, if an applicant submits only one budget document, it must contain 

both narrative and detail information. Please review the “Note on File Names and File Types” 

under How to Apply (below) to be sure applications are submitted in permitted formats.

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

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

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

applicants include résumés in a single file.

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

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

Management System (GMS) take information from the applicant’s profile to populate the

fields on this form. When selecting "type of applicant," if the applicant is a for-profit entity,

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

To avoid processing delays, an applicant must include an accurate legal name on its SF424. Current OJP award recipients, when completing the field for “Legal Name” should use

the same legal name that appears on the prior year award document which is also the legal

name stored in OJP’s financial system. On the SF-424, enter the Legal Name in box 5 and

Employer Identification Number (EIN) in box 6 exactly as it appears on the prior year award

document. An applicant with a current, active award(s) must ensure that its GMS profile is

current. If the profile is not current, the applicant should submit a Grant Adjustment Notice

updating the information on its GMS profile prior to applying under this solicitation.

A new applicant entity should enter the Official Legal Name and address of the applicant 

entity in box 5 and the EIN in box 6 of the SF-424. An applicant must attach official legal

documents to its application (e.g., articles of incorporation, “501(c)(3)” status documentation, 

etc.) to confirm the legal name, address, and EIN entered into the SF-424.

Intergovernmental Review: This solicitation ("funding opportunity") is subject to Executive 

Order 12372. An applicant may find the names and addresses of State Single Points of 

Contact (SPOCs) at the following website: https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/

eo12372spocs.pdf. If the State appears on the SPOC list, the applicant must contact the 

State SPOC to find out about, and comply with, the State’s process under E.O. 12372. In 

completing the SF-424, an applicant whose State appears on the SPOC list is to make the 

appropriate selection in response to question 19 once the applicant has complied with its 

State E.O. 12372 process. (An applicant whose State does not appear on the SPOC list 

should answer question 19 by selecting the response that the “Program is subject to E.O. 

12372 but has not been selected by the State for review.”) 

2. Project Abstract

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

project in 400 words or less. Project abstracts should be—

• Written for a general public audience
NIJ-2017-11605

16

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

• Single-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (such as Times New Roman) with 1-

inch margins

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

program narrative. 

All project abstracts should follow the detailed template available at 

ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/ProjectAbstractTemplate.pdf. 

3. Program Narrative

The program narrative section of the application should not exceed ten (10) double-spaced

pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. If included in the main body of the program

narrative, tables, charts, figures, and other illustrations count toward the 10-page limit for the

narrative section. The project abstract, title page, table of contents and appendices do not

count toward the 10-page limit.

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

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

If the applicant has been awarded funds through the BJA Sexual Assault Kit Initiative

(SAKI), the NIJ DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction program, the NIJ

Solving Cold Cases with DNA program, or any other federal program with similar goals and

objectives as the SAFE-ITR program, it must address how a project under this program will

differ from projects funded under those awards. The applicant should also note that costs

must not be duplicated between any award made under this program and any other federal

funds the applicant has been awarded.

Within the program narrative, an applicant should address the issue of expiration of

statute(s) of limitations on SAKs within its possession. A description should be provided as

to how the applicant intends to adjudicate cases identified in which a statute of limitations

will expire prior to the completion of the inventory process.

Program Narrative Guidelines:

a. Title Page (not counted against the 10-page program narrative limit).

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

opportunity number, and the applicant’s name and complete contact information (i.e.,

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

b. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the 10-page program narrative

limit).

c. Main Body

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

narrative should clearly define the applicant’s strategy for inventorying, tracking, and 

reporting on all SAKs in its possession according to the requirements set forth in this 
NIJ-2017-11605

17

solicitation. The strategy or project plan may be demonstrated through the inclusion of 

checklists, flowcharts, diagrams, or narratives. The inventory cannot be outsourced (e.g., by 

procurement contract).

The following sections should be included as part of the program narrative11: 

a. Description of the Issue

b. Project Design and Implementation

c. Capabilities and Competencies

d. Plan for Collecting the Data Required for this Solicitation’s Performance Measures

The data collection plan is a description of the applicant’s plan for collecting the data

required for the solicitation’s performance measures. The plan should describe how the

performance measure data will be derived, state who will be responsible for collecting

the data, and state that the data will be available for review consistent with applicable

records retention requirements. See 2 C.F.R 200.333.

OJP will require each successful applicant to submit specific performance measures

data as part of its reporting under the award (see “General Information about PostFederal Award Reporting Requirements” in Section F. Federal Award Administration

Information). The performance measures correlate to the goals, objectives, and

deliverables identified under "Goals, Objective, and Deliverables" in Section A. Program

Description.

The application should describe the applicant's plan for collection of all of the

performance measures data listed in the table below under “Data Recipient Provides,”

should it receive funding.

Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Recipient Provides 

To inventory, track, 

and report untested 

and unsubmitted 

Sexual Assault Kits 

(SAKs).

(Unsubmitted) sexual assault kits 

identified.

Number of SAKs inventoried.

Number of SAKs that are in the 

possession of the applicant agency at 

the beginning of the award period.

Number of SAKs inventoried during the 

reporting period.

Number of SAKs that were submitted to 

or the agency collected during the 

reporting period.

Number of previously tested SAKs.

Number of SAKs that do not require 

testing.

Number of SAKs inventoried and 

reported that:

A. Were identified as previously tested.

11 For information on subawards (including the details on proposed subawards that should be included in the 

application), see "Budget and Associated Documentation" under Section D. Application and Submission Information. 
NIJ-2017-11605

18

Percentage of unsubmitted SAKs 

identified as needing forensic 

testing.

Percentage of unsubmitted SAKs 

sent to the laboratory for testing.

Percent reduction in the number of 

unsubmitted SAKs requiring DNA 

testing.

B. Do not require testing.

C. Were sent to the laboratory for 

testing.

D. Had a final disposition (e.g., were 

adjudicated).

To track and report 

on movement of 

SAKs through the 

criminal justice 

system.

Number of deliverables that are 

completed on time

Number of deliverables that meet 

expectations.

Number of deliverables that meet 

expectations, where applicable to 

include:

• Deployment of an automated 

information system.

• Commencement and completion of 

inventory.

• Commencement of tracking and 

reporting on SAK movement.

Develop website to report metrics Development of a public website to 

report metrics as listed in Task 3: 

Reporting.

Maintain website that reports 

metrics

Maintain the public website to report 

metrics as listed in Task 3: Reporting.

Number of reports submitted on 

time.

Number of reports posted publicly on the 

website developed for Task 3: 

Reporting.

e. Appendices (not counted against the 10-page program narrative limit) include:

• Bibliography/references (if applicable).

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

• A clear timeline of the project activities expected to be funded under this award 

as well as activities not funded under this award but crucial to project completion. 

The timeline should include expected milestones and should demonstrate 

adherence to the requirements of this solicitation.

• Human Subjects Protection paperwork (documentation and forms related to 

Institutional Review Board (IRB) review). (See 

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

approval is not required at the time an application is submitted.

• Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to 

www.nij.gov/funding/humansubjects/pages/confidentiality.aspx).
NIJ-2017-11605

19

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

the NIJ-assigned award numbers.

• List of any federal awards to the applicant organization that relate to testing of

sexual assault evidence.

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations

collaborating in the project (if applicable).

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

has been submitted (if applicable).

Note on Project Evaluations

An applicant that proposes to use award funds through this solicitation to conduct project

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

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

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

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

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

not constitute “research.” Each applicant should provide sufficient information for OJP to 

determine whether the particular project it proposes would either intentionally or unintentionally 

collect and/or use information in such a way that it meets the DOJ definition of research that 

appears at 28 C.F.R. Part 46 (“Protection of Human Subjects”). 

Research, for purposes of human subjects protection for OJP-funded programs, is defined as “a 

systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to 

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

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

for purposes of human subjects protection, applicants should consult the decision tree in the 

“Research and the protection of human subjects” section of the “Requirements related to 

Research” web page of the "Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP 

Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2017," available through the OJP Funding Resource 

Center. Every prospective applicant whose application may propose a research or statistical 

component also should review the “Data Privacy and Confidentiality Requirements” section on 

that web page.

4. Budget and Associated Documentation

a. Budget Detail Worksheet

A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at

www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/BudgetDetailWorksheet.pdf. An applicant that

submits its budget in a different format should use the budget categories listed in the

sample budget worksheet. The Budget Detail Worksheet should break out costs by year.

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

see the DOJ Grants Financial Guide.
NIJ-2017-11605

20

b. Budget Narrative

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

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

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

activities).

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

effectiveness of award expenditures. Budget narratives should generally describe cost

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

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

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

used to reduce costs, without compromising quality.

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

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

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

necessary to the completion of the proposed project. The narrative may include tables

for clarification purposes, but need not be in a spreadsheet format. As with the Budget

Detail Worksheet, the budget narrative should describe costs by year.

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

Contracts (if any)

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

may propose to enter into procurement "contracts" under the award.

Whether -- for purposes of federal grants administrative requirements -- a particular

agreement between a recipient and a third party will be considered a "subaward" or

instead considered a procurement "contract" under the award is determined by federal

rules and applicable OJP guidance. It is an important distinction, in part because the

federal administrative rules and requirements that apply to "subawards" and to

procurement "contracts" under awards differ markedly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

subaward for purposes of federal grants administrative requirements.

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

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

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

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

procurement “contract” under an award.
NIJ-2017-11605

21

Additional guidance on the circumstances under which (for purposes of federal grants 

administrative requirements) an agreement constitutes a subaward as opposed to a 

procurement contract under an award, is available (along with other resources) on the 

OJP Part 200 Uniform Requirements web page.

1. Information on proposed subawards

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

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

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

authorization from OJP before it may make a subaward.

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

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

application as approved by OJP. If, however, a particular subaward is not authorized by 

federal statute or regulation, and is not sufficiently described and justified in the 

application as approved by OJP, the recipient will be required, post-award, to request 

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

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

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

(2) describe in detail what each subrecipient will do to carry out the federal award and

federal program, and (3) provide a justification for the subaward(s), with details on

pertinent matters such as special qualifications and areas of expertise. Pertinent

information on subawards should appear not only in the Program Narrative, but also in

the Budget Detail Worksheet and budget narrative.

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

proposed noncompetitive contracts over $150,000)

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

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

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

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

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

Procurement Standards of the (DOJ) Part 200 Uniform Requirements (as set out at 2 

C.F.R. 200.317 - 200.326). The Budget Detail Worksheet and budget narrative should

identify proposed procurement contracts. (As discussed above, subawards must be

identified and described separately from procurement contracts.)

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

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

requirements) constitute procurement “contracts” under awards will be entered into on 

the basis of full and open competition. If a proposed procurement contract would exceed 

the simplified acquisition threshold — currently, $150,000 — a recipient of an OJP award 

may not proceed without competition unless and until the recipient receives specific 

advance authorization from OJP to use a non-competitive approach for the procurement.

An applicant that (at the time of its application) intends -- without competition -- to enter 

into a procurement “contract” that would exceed $150,000 should include a detailed 

justification that explains to OJP why, in the particular circumstances, it is appropriate to 
NIJ-2017-11605

22

proceed without competition. Various considerations that may be pertinent to the 

justification are outlined in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide.

d. Pre-Agreement Costs

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

5. Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) 

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

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

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

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

project on tribal lands. In those instances when an organization or consortium of tribes 

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

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

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

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

an authorizing resolution or comparable legal documentation from each tribal governing 

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

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

applicant disclosure of high-risk status)

Every applicant (other than an individual applying in his/her personal capacity) is to 

download, complete, and submit the OJP Financial Management and System of Internal 

Controls Questionnaire, as part of its application.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• The date the applicant was designated high risk.

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

and email address).

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

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

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

automatically disqualified from receiving an OJP award. OJP may, however, consider the 
NIJ-2017-11605

23

information in award decisions, and may impose additional OJP oversight of any award 

under this solicitation (including through the conditions that accompany the award 

document).

7. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

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

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

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL). An applicant that does not expend any funds for 

lobbying activities is to enter “N/A” in the text boxes for item 10 (“a. Name and Address of 

Lobbying Registrant” and “b. Individuals Performing Services”).

8. Additional Attachments

a. Completed inventory certification if an applicant is proposing to begin on Task 

2: Tracking (see page 6)

b. Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

subaward (“subgrant”) federal funds).

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

Leveraging multiple funding sources in a complementary manner to implement 

comprehensive programs or projects is encouraged and is not seen as inappropriate 

duplication.

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

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

months:

• The federal or State funding agency.

• The solicitation name/project name.

• The point of contact information at the applicable federal or State funding 

agency.
NIJ-2017-11605

24

SAMPLE

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

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

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

statement.

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

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

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

cooperative agreements (or for subawards under federal grants or cooperative 

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

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

submitted as part of in this application.”

c. Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity

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

evaluation, the applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation independence and 

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

applicant must demonstrate independence and integrity regarding both this proposed 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

investigators, and any subrecipients), and that the applicant has identified no 

such conflicts of interest – whether personal or financial or organizational 

(including on the part of the applicant entity or on the part of staff, 

Federal or State 

Funding Agency 

Solicitation 

Name/Project 

Name

Name/Phone/Email for Point of Contact at 

Federal or State Funding Agency

DOJ/Office of 

Community 

Oriented Policing 

Services (COPS)

COPS Hiring 

Program

Jane Doe, 202/000-0000; 

jane.doe@usdoj.gov

Health and Human 

Services/Substance 

Abuse & Mental

Health Services 

Administration

Drug-Free 

Communities 

Mentoring 

Program/North 

County Youth 

Mentoring 

Program

John Doe, 202/000-0000; john.doe@hhs.gov
NIJ-2017-11605

25

investigators, or subrecipients) – that could affect the independence or

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

research. 

OR

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

the applicant has identified – including through review of pertinent information 

on the principal investigator, any co-principal investigators, and any 

subrecipients – that could affect the independence or integrity of the 

research, including the design, conduct, or reporting of the research. These 

conflicts may be personal (e.g., on the part of investigators or other staff), 

financial, or organizational (related to the applicant or any subrecipient entity). 

Some examples of potential investigator (or other personal) conflict situations 

are those in which an investigator would be in a position to evaluate a 

spouse’s work product (actual conflict), or an investigator would be in a 

position to evaluate the work of a former or current colleague (potential 

apparent conflict). With regard to potential organizational conflicts of interest, 

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

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

technical assistance to that specific project or a location implementing the 

project (whether funded by OJP or other sources), because the organization 

in such an instance might appear to be evaluating the effectiveness of its own 

prior work. The key is whether a reasonable person understanding all of the 

facts would be able to have confidence that the results of any research or 

evaluation project are objective and reliable. Any outside personal or financial 

interest that casts doubt on that objectivity and reliability of an evaluation or 

research product is a problem and must be disclosed.

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

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

following two items:

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

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

applicant should provide a brief narrative explanation of how and why it 

reached that conclusion. The applicant also is to include an explanation of the 

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

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

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

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

organizational codes of ethics/conduct and policies regarding organizational, 

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

plan, if any, will be accepted as proposed.

OR

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

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

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

research, the applicant must is to provide a specific and robust mitigation 
NIJ-2017-11605

26

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

expected to explain the specific processes and procedures that the applicant 

has in place, or will put in place, to identify and eliminate (or, at the very least, 

mitigate) any such conflicts of interest pertinent to the funded project during 

the period of performance. Documentation that may be helpful in this regard 

may include organizational codes of ethics/conduct and policies regarding 

organizational, personal, and financial conflicts of interest. There is no 

guarantee that the plan, if any, will be accepted as proposed.

OJP will assess research and evaluation independence and integrity based on 

considerations such as the adequacy of the applicant’s efforts to identify factors that 

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

(and any subrecipients) in carrying out the research, development, or evaluation activity; 

and the adequacy of the applicant’s existing or proposed remedies to control any such 

factors.

How to Apply

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

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

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

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

4726 or 606–545–5035, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal 

holidays. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

any problems that may have caused a rejection notification.

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

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

Grants.gov for updates will be automatically notified.

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

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

Support.

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

“optional.” OJP receives all files attached in both categories. Please ensure that all required 

documents are attached in either Grants.gov category.

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

characters in the file names of attachments. Valid file names may include only the characters 

shown in the table below. Grants.gov rejects any application that includes an attachment(s) with 

a file name that contains any characters not shown in the table below. Grants.gov forwards 

successfully-submitted applications to the OJP Grants Management System (GMS).
NIJ-2017-11605

27

Characters Special Characters

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

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

Underscore (__) Comma ( , ) Semicolon ( ; ) Apostrophe ( ‘ )

Hyphen ( - ) At sign (@) Number sign (#) Dollar sign ($)

Space Percent sign (%) Plus sign (+) Equal sign (=)

Period (.) Applicants must use the “&” format in place of the ampersand (&)

when using XML format for documents.

GMS does not accept executable file types as application attachments. These disallowed 

file types include, but are not limited to, the following extensions: “.com,” “.bat,” “.exe,” “.vbs,” 

“.cfg,” “.dat,” “.db,” “.dbf,” “.dll,” “.ini,” “.log,” “.ora,” “.sys,” and “.zip.” GMS may reject applications 

with files that use these extensions. It is important to allow time to change the type of file(s) if 

the application is rejected.

All applicants are required to complete the following steps:

Every applicant entity must comply with all applicable System for Award Management (SAM) 

and unique entity identifier (currently, a Data Universal Numbering System [DUNS] number) 

requirements. If an applicant entity has not fully complied with applicable SAM and unique 

identifier requirements by the time OJP makes award decisions, OJP may determine that the 

applicant is not qualified to receive an award and may use that determination as a basis for 

making the award to a different applicant.

An individual who wishes to apply in his/her personal capacity should search Grants.gov for 

funding opportunities for which individuals are eligible to apply. Use the Funding Opportunity 

Number (FON) to register. (An applicant applying as an individual must comply with all 

applicable Grants.gov individual registration requirements.)

Complete the registration form at https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/IndCPRegister to create a 

username and password for Grants.gov. (An applicant applying as an individual should 

complete all steps except 1, 2 and 4.)

1. Acquire a unique entity identifier (currently, a DUNS number). In general, the Office of

Management and Budget requires every applicant for a federal award (other than an

individual) to include a "unique entity identifier" in each application, including an application

for a supplemental award. Currently, a DUNS number is the required unique entity identifier.

A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit identification number provided by the commercial

company Dun and Bradstreet. This unique entity identifier is used for tracking purposes, and

to validate address and point of contact information for applicants, recipients, and

subrecipients. It will be used throughout the life cycle of an OJP award. Obtaining a DUNS

number is a free, one-time activity. Call Dun and Bradstreet at 866–705–5711 to obtain a

DUNS number or apply online at www.dnb.com. A DUNS number is usually received within

1-2 business days.

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

repository for certain standard information about federal financial assistance applicants,

recipients, and subrecipients. All applicants for OJP awards (other than individuals) must
NIJ-2017-11605

28

maintain current registrations in the SAM database. An applicant must be registered in SAM 

to successfully register in Grants.gov. Each applicant must update or renew its SAM 

registration at least annually to maintain an active status. SAM registration and renewal 

can take as long as 10 business days to complete.

An application cannot be successfully submitted in Grants.gov until Grants.gov receives the 

SAM registration information. Once the SAM registration/renewal is complete, the 

information transfer from SAM to Grants.gov can take as long as 48 hours. OJP 

recommends that the applicant register or renew registration with SAM as early as possible.

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

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

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

and password. An applicant entity’s "unique entity identifier" (DUNS number) must be used 

to complete this step. For more information about the registration process for organizations 

and other entities, go to https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/OrcRegister. Individuals registering 

with Grants.gov should go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/individualregistration.html.

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

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

applicant organization’s AOR. The E-Biz POC will need the Marketing Partner Identification 

Number (MPIN) password obtained when registering with SAM to complete this step. Note 

that an organization can have more than one AOR.

5. Search for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov. Use the following identifying 

information when searching for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov. The Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance ("CFDA") number for this solicitation is 16.741, titled DNA 

Backlog Reduction Program,” and the funding opportunity number is NIJ-2017-11605.

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

in Grants.gov. Within 24–48 hours after submitting the electronic application, the applicant 

should receive two notifications from Grants.gov. The first will confirm the receipt of the 

application. The second will state whether the application has been validated and 

successfully submitted, or whether it has been rejected due to errors, with an explanation. It 

is possible to first receive a message indicating that the application is received, and then 

receive a rejection notice a few minutes or hours later. Submitting an application well ahead 

of the deadline provides time to correct the problem(s) that caused the rejection. Important:

OJP urges each applicant to submit its application at least 72 hours prior to the application 

due date, to allow time to receive validation messages or rejection notifications from 

Grants.gov, and to correct in a timely fashion any problems that may have caused a 

rejection notification. Applications must be successfully submitted through Grants.gov by 

11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 28, 2017.

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

timeframes.
NIJ-2017-11605

29

Note: Application Versions

If an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, OJP will review only the most 

recent system-validated version submitted. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues

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

prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline must contact the Grants.gov Customer 

Support Hotline or the SAM Help Desk (Federal Service Desk) to report the technical issue and 

receive a tracking number. The applicant must email the NIJ contact identified in the Contact 

Information section on the title page within 24 hours after the application deadline to request 

approval to submit its application after the deadline. The applicant's email must describe the 

technical difficulties, and must include a timeline of the applicant’s submission efforts, the 

complete grant application, the applicant’s DUNS number, and any Grants.gov Help Desk or 

SAM tracking number(s). 

Note: OJP does not automatically approve requests to submit a late application. After 

OJP reviews the applicant's request, and contacts the Grants.gov or SAM Help Desks to verify 

the reported technical issues, OJP will inform the applicant whether the request to submit a late 

application has been approved or denied. If OJP determines that the untimely application 

submission was due to the applicant's failure to follow all required procedures, OJP will deny the 

applicant’s request to submit its application. 

The following conditions generally are insufficient to justify late submissions:

• Failure to register in SAM or Grants.gov in sufficient time (SAM registration and renewal 

can take as long as 10 business days to complete. The information transfer from SAM to 

Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours.) 

• Failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its 

website.

• Failure to follow each instruction in the OJP solicitation.

• Technical issues with the applicant’s computer or information technology environment, 

such as issues with firewalls or browser incompatibility.

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

the top of the OJP Funding Resource Center web page.

E. Application Review Information

Review Criteria

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

the following review criteria:

1. Description of the Issue (20%)
NIJ-2017-11605

30

2. Project Design and Implementation (40%)

3. Capabilities and Competencies (20%)

4. Plan for Collecting the Data Required for this Solicitation’s Performance Measures (10%)

5. Budget: complete, cost effective, and allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and 

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

applicants will maximize cost effectiveness of grant expenditures. Budget narratives 

should demonstrate cost effectiveness in relation to potential alternatives and the goals 

of the project.12 (10%)

Review Process

OJP is committed to ensuring a fair and open process for making awards. NIJ reviews the 

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

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

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

minimum requirements. For purposes of assessing whether an application meets basic 

minimum requirements and should proceed to further consideration, OJP screens applications 

for compliance with those requirements. Although specific requirements may vary, the following 

are common requirements applicable to all solicitations for funding under OJP programs:

• The application must be submitted by an eligible type of applicant.

• The application must request funding within programmatic funding constraints (if 

applicable).

• The application must be responsive to the scope of the solicitation.

• The application must include all items designated as “critical elements.”

• The applicant must not be identified in SAM as excluded from receiving federal 

awards.

For a list of the critical elements for this solicitation, see “What an Application Should Include” 

under Section D. Application and Submission Information.

Peer review panels will evaluate, score, and rate applications that meet basic minimum 

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

to assess applications on technical merit using the solicitation’s review criteria. An external peer 

reviewer is an expert in the subject matter of a given solicitation who is not a current DOJ 

employee. An internal reviewer is a current DOJ employee who is well-versed or has expertise 

in the subject matter of this solicitation. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any resulting 

recommendations are advisory only, although reviewer views are considered carefully. Other 

important considerations for OJP include underserved populations, geographic diversity, 

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

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

costs.
NIJ-2017-11605

31

strategic priorities, and available funding, as well as the extent to which the budget detail 

worksheet and budget narrative accurately explain project costs that are reasonable, necessary, 

and otherwise allowable under federal law and applicable federal cost principles.

Pursuant to the Part 200 Uniform Requirements, before award decisions are made, OJP also 

reviews information related to the degree of risk posed by applicants. Among other things to 

help assess whether an applicant that has one or more prior federal awards has a satisfactory 

record with respect to performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP checks whether the 

applicant is listed in SAM as excluded from receiving a federal award. If OJP anticipates that an 

award will exceed $150,000 in federal funds, OJP also must review and consider any 

information about the applicant that appears in the non-public segment of the integrity and 

performance system accessible through SAM (currently, the Federal Awardee Performance and 

Integrity Information System; "FAPIIS"). 

Important note on FAPIIS: An applicant, at its option, may review and comment on any 

information about itself that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal awarding 

agency. OJP will consider any such comments by the applicant, in addition to the other 

information in FAPIIS, in its assessment of the risk posed by applicants.

The evaluation of risks goes beyond information in SAM, however. OJP itself has in place a 

framework for evaluating risks posed by applicants for competitive awards. OJP takes into 

account information pertinent to matters such as — 

1. Applicant financial stability and fiscal integrity.

2. Quality of the management systems of the applicant, and the applicant’s ability to meet

prescribed management standards, including those outlined in the DOJ Grants Financial

Guide.

3. Applicant's history of performance under OJP and other DOJ awards (including

compliance with reporting requirements and award conditions), as well as awards from

other federal agencies.

4. Reports and findings from audits of the applicant, including audits under the Part 200

Uniform Requirements.

5. Applicant's ability to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements, and to effectively

implement other award requirements.

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

award decisions will be made by the Assistant Attorney General, who may take into account not 

only peer review ratings and NIJ recommendations, but also other factors as indicated in this 

section.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices

Award notifications will be made by September 30, 2017. OJP sends award notifications by 

email through GMS to the individuals listed in the application as the point of contact and the 
NIJ-2017-11605

32

authorizing official (E-Biz POC and AOR). The email notification includes detailed instructions 

on how to access and view the award documents, and steps to take in GMS to start the award 

acceptance process. GMS automatically issues the notifications at 9:00 p.m. eastern time on 

the award date. 

For each successful applicant, an individual with the necessary authority to bind the applicant 

will be required to log in; execute a set of legal certifications and a set of legal assurances; 

designate a financial point of contact; thoroughly review the award, including all award 

conditions; and sign and accept the award. The award acceptance process requires physical 

signature of the award document by the authorized representative and the scanning of the fullyexecuted award document to OJP.

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements

If selected for funding, in addition to implementing the funded project consistent with the OJPapproved application, the recipient must comply with all award conditions, as well as all 

applicable requirements of federal statutes, regulations, and executive orders (including 

applicable requirements referred to in the assurances and certifications executed in connection 

with award acceptance). OJP strongly encourages prospective applicants to review information 

on post-award legal requirements and common OJP award conditions prior to submitting an 

application. 

Applicants should consult the “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP 

Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2017 Awards,” available in the OJP Funding 

Resource Center. In addition, applicants should examine the following two legal documents, as

each successful applicant must execute both documents before it may receive any award funds.

• Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility

Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements

• Standard Assurances

Applicants may view these documents in the Apply section of the OJP Funding Resource 

Center. 

The web pages accessible through the “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable 

to OJP Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2017 Awards” are intended to give applicants 

for OJP awards a general overview of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that 

apply to many (or in some cases, all) OJP grants and cooperative agreements awarded in FY 

2017. Individual OJP awards typically also will include additional award conditions. Those 

additional conditions may relate to the particular statute or program, or solicitation under which 

the award is made; to the substance of the funded application; to the recipient's performance 

under other federal awards; to the recipient's legal status (e.g., as a for-profit entity); or to other 

pertinent considerations.

As stated above, NIJ expects that any award under this solicitation to be a cooperative 

agreement. A cooperative agreement will include a condition in the award document that sets 

out the “substantial federal involvement” in carrying out the award and program. Generally 

speaking, under cooperative agreements with OJP, responsibility for the day-to-day conduct of 

the funded project rests with the recipient. OJP, however, may have substantial involvement in 
NIJ-2017-11605

33

matters such as coordination efforts and site selection, as well as review and approval of work 

plans, research designs, data collection instruments, and major project-generated materials. In 

addition, OJP often indicates in the award condition that it may redirect the project if necessary.

In addition to a condition that sets out the “substantial federal involvement” in the award, 

cooperative agreements awarded by OJP include a condition that requires specific reporting in 

connection with conferences, meetings, retreats, seminars, symposia, training activities, or 

similar events funded under the award.

General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

In addition to the deliverables described in Section A. Program Description, any recipient of an 

award under this solicitation will be required to submit the following reports and data.

Required reports. Recipients typically must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual 

progress reports, final financial and progress reports, and, if applicable, an annual audit report in 

accordance with the Part 200 Uniform Requirements or specific award conditions. As part of a 

recipient’s reporting requirements, an applicant will be required to post metrics every 60 days to 

an appropriate website hosted by an applicant and open to the public. An applicant will also be 

required to submit the 60-day reports with the semi-annual progress reports to NIJ. Future

awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if reports are delinquent. (In appropriate cases, 

OJP may require additional reports.)

Awards that exceed $500,000 will include an additional condition that, under specific

circumstances, will require the recipient to report (to FAPIIS) information on civil, criminal, and 

administrative proceedings connected with (or connected to the performance of) either the OJP 

award or any other grant, cooperative agreement, or procurement contract from the federal 

government. Additional information on this reporting requirement appears in the text of the 

award condition posted on the OJP web site at http://ojp.gov/funding/FAPIIS.htm.

Data on performance measures. In addition to required reports, an award recipient also must 

provide data that measure the results of the work done under the award. To demonstrate 

program progress and success, as well as to assist DOJ in fulfilling its responsibilities under the 

Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, and the GPRA 

Modernization Act of 2010, Public Law 111–352, OJP will require any recipient, post award, to 

provide the data listed as “Data Recipient Provides” in the performance measures table in 

Section D. Application and Submission Information, under "Program Narrative," so that OJP can 

calculate values for this solicitation's performance measures.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

For OJP Contact(s), see page 2.

For contact information for Grants.gov, see page 2.

H. Other Information

Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 552a)
NIJ-2017-11605

34

All applications submitted to OJP (including all attachments to applications) are subject to the 

federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and to the Privacy Act. By law, DOJ may withhold 

information that is responsive to a request pursuant to FOIA if DOJ determines that the 

responsive information either is protected under the Privacy Act or falls within the scope of one 

of nine statutory exemptions under FOIA. DOJ cannot agree in advance of a request pursuant 

to FOIA not to release some or all portions of an application.

In its review of records that are responsive to a FOIA request, OJP will withhold information in 

those records that plainly falls within the scope of the Privacy Act or one of the statutory 

exemptions under FOIA. (Some examples include certain types of information in budgets, and 

names and contact information for project staff other than certain key personnel.) In appropriate 

circumstances, OJP will request the views of the applicant/recipient that submitted a responsive 

document.

For example, if OJP receives a request pursuant to FOIA for an application submitted by a 

nonprofit or for-profit organization or an institution of higher education, or for an application that 

involves research, OJP typically will contact the applicant/recipient that submitted the 

application and ask it to identify -- quite precisely -- any particular information in the application 

that applicant/recipient believes falls under a FOIA exemption, the specific exemption it believes 

applies, and why. After considering the submission by the applicant/recipient, OJP makes an 

independent assessment regarding withholding information. OJP generally follows a similar 

process for requests pursuant to FOIA for applications that may contain law-enforcement 

sensitive information.

Provide Feedback to OJP

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

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

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

IMPORTANT: This email is for feedback and suggestions only. OJP does not reply from this 

mailbox to messages it receives in this mailbox. Any prospective applicant that has specific 

questions on any program or technical aspect of the solicitation must use the appropriate 

telephone number or email listed on the front of this document to obtain information. These 

contacts are provided to help ensure that prospective applicants can directly reach an individual 

who can address specific questions in a timely manner.

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

resume to ojppeerreview@lmsolas.com. (Do not send your résumé to the OJP Solicitation 

Feedback email account.) Note: Neither you nor anyone else from your organization or entity 

can be a peer reviewer in a competition in which you or your organization/entity has submitted 

an application.
NIJ-2017-11605

35

Application Checklist 

NIJ 2017 Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence – Inventory, Tracking, 

and Reporting

This application checklist has been created as an aid in developing an application.

What an Applicant Should Do:

Prior to Registering in Grants.gov:

_____ Acquire a DUNS Number (see page 27)

_____ Acquire or renew registration with SAM (see page 27)

To Register with Grants.gov: 

_____ Acquire AOR and Grants.gov username/password (see page 28)

_____ Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Biz POC (see page 28)

To Find Funding Opportunity:

_____ Search for the Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov (see page 28)

_____ Download Funding Opportunity and Application Package (see page 28)

_____ Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) (see page 26)

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

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

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

(see page 14)

After Application Submission, Receive Grants.gov Email Notifications That:

_____ (1) Application has been received,

_____ (2) Application has either been successfully validated or rejected with errors

(see page 28)

If No Grants.gov Receipt, and Validation or Error Notifications are Received:

_____ See NCJRS contact information (see page 2)

Overview of Post-Award Legal Requirements:

_____ Review the "Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and 

Cooperative Agreements - FY 2017 Awards" in the OJP Funding Resource Center.

Scope Requirement: 

_____ The federal amount requested is within the allowable limit(s).

Eligibility Requirement: For eligibility information, see the title page.

What an Application Should Include:

_____ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) (see page 15)

_____ Intergovernmental Review (see page 15)

_____ Project Abstract (see page 15)

_____ Program Narrative (see page 16)

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (see page 19)

_____ Budget Narrative (see page 20)

_____ Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see page 22)
NIJ-2017-11605

36

_____ Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (see page 22)

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see page 23)

_____ Additional Attachments 

_____ Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications (see page 23)

_____ Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity (see page 24)

_____ Completed inventory certification if an applicant is proposing to begin on Task 2: 

Tracking (see page 38) 

_____ Request and Justification for Employee Compensation; Waiver (if applicable)

(see page 13)
NIJ-2017-11605

37

Appendix I: Certification Template

Instructions: Execute the certification by filling in the blanks of the last paragraph, and by

signing and completing the information requested at the bottom of the certification template. 

Scan the completed document and submit the image file electronically through GMS.
NIJ-2017-11605

38

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE

FY 2017 Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence–Inventory, Tracking, and Reporting Program 

(SAFE-ITR)

On behalf of the applicant named below, I certify the following to the National Institute of

Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice:

The applicant has completed an inventory of all sexual assault kits 

(SAKs) in its possession.

I acknowledge that a false statement in this certification or in the grant application that it 

supports may be the subject of criminal prosecution, including under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 and 42 

U.S.C. § 3795a. 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 am the chief law enforcement officer of the applicant and I have authority to make this 

certification on behalf of the applicant.

I, ___________________, chief law enforcement officer of the applicant, attest that as of 

________, (name) (date)

________________________________ has completed its sexual assault kit (SAK) inventory

(applicant)

and has _________________ SAKs in its possession.

(number)

Signature of Certifying Official

Printed Name of Certifying Official

Title of Certifying Official

Name of Applicant (State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe)

Date