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

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

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

Justice (NIJ) is pleased to announce that it is seeking applications for funding the Forensic 

Technology Center of Excellence within the National Law Enforcement and Corrections 

Technology Center System (the "NLECTC System"). The Center will provide testing, evaluation, 

technology assistance, and other services with regard to forensic technologies intended for use 

by crime laboratories, forensic service providers (supporting criminal justice applications), law 

enforcement, and other criminal justice agencies to combat crime. This program furthers the 

Department’s mission by improving the safety and effectiveness of criminal justice technology 

and the access of these law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies to that technology. 

Solicitation: 

Forensic Technology Center of Excellence 

Eligibility 

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

agreements with, States (including territories), local governments (including federallyrecognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior and 

published in the Federal Register), nonprofit and profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit 

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

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

foreign institutions of higher education are not eligible to apply. 

Deadline 

Registration with OJP’s Grant Management System (GMS) is required prior to application 

submission. (See “How to Apply,” page 9.) 

All applications are due by 11:45 p.m. eastern time on April 15, 2010. 

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

Contact Information 

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

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

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

midnight eastern time, except for Federal holidays. 

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

Manager, at 202–616–9264 or by e-mail to charles.heurich@usdoj.gov. 

SL# 000908 
CONTENTS 

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

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

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

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

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

How to Apply..................................................................................................................... 9 

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

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

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

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative ................................................. 11 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) ...................................................... 12 

Plan for Collecting the Data Required for Performance Measures ..................... 12 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)........................................................ 12 

Other Standard Forms ........................................................................................ 13 

Selection Criteria............................................................................................................. 13 

Review Process .............................................................................................................. 14 

Additional Requirements................................................................................................. 15 

Application Checklist....................................................................................................... 17 

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Forensic Technology Center of Excellence 

CFDA No. 16.560 

Overview 

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency of 

the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and a component of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). 

NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to enhance the 

administration of justice and public safety. NIJ solicits applications to inform its search for the 

knowledge and tools to guide policy and practice. 

NIJ seeks qualified applicants to establish and operate a Forensic Technology Center of 

Excellence (”the Center”) within the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology 

Center System (“the NLECTC System”) to support its research, development, testing, and 

evaluation (RDT&E) process in all areas of forensic science for criminal justice application. The 

Center will support the NIJ RDT&E process by providing scientific and technical support to NIJ’s 

research and development efforts; supporting the demonstration, transfer, and adoption of 

appropriate forensic technology into practice by crime laboratories, forensic service providers 

(supporting criminal justice applications), law enforcement, and other criminal justice agencies; 

assisting in the development and dissemination of technology guidelines and standards; and 

providing technology assistance, information, and support to the above law enforcement and 

other appropriate criminal justice agencies. 

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

and 202); Homeland Security Act of 2002 (section 232). 

Deadlines: Registration and Application 

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

eastern time on April 15, 2010, and the deadline for applying for funding under this 

announcement is 11:45 p.m. eastern time on April 15, 2010. Please see the “How to Apply” 

section, page 9, for more details. 

Eligibility 

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

Specific Information—Forensic Technology Center of 

Excellence 

NIJ, through its Office of Science and Technology (OST), is the national focal point for work on 

law enforcement technologies, including corrections, investigative, and forensic technologies, as 

well as technologies that support the judicial process. NIJ administers programs that improve 

the safety and effectiveness of, and criminal justice agency access to, these technologies. NIJ 

seeks applications to establish and operate, within the existing NLECTC System, a Forensic 

Technology Center of Excellence for all forensic science disciplines that support criminal justice. 

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The NLECTC System is an integral part of NIJ's Science and Technology program. It provides 

scientific and technical support to NIJ’s research and development efforts; supports the 

demonstration, transfer, and adoption of technology into practice by law enforcement and 

corrections agencies, courts, and crime laboratories; assists in the development and 

dissemination of technology guidelines and standards; and provides technology assistance, 

information, and support to law enforcement and corrections agencies, courts, and crime 

laboratories. NLECTC components are expected to collaborate on a daily basis with NIJ's 

program management staff, other NLECTC centers, and the full range of the Nation's criminal 

justice practitioner community. 

The Centers of Excellence work with the NLECTC National and Regional Centers and the Office 

of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology as 

part of an integrated NLECTC System. The National Center serves as the clearinghouse for 

technology information and executes NIJ's compliance testing program. The Regional Centers 

serve as the initial point of entry for law enforcement practitioners to the NLECTC System and 

provide generalized technology assistance to law enforcement and corrections agencies, public 

crime laboratories, and judicial agencies in their regions. They also forward requests for 

specialized assistance to the appropriate Center of Excellence, and, as necessary, coordinate 

technology demonstrations and evaluations sponsored by a Center of Excellence with agencies 

within their regions. 

The Centers of Excellence are the authoritative resource within the NLECTC System for both 

practitioners and developers in their technology area(s) of focus. Their primary role is to assist 

in the transition of law enforcement technology from the laboratory into practice by first adopters 

within the criminal justice community. To that end, applicants must be knowledgeable of both 

practitioner requirements and potential technology solutions, including those developed by NIJ 

and other sources. Each Center of Excellence must provide a high level of knowledge and skills 

necessary to support NIJ's RDT&E process in the relevant technology investment portfolio area. 

Forensic Science is a multidisciplinary field that incorporates the investigation, analysis, 

prevention, and prosecution of crime involving not only crimes against persons but also property 

crimes. It also involves the methods and tools for collecting, preserving, and examining 

evidence and the related educational/training programs that build capacity within criminal justice 

agencies to address forensic science and its use. The Center will coordinate and facilitate all 

NIJ projects and programs in these fields in order to leverage resources and provide 

comprehensive forensic technology support to State and local criminal justice agencies. 

Through these efforts, the Center will increase the capacity of State and local law enforcement 

to effectively and professionally serve the public in matters involving forensic science and crime. 

Specific tasks that the Center will be expected to perform include: 

•	 Identifying technology requirements. The Center will accomplish this principally by 

hosting and supporting the General Forensics and DNA Technology Working Group 

(TWG) activities. The Center will also be expected to conduct relevant, focused studies 

to support program development, and participate in relevant technical conferences and 

symposia. 

TWGs typically consist of 20 expert practitioners knowledgeable in the operational 

employment of the technology addressed in a particular portfolio. They assist NIJ in 

identifying technology gaps in a portfolio area in terms of operational requirements and 

desired outcomes. They also assist NIJ in the review of ongoing efforts, facilitate 

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outreach, and coordinate demonstration opportunities. The Center provides general 

logistics in support of its TWG. The Center is expected to capture and disseminate 

technology needs, including assessment metrics for each identified gap. 

TWGs normally meet twice a year. A three-day meeting, exclusive of travel time, is 

representative. Venues will vary, but sites in the Washington, DC area are preferred. 

In supporting these TWGs, the Center will, in close coordination with the relevant NIJ 

program manager: 

o	 Identify the key agencies, professional organizations, and individual practitioners that 

should participate in a particular TWG; 

o	 Schedule TWG meetings; 

o	 Develop meeting agendas; 

o	 Secure a venue and required logistic services, including audiovisual support; 

o	 Pay the travel and per diem expenses, but not the salaries, of the non-Federal 

participants; 

o	 Moderate the meetings; and 

o	 Record and publish the proceedings. 

•	 Supporting NIJ’s research and development programs. The Center is expected to 

help NIJ program managers define program objectives, assess ongoing research and 

development projects, find relevant technology efforts for NIJ collaboration, and 

participate in national and regional groups that support the adoption of technology. 

•	 Testing, evaluating, and demonstrating technologies. The Center will be expected to 

focus its efforts primarily on the demonstration of new technologies in field 

environments. Demonstrations must be designed to determine whether a technology 

meets all of the assessment criteria for a technology need area and develop guidelines 

for the adoption of the technology by other practitioners. To the greatest extent feasible, 

demonstrations should also be designed to determine criminal justice outcomes through 

evaluation research in collaboration with the NIJ program manager and with NIJ’s Office 

of Research and Evaluation. Technology demonstrations may range from 2 hours to 12 

months. Findings will be disseminated through reports, conferences, standards, and 

technology assistance activities. 

•	 Supporting the adoption of new technology. The Center’s efforts will focus on 

facilitating the effective transfer into practice of new tools and technologies, including 

those funded by NIJ and others. Efforts are to include introducing new tools and 

technologies to the practitioner, introducing practitioner requirements to developers, and 

assisting developers in the commercialization of their products. Commercialization 

activities are to include providing feedback to technology developers in the criminal 

justice marketplace; describing criminal justice requirements and practices; providing 

opportunities for the demonstration of technologies; and presenting strategies for the 

commercialization of developers’ technologies. In this assistance to commercialization, 

the Center is expected to play a vital role in providing practitioner agencies access to 

new technologies and improved capabilities. NIJ will not provide direct financial 

assistance to companies to commercialize products. NIJ may, however, support pilot 

programs for first adopters of new technology, particularly those that evaluate the 

effectiveness of a technology or develop best practices for the use of a technology. 

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•	 Developing and/or updating technology guidelines. The Center’s efforts will include 

the development of comprehensive guides for crime laboratories, forensic service 

practitioners, law enforcement, and other appropriate criminal justice practitioners that 

describe how to plan for, select, and implement technology solutions based on actual 

experience with application of the technology in practice. Examples of existing guides 

include: Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for Law Enforcement and Death 

Investigation: A Guide for the Scene Investigator. Topics for additional guides may be 

discussed with NIJ and initiated with their approval. 

•	 Providing technology assistance and support to criminal justice agencies on a 

national basis. The Center is expected to provide specialized technology assistance 

within its particular technology areas of responsibility. These efforts will focus on 

providing science and engineering advice and support to assist first-adopter law 

enforcement, crime laboratory, forensic service provider, corrections, and other criminal 

justice agencies with the use of new technologies or the adaptation of existing 

technologies to enhance their effectiveness, efficiency, and safety. The Center will be 

expected to provide national expertise for the criminal justice community’s ongoing 

efforts to continuously improve operations through the adoption of new tools and 

methods. (Note: The Center will not fund or provide assistance to agencies that are 

adopting technologies that are well established in practice.) Appropriate assistance will 

be provided to all facets of the criminal justice community, including small and rural law 

enforcement, corrections, forensic service providers, school resource officers, or other 

State and local practitioner communities. 

While the Center will, to a certain extent, perform ongoing work related to responding to calls for 

assistance forwarded from the Regional Technology Centers, the Center should expect that the 

majority of its work will be on projects specifically defined by NIJ in support of the specific 

technology investment portfolio areas. For this reason and others (such as the possibility of 

establishment, modification, or elimination of particular technology investment portfolios by NIJ; 

changes in the availability of funds; or the desire to capitalize on technology opportunities), 

applicants should expect that the level of effort may vary significantly during the project period 

(or from year to year, should supplemental funding be made available). The successful 

applicant therefore must demonstrate the ability to readily add or reduce capacity in relevant 

areas without adversely affecting the ability to provide services or incurring unacceptable 

additional costs. In this connection, NIJ is very interested in entertaining applications that 

propose to leverage existing programs, facilities, and personnel. 

The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence will be specifically tasked with the 

implementation, in coordination with NIJ, of the DNA Quality Assurance audit programs and the 

Grant Progress Assessment (GPA) program, and for submitting to NIJ the appropriate 

documentation developed as a result of these audit- and assessment-related activities. The 

applicant may wish to consider partnering with established forensic science organizations, 

agencies, and/or institutions with complementary abilities, as appropriate, in order to carry out 

these tasks as well as those listed above. 

DNA Audit program auditors visit and review publicly-funded DNA laboratories using the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Quality Assurance Standards. Laboratories that receive NIJ 

funding must have their laboratories audited every two years, in accordance with NIJ program 

requirements. The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence provides these external DNA 

Audit services at no cost to the laboratories. 

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Grant Progress Assessments (GPA) may be conducted at the same time for those laboratories 

and agencies choosing to participate in the External DNA Audit program. As part of the GPA 

program, the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence assists NIJ in assessing project 

progress for grantees receiving funds from the Convicted Offender and/or Arrestee and 

Forensic DNA Backlog Reduction grant programs, the Paul E. Coverdell Forensic Sciences 

Improvement Grant Program, and the Using DNA to Solve Cold Cases grant program. The GPA 

program supports NIJ in its efforts to assess forensic laboratory grantee progress in meeting 

grant program goals and objectives, identify challenges faced by forensic laboratory grantees in 

achieving these goals and objectives, identify successful or model programs, and assess the 

impact of federal funding for forensic laboratories on the capacity and effectiveness of the 

nation’s forensic laboratories. GPA assessments are also provided at no cost to NIJ grantees, 

are performed on a biennial basis, and, to the extent feasible, are conducted during the same 

time period for all grantees within a given state. 

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

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

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

Budget Information 

What will not be funded: 

1. Provision of training or direct service, except as otherwise noted. 

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

these items if they are necessary to conduct applied research.) 

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

4. Applications that do not demonstrate the capability to perform the work proposed. 

5. Applications to provide general technology assistance on a regional basis or to rural law 

enforcement agencies. This work will be supported within the existing structure of the NLETC 

System. 

6. Applications that propose the execution of research and development 

Amount and length of awards: NIJ anticipates that up to a total of $6,200,000 may become 

available for one (1) award made through this solicitation. All NIJ awards are subject to the 

availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements 

that may be imposed by law. NIJ expects to make one award for fiscal year 2010, depending 

on funds available, the number of high-quality applications, and other pertinent factors. 

Subject to the availability of future funds, between $6 million and $9 million may be made 

available on an annual basis for a 12-month supplement to an award made from this solicitation. 

NIJ cannot guarantee, however, that any such supplements will be funded. Such additional 

funding depends on, among other things, NIJ resources, strategic priorities, and your 

satisfactory completion of each phase, stage, or task. 

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

additional funding, ordinarily will not exceed 3 years. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

funds where match requirements apply.) 

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

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

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

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

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

budget. 

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

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

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

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

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

Performance Measures 

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

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

provide data that measures the results of their work. Additionally, applicants must discuss in 

their application their methods for collecting data for performance measures. Please refer to 

“What An Application Must Include” (below), for additional information on applicant 

responsibilities for collecting and reporting data. Performance measures for this solicitation are 

as follows: 

Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Grantee Provides 

To facilitate the adoption of new 1. Quality of the research/work 1. Individual project reports 

forensic tools and technologies into performed as assessed by a responding to the requirements of 

practice by appropriate criminal peer review process involving a specific project detailing the 

justice agencies through testing, relevant technical and Center’s activities including: the 

evaluation, and the provision of practitioner experts and the NIJ number of research, testing and 

technology assistance. program manager. evaluation, and demonstration 

2. Quality of the management as 

measured by whether significant 

interim project milestones were 

achieved, final deadlines were 

met, and costs remained within 

approved limits. 

activities conducted; the number 

of technologies successfully 

adopted into service; the number 

of technology guides published; 

and the number of calls for 

assistance responded to. 

2. Quarterly financial reports, semi- 3. If applicable, number of NIJ final annual progress reports, and a grant reports, NIJ research final technical progress report documents, and grantee providing a comprehensive research documents published. overview of the Center’s activities 

4. If applicable, number of during the period of performance. 

evaluated technologies. 3. If applicable, citation to 

reports(s)/documents. 

4. If applicable, description of 

evaluated technologies. 

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How to Apply 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the application submission by the specified deadline. 

All applicants are required to complete the following steps. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

recipients, and subrecipients. Organizations that have previously submitted applications 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“NIJ FY 10 Forensic Technology Center of Excellence.” 

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

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

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

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

6. Submit an Application Addressing All of the Requirements Outlined in this 

Solicitation by Following the Directions in GMS. Once submitted, GMS will display a 

confirmation screen stating your submission was successful. Important: You are urged 

to submit your application at least 72 hours prior to the due date of the application. 

Note: OJP’s Grants Management System (GMS) does not accept executable file types as 

application attachments. These disallowed file types include, but are not limited to, the 

following extensions: ".com," ".bat," ".exe," ".vbs," ".cfg," ".dat," ".db," ".dbf," ".dll," ".ini," ".log," 

".ora," ".sys," and ".zip." 

Experiencing Unforeseen GMS Technical Issues 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

rejected as untimely. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What an Application Must Include 

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

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

Understanding,” “Resumes”) for all required attachments. Where resumes are required, OJP 

recommends that all resumes be included in a single file. 

Standard Form 424 

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

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

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

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

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

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Program Narrative 

Applicants should structure their narrative around a core program that addresses the 

needs of the forensic science community using the mission and programs of NIJ for a 

12-month project period commencing November 1, 2010. The program narrative should 

also address the applicant's ability to scale during the project period to provide services 

in the six areas identified under "Specific Information," above (e.g., identifying 

technology requirements, supporting NIJ’s research and development program). 

The Program Narrative includes: 

a. Cover page 

b. Abstract (not to exceed 600 words). 

c. Table of contents. 

d. Main body, which includes: 

• Purpose, goals, and objectives. 

• Approach to achieving goals and objectives (program design and 

implementation). 

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

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

• Management plan and organization. 

• Dissemination strategy. 

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

• Bibliography/References (if applicable). 

• List of key personnel (required). 

• Resumes of key personnel (required). 

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

investigator(s) (required). 

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project (if applicable). 

• Chart for timeline or milestones (required). 

• Human Subjects Protection Paperwork including Institutional Review 

Board (IRB) documentation and forms (see 

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

• Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to 

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

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

have submitted this proposal (if applicable). 

• Other materials required by the solicitation. 

The program narrative section of your application must not exceed 25 double-spaced 

pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Abstract, table of contents, charts, figures, 

appendices, and government forms do not count toward the 25-page limit for the 

narrative section. 

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative 

A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at 

www.ojp.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf. If you submit a different format, you must 

include the budget categories as listed in the sample budget worksheet. 

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

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

The Budget Narrative is a plain-language description of each of the proposed 

expenditures listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. It should clearly explain the purpose 

and reason for all expenditures in the budget. There should be no ambiguities about any 

budget item. The narrative also should include details for calculated rates or other 

figures. As with the Budget Detail Worksheet, the Budget Narrative must be broken 

down on a year-by-year basis. 

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

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

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

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

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

supported with non-Federal contributions. 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

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

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

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

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

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

submit an indirect cost rate proposal at 

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

Plan for Collecting the Data Required for Performance Measures. (See 

"Performance Measures," above.) 

The Data Collection Plan is a description of the applicant’s plan for collecting the data 

required for performance measures. Applicants must discuss this plan in their 

applications. The plan must describe how the performance measures data will be 

derived, state who will be responsible for collecting the data, and state that the data will 

be available for review 3 years post award, as required. The data collection plan should 

be rigorous to ensure that the performance measure data provided are accurate, 

auditable, and correctly measure the impact of the Federal funds provided. 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

provided under the grant. 

If an applicant is unable to obtain a signed copy of a tribal resolution documenting 

support for its application, then, at a minimum, the applicant must submit an unsigned, 

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draft tribal resolution as part of its application. If an applicant fails to submit either a 

signed or an unsigned copy of a tribal resolution as part of its application, then it will be 

eliminated from funding consideration. If selected for funding, any applicant that has 

submitted an unsigned tribal resolution must submit the signed copy of the tribal 

resolution to OJP within 30 days of acceptance of the award. In all such cases, use of 

and access to funds will be contingent on receipt of the signed tribal resolution. 

Other Standard Forms 

Additional forms that may be required are available on OJP’s funding page at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms.htm. Please note in particular the following 

forms. 

1. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other 

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

applicants as part of the GMS application process) 

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

funds for lobbying activities) 

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

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

from OJP within the past 3 years) 

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

process) 

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

categories: 1) Program Narrative; 2) Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative; 3) 

Appendices; and 4) Other Requirements. 

Selection Criteria 

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

Project/Program Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit)—25% 

1. Understanding of the unique challenges of criminal justice agencies and the role of 

forensic technology in meeting those challenges. 

2. Relevance of the proposed work to accomplishing the objectives of this solicitation. 

3. Soundness of the approach to accomplishing the proposed work. 

4. Innovation and creativity (when appropriate). 

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

applicants)—25% 

1. Qualifications and experience of proposed staff. 

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

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

and resources are used. 

4. Ability to add or reduce capacity without incurring unacceptable costs. 

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

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Budget—15% 

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

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

3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

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

(Relevance to policy and practice)—10% 

This section should include a description of the applicant’s plan for the collection of the data 

required for performance measures. 

Relevance of the project for policy and practice in the United States: 

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

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

have strong relevance for policy and practice, some researchers and technologists collaborate 

with practitioners and policymakers. You may include letters showing support from practitioners, 

but they carry less weight than clear evidence that you understand why policymakers and 

practitioners would benefit from your work and how they would use it. While a partnership may 

affect State or local activities, it should also have broader implications for others across the 

country. 

Dissemination Strategy—10% 

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

including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. 

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

policymakers. 

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

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

technology). 

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

(when applicable). 

Research Independence and Integrity 

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

applicant’s proposal must demonstrate research independence, including appropriate 

safeguards to ensure research objectivity and integrity. 

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

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

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

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

remedies to control any such factors. 

Review Process 

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

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

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measurable, and achievable, as well as consistent with basic minimum program or legislative 

requirements as stated in the solicitation (including, but not limited to, requirements as to 

timeliness, proper format, and responsiveness to the scope of the solicitation). 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

performance, and available funding. 

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

review of applications for potential discretionary awards and cooperative agreements to 

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

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

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

principles and agency regulations. 

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

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

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

awards. 

Additional Requirements 

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

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

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

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

• Civil Rights Compliance 

• Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations 

• Confidentiality and Human Subjects Protection (if applicable) 

• Anti-Lobbying Act 

• Financial and Government Audit Requirements 

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

• DOJ Information Technology Standards (if applicable) 

• Single Point of Contact Review 

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• Nonsupplanting of State or Local Funds 

• Criminal Penalty for False Statements 

• Compliance with Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide 

• Suspension or Termination of Funding 

• Nonprofit Organizations 

• For-Profit Organizations 

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 

• Rights in Intellectual Property 

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

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

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

including: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

reviews will be forwarded to the grantee with suggestions for revisions. The author must then 

submit the revised final report, abstract, and executive summary by the end date of the grant. 

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

electronic formats. 

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

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

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

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

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

implementing performance measures for federally funded criminal justice programs.) 

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

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

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

withheld if reports are delinquent. 

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Application Checklist 

Forensic Technology Center of Excellence 

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

Eligibility 

_____ Tribal authorizing resolution (if applicable) 

Application Components: 

_____ Program Narrative (see page 11 and “Selection Criteria,” pages 13–14) 

_____ Appendices to the Program Narrative 

_____ Bibliography/References (if applicable) 

_____ List of key personnel (required) 

_____ Resumes of key personnel (required) 

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

investigators (required) 

_____ Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations 

collaborating in the project (if applicable) 

_____ Chart for timeline or milestones (required) 

_____ Human Subjects Protection Paperwork 

_____ Privacy Certificate 

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

submitted this proposal (if applicable) 

_____ Budget Narrative 

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet 

_____ Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

_____ Plan for Collecting Data for Performance Measures 

Program Narrative/Abstract Format: 

_____ Double-spaced 

_____ 12-point standard font 

_____ 1” standard margins 

_____ Narrative is 25 pages or less 

Other Requirements: 

_____ Standard Form 424 

_____ DUNS number 

_____ Other Standard Forms as applicable (see page 13), including 

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable)
 

_____ Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (if applicable)
 

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