Title: Operations and Maintenance of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) - West. Series: Solicitation Author: NIJ Published: National Institute of Justice, July 1999 Subject: Funding resources 21 pages 39,000 bytes ------------------------------- This is an ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its graphic format, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy from NCJRS at 800-851-3420 (877-712-9279 for TTY users). ------------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice National Institute of Justice Jeremy Travis, Director Solicitation July 1999 Operations and Maintenance of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) - West APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 15, 1999 ------------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street NW Washington, DC 20531 Janet Reno U.S. Department of Justice Raymond C. Fisher Associate Attorney General Laurie Robinson Assistant Attorney General Noel Brennan Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jeremy Travis Director, National Institute of Justice For grant and funding information, contact: Department of Justice Response Center: 800-421-6770 Justice Information Center World Wide Web Site http://www.ncjrs.org Office of Justice Programs World Wide Web Site: http//www.ojp.usdoj.gov JUSTNET World Wide Web Site http://www.nlectc.org ------------------------------- Operations and Maintenance of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) - West Background The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) system--a program of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ)-- includes a National Center in Rockville, Maryland; regional centers, which are currently operating in Charleston, SC (Southeast Region); Denver, Colorado (Rocky Mountain Region); El Segundo, California (West Region); Rome, New York (Northeast Region); the Border Research and Technology Center (BRTC) in San Diego, California; and specialty centers consisting of the Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) in Gaithersburg, Maryland; the Office of Law Enforcement Commercialization (OLETC) in Wheeling, West Virginia; and the National Center for Forensic Science (NCFS) in Orlando, Florida. NLECTC Mission Statement--The mission of the NLECTC system is to provide technology information, assistance, and expertise to help the Nation's law enforcement, corrections, and criminal justice communities. NLECTC Goals o Maintain awareness of criminal justice operational needs. o Maintain awareness of the state-of-the-art in appropriate technologies. o Ensure regular communication between the user and technical communities. Facilitate the development, evaluation, and implementation of appropriate technologies. NLECTC Objectives o Improve communication with: --All other law enforcement and corrections related technology programs, --Other components of the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs (OJP), --User community including courts and prosecutors, --Scientific community, --Industry, and --All components of the NLECTC system. o Improve interaction between the Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council (LECTAC) Regional Advisory Councils, NLECTC centers, and the NIJ/Office of Science and Technology (OST). o Foster capacity building for best practices in the use of law enforcement and corrections related technologies. o Deliver and publicize successful results. o Be the source of independent, objective performance standards, and evaluation of law enforcement and corrections equipment and technologies. o Increase outreach efforts through: --Creating and implementing a professional marketing plan, --Displaying and demonstrating technology, --Facilitating and promoting commercialization of new technologies, and --Enhancing the dissemination of information through the Justice Technology Information Network (JUSTNET), TechBeat, reports, buyer guides, and other special publications. The four regional centers (including the NLECTC-West) and BRTC provide science and engineering advice and support in their respective regions through several means: responding to inquiries, arranging demonstrations of promising technologies, fostering capacity building for best practices in the use of law enforcement and corrections related technologies, and distributing publications. The regional center concept is critical to ensure that NIJ maintains a bottom-up approach, putting the practitioners' perspectives at the forefront of prioritization, and allowing for critical feedback on key NIJ programs directly from the field; to ensure that regional expertise is fully utilized; to develop mutually beneficial partnerships around the country to bring to bear resources offered by States, industry, academia, and other agencies; and to provide a better opportunity to demonstrate developed technologies. Each center also provides an important source for technology information dissemination and dialog. The three specialty centers--OLES, OLETC, and NCFS--distribute information developed from their areas of expertise described below. o The Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) was established as a matrix management organization in 1971 through a Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Departments of Justice and Commerce and was based upon the recommendations of the President's Commission on Crime. OLES's mission is to apply science and technology to the needs of the criminal justice community, including law enforcement, corrections, forensic science, and the fire service. While its major objective is to develop minimum performance standards, OLES also undertakes studies leading to the publication of technical reports and guides. o The Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC) was established by NIJ to develop and deploy an active, broad based, national program to assist in the commercialization of innovative technology for use by the law enforcement and corrections community o The National Center for Forensic Science (NCFS) was created to service the forensic and law enforcement communities in the areas of fire and explosion debris. Introduction The purpose of this solicitation is to support the continued operation of the NLECTC-West, a program of the NIJ. This center was established to coordinate and support the identification, development, and application of technology and information to meet the needs of law enforcement, corrections, and other criminal justice agencies at the local, State, and Federal levels. NLECTC-West serves the following States: Arizona, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. This solicitation is solely for the operation of the NLECTC-West, and does not include the operation of any other NLECTC centers. Organizations that are funded by NIJ to support other NLECTC activities are not eligible to respond to this solicitation. Applicants can review additional information about the NLECTC system on the Justice Technology Information Network (JUSTNET) World Wide Web site at http://www.nlectc.org. Applicants can also request a hard copy of the information on the background of the NLECTC system. Please direct requests for information to: Department of Justice (DOJ) Response Center (800) 421-6770 or (202) 307-1480 in the Washington, D.C., metro area. Definitions Outreach (i.e., Technology Information Outreach) - Outreach refers to diverse approaches NLECTC centers use to increase awareness of their mission, functions, and capabilities. Active attendance and participation in conferences, symposia, presentations, and active utilization of the Internet are forms of outreach. Science and engineering advice and support - The NLECTC system provides science and engineering advice and support through a variety of means. Examples of the type of science and engineering advice and support provided by the NLECTC-West include: o Systems engineering support in the acquisition of major systems and equipment for law enforcement and corrections agencies, such as sensors, communications systems, protective equipment, information systems, training equipment and systems, and analytical investigative systems. o Specialized forensic support, when it is otherwise unavailable, that provides an investigative resource of scientists and engineers who support working-level detectives in developing criminal evidence for use in the solution of crimes and the identification and prosecution of offenders, including the enhancement of video tapes and audio tapes, forensic analysis of computer equipment, and analysis of trace evidence. o Assisting law enforcement agencies with strategic planning for communication and information systems. Regional Advisory Councils - The NLECTC system seeks to help law enforcement and corrections agencies through fostering the development and use of new and existing technologies. To ensure that the NLECTC system is responsive to the needs and operational requirements of these agencies, a national advisory council--LECTAC--and regional advisory councils that are attached to each center are important to this process. They form a bridge between the criminal justice community and NIJ's Office of Science and Technology. Across this bridge flows information about the work-a-day worlds of policing and corrections and their operational needs. NIJ uses this information to help fashion and adjust its technology research and development programs to meet those needs. The LECTAC and regional advisory councils, thus, play valuable roles in helping to ensure that NIJ-funded technology development efforts are responsive to real-world requirements. Required Tasks The NLECTC-West will assist NIJ in identifying, demonstrating and providing information on new technologies, or new uses of technologies, that will support State and local law enforcement and corrections agencies in the western region in their efforts to assist the criminal justice community. The NLECTC system utilizes the technology infrastructure already in place at national laboratories, commercial entities, and academic institutions. The technical partner for the NLECTC-West will come from one of these entities, to leverage and maximize the Federal investment to the support State and local criminal justice community. Major NLECTC-West tasks: 1. The NLECTC-West will utilize the expertise of a technical partner(s). The center's technical partner(s) will provide the science and engineering advice and support necessary to accomplish the mission of the NLECTC- West. The center should expect to draw upon the resources of the technical partner in support of its mission. Examples of the types of science and engineering support provided to the criminal justice community by the NLECTC system include: o Analyzed metallurgical evidence in a murder and arson case. The center sorted through conflicting claims and demonstrated that a gas line was disconnected at the start of a fire and contributed to the death of one occupant. o Created and deployed a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional communications system in the Northeast to support routine and emergency information sharing among local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies. o Conducted vulnerability assessments of regional schools and reviewed lessons learned by State and local law enforcement in order to develop and assess candidate school security technologies. o Applied analytical tools and information engineering concepts to assist in developing strategic plans to meet information technology needs. o Provided technical assistance and training to local and State agencies in the areas of crime and intelligence analysis and geographic information systems (GIS). o Worked with Federal laboratories to produce a clear set of requirements for advanced, appropriate, and affordable technology and systems that could be used by State or local agencies to deal with explosive, or "bomb", threats. o Provided engineering recommendations to address several deficiencies in the current correctional facility communication system, including coverage problems, Interference from multiple facilities, interoperability, and man-down signal delays. Funding for the operations of the NLECTC-West and its technical partner will come from NIJ through the recipient. The applicant may choose to have the technical partner and the operations of the center operated under the auspices of the same host facility, or the applicant may propose a host organization for the technical partner that is separate from the operations of the center. In either case, the proposed technical partner must have significant research and development capabilities in the physical sciences and have the expertise and resources necessary to provide requested science and engineering advice and support. If the technical partner is a separate entity from the recipient, the applicant should identify an appropriate technical partner in its application. Should the applicant be selected to operate the NLECTC-West, then it must execute a Memorandum of Understanding between the recipient and its technical partner. The technical partner(s) will not act independently of the center. Rather, it will act as a resource, tasked by the center to provide science and engineering advice and support to accomplish the tasks of the NLECTC- West, on an as-needed basis. 2. Work with law enforcement and corrections organizations throughout the western region to identify, evaluate, develop, demonstrate and assess technology applications at the direction of NIJ. 3. Respond to inquiries regarding the NLECTC-West's technology focus areas on a national basis. Current technology focus areas for the NLECTC- West include: o Photo and image enhancement o Electronic crime technology o Vehicle-stopping technology o Counterterrorism technologies 4. Utilize the NIJ automated web-based system to track science and engineering advice and support requests and manage contact information. 5. Coordinate the science and engineering advice and support between the requesting agency and the technical partner. 6. Conduct an ongoing evaluation of the requesting agency's satisfaction with the assistance provided and any changes that the agency plans to make as a result of the assistance. 7. Convene the existing NLECTC-West Regional Advisory Council. Members of this council include representatives from law enforcement, corrections, and other criminal justice agencies and organizations in the States served by NLECTC-West. The Regional Advisory Council will provide the NLECTC-West with practitioner assistance in developing priorities for technology needs. The applicant should budget travel accordingly for the costs of travel incurred for the members of the Regional Advisory Council as well as staff of the NLECTC-West. The applicant may choose to utilize the Government Travel Account (GTA) available for State and local practitioner travel to attend Regional Advisory Council meetings, or may choose another method to account for their travel (Applicants may request a copy of the approved NLECTC-West Regional Advisory Council By- law to review). 8. Provide technology information to law enforcement and corrections organizations in the western region. 9. Provide information to NIJ on NLECTC-West activities for NIJ/NLECTC databases, periodic bulletins, and other documents. 10. Provide information, presentations, and participate in meetings as requested by NIJ. 11. Work closely with NIJ Program Manager on the activities of the NLECTC-West. 12. Attend quarterly meetings with other NLECTC directors, which are held at the various center site locations and in Washington, D.C. 13. Convene law enforcement and corrections technology conferences/symposiums at the request of NIJ. 14. Support regional Law Enforcement and Corrections events and conferences with the approval of NIJ. 15. Present and publish technical papers at/in appropriate conferences/journals with the approval of NIJ. 16. Support technology information outreach within the region. 17. Coordinate with, and support, the National Center and other regional and specialty centers within the NLECTC system. 18. Provide continuous input into the Justice Information Technology Network (JUSTNET), through the National Center. 19. Receive approval from NIJ prior to the release of any publications by the NLECTC-West. 20. Receive approval from NIJ prior to the delivery of any media releases. 21. Make all publications available to NIJ in hard-copy and in an NIJ- approved electronic format (compatible with WordPerfect 8.0). Personnel Requirements Certain skilled, experienced, professional and/or technical personnel are essential for the recipient to accomplish the work to be performed under this cooperative agreement. These are identified as "key personnel." Key personnel are the director and deputy director(s). They must be dedicated full-time to the project. Although other personnel assigned to the project need not be dedicated to the project full-time, the type of work they will perform must be described in the proposal. The applicant will provide staff who are qualified to perform the work described in their application statement. The proposed team is expected to have a mix of law enforcement and/or correction practitioner experience, and the ability to provide science and engineering advice and support. No individual consultants may receive more than $25,000 in compensation, excluding travel and per diem, during a single fiscal year without prior NIJ approval. In addition, consultants may not be retained in lieu of hiring permanent staff. The proposed staff must meet the following criteria for the proposal to be considered responsive. Minimum skill requirements and qualifications required to perform the tasks under this cooperative agreement are as follows: Key Personnel o Director: The Director of the NLECTC-West will serve as the primary contact with the NIJ program manager and will be responsible for project oversight and direction. The project director must not have any other business responsibilities within their parent organization. The project director should also have at least three years of work experience in managing a science and engineering advice and support program of similar magnitude and complexity. o Deputy Director(s): The deputy director(s) will be responsible for facilitating the science and engineering advice and support to meet the needs of the requesting law enforcement and corrections organizations. If more than one Deputy Director is proposed, at least one should have a minimum of three years of recent experience in law enforcement or corrections. A formal degree in a related field (Bachelor's or advanced) will not substitute for the related practical experience, although such a degree is preferred in addition to practical experience. Other Personnel Considerations o Adequate Workforce: The recipient must at all times maintain an adequate workforce within the budget limitations of the cooperative agreement to provide for the timely performance of all tasks defined within the Required Tasks section. The recipient will provide fully-trained and experienced personnel to perform the tasks described herein. o Government Approval of Recipient Staff: NIJ reserves the right to interview, or review the qualifications of, the director and deputy director(s), and any proposed consultants selected to work on the project prior to their assignment. During the course of the cooperative agreement, the recipient will submit a resume for any individual being added to the recipient's staff or replacing a member of the staff. NIJ reserves the right to review the qualifications of proposed new personnel; individuals who do not meet the qualifications or do not demonstrate a commitment to furthering the goals of NIJ will not be approved by NIJ. If NIJ notifies the recipient in writing of performance problems, the recipient will take the necessary steps to resolve the problems (i.e., changes in personnel, changes in procedures, etc.) within five working days of the receipt of such notice. The recipient will absorb any cost overages associated with failure of contract personnel to perform in a manner prescribed by and/or agreed to by NIJ. In the event of termination or the resignation of the director or deputy director, the recipient will notify NIJ and will provide a plan and timetable for filling the position as soon as possible. In the interim, the recipient will make every effort to provide fully qualified, experienced, and trained alternates until the key personnel position(s) can be filled. The names and qualifications of the alternative staff must be submitted to NIJ for approval prior to assignment. Additional Information 1. The recipient of the award must be located within one of the continental States that comprise the western region of the NLECTC system (California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, or Washington). 2. The technical partner must be located within the same metropolitan area as the recipient of the award. 3. The proposed technical partner must have significant research and development capabilities in the physical sciences and have the expertise necessary to provide requested science and engineering advice and support. 4. Proposals must include a task plan that clearly delineates the effort necessary to complete each task listed in the Required Tasks section of this solicitation. 5. Applicants should, as a precursor to their proposal submission, approach, consult, or collaborate with criminal justice organizations or knowledgeable professionals regarding proposal concepts, ideas, approaches, etc. Project Management Meetings The recipient will meet regularly with the NIJ Program Manager. The meetings will occur as often as the NIJ Program Manager deems necessary, but no less often than quarterly to review: o The status of science and engineering advice and support delivery plans under development, o Summary of science and engineering advice and support results and feedback provided by the requesting agency on completed assistance, and o Actual costs of general administrative activities, outreach, science and engineering advice and support, and special projects to date. Budget The recipient will be responsible for the expenses listed below as they relate to completing the activities described in the Required Tasks section. The expenses should be detailed in the budget section of the application. o Staff and consultant resources to perform the project functions. The proposed budget must include salary and all associated overhead costs including General and Administrative expenses, benefits, and any indirect costs. o Lodging and per diem costs for staff. The recipient will stay within Federal lodging and per diem rates when reimbursing staff who travel. Only under the most unusual of circumstances will costs in excess of the Federal lodging and per diem rate be considered and will require justification and prior approval by the Office of Justice Program's (OJP) Office of the Comptroller. The recipient must submit, prior to incurring such costs, justification for lodging exceeding the allowable Federal rate for the geographical location. Costs incurred without proper justification will be disallowed. o Approved travel costs. Costs for travel to provide onsite assistance or otherwise assist the requesting agency or for representatives from the requesting agency to travel to a host site will generally be paid by the recipient under the cooperative agreement. The recipient shall obtain the lowest airfare possible. These costs should be included in the proposed budget. o Any other costs associated with the planning, coordination, conduct, or follow-up of science and engineering advice and support. It is the policy of OJP that all costs should be budgeted directly. However, if an applicant has an indirect cost rate that has been approved by a Federal agency within the past two years, an indirect cost recovery estimate may be included in the budget. A copy of the approved rate agreement must be included as an appendix to the application. If an applicant wishes to establish an indirect cost rate, the applicant should contact the Office of the Comptroller, OJP at (202) 307-0623, to obtain information about preparing an indirect cost rate proposal. For-profit organizations may apply for funds under this solicitation but must agree to waive their profit fee for this project. Minimum Standards of Performance The recipient shall meet the minimum standards of performance (MSP) described below in performing the work described in the Required Tasks section. The MSP distinguishes between satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance. OJP/NIJ will monitor the recipient's performance in accordance with procedures set forth in its application and will take appropriate action for documented instances of performance that fall below the MSP. At a minimum, to achieve satisfactory performance, the recipient must ensure that: 1. The Director of the NLECTC-West attend all NLECTC Regional Directors meetings. 2. Expenditures in each budgeted category (i.e., Administrative, Outreach, Science and Engineering Support and Advice, and Special Projects) do not exceed the NIJ-approved budgeted amounts. 3. Reports are submitted to NIJ on a timely basis (i.e., narrative reports by the 20th day of the following month, and financial reports by the 30th day of the following month). 4. An adequate workforce is maintained to provide for the timely performance of all tasks defined within the Required Tasks section. 5. Any NIJ request for information from the NLECTC-West are responded to in a timely manner. 6. All written materials are reviewed and approved by NIJ prior to distribution. 7. Written materials are produced with software and computers that are compatible with those used by OJP/NIJ, follow Government Printing Office guidelines, and are virtually free of errors related to content accuracy, style, spelling, and grammar. 8. All consultants are approved by the OJP/NIJ Program Manager and/or his/her designee prior to project assignment. 9. The NLECTC-West Regional Advisory Council meets no more frequently than twice annually. 10. The most economical rates for travel, lodging, and meeting costs are used 100 percent of the time. Under no circumstances will rates exceed the government rate without prior approval of the OJP/NIJ Program Manager. Application Requirements All applications must include the following: o A completed Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424) (found in Appendix A) o Signed copy of the Assurances (found in Appendix A) o Budget Detail Worksheet (found in Appendix A) o Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters o Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (found in Appendix A). o The narrative portion of the application must not exceed (40) forty pages in length. --Technical Partner - The applicant must identify a technical partner and demonstrate that the proposed technical partner has significant research and development capabilities in the physical sciences and the expertise necessary to provide science and engineering advice and support. --Understanding of the Project- The applicant must demonstrate an understanding of OJP/ NIJ grant programs, National Law Enforcement and Technology Center system, and providing science and engineering advice and support tailored to address the specific needs of the requesting agency. --Technical Approach - The applicant must clearly address tasks outlined in the Required Tasks section of this solicitation. The applicant must propose a sound, feasible, effective, and complete approach in terms of methodology, staffing patterns, workloads, and needed resources for each task. --Organization and Management - The applicant must present an organization chart and a management plan that will ensure both quality and accuracy of services provided and the efficient operation of the NLECTC-West. Applicants must demonstrate that they have the ability and resources to manage a project of this magnitude and complexity and to adhere to established deadlines for task completion. The applicant must show evidence of management commitment to quality and accuracy. --Staff and Consultant Qualifications - The applicant must clearly describe the experience and qualifications of the proposed staff and consultants. The applicant must provide resumes and signed letters of commitment from key staff and primary consultants. Key staff must meet the minimum requirements outlined in the Personnel Requirements section of this solicitation. Resumes should be included in an appendix to the proposal, not in the narrative portion of the proposal. --Quality Control Plan - The applicant must describe procedures put in place to ensure that the services provided under the cooperative agreement are of high quality, responsive to the needs of the participants/requesting agency, and timely. --Organizational Capability/Past Performance - The applicant must provide the following information in its application: --A list of all cooperative agreements, grants, contracts, and subcontracts completed or in progress during the past five years that are similar in nature to the requirements under this solicitation. The awards listed may include those entered into by the Federal Government, agencies of State and local governments, and commercial customers. Applicants who have not done NLECTC management/operations work, or that are newly formed entities without prior awards should describe in detail the organization's capability to perform the required work and the experience of the principals and key staff that qualify the organization to be considered for an award. The following information should be provided for each award: o Name of awarding agency o Award number o Award date and duration o Type of award (contract, grant, etc.) o Description of work performed o Name and phone number of the program manager and/or contracting officer o Description of subcontracts and their performance --The applicant may provide information on problems encountered with the projects listed above and any corrective actions taken to resolve those problems. Applicants should not provide general information on their performance on the listed awards. This information will be obtained from the references. o The applicant should provide information on any cost overruns of more than five percent on the listed awards including the reason for the excess. o The applicant may describe any quality awards or certifications that indicate it possesses a high-quality process for developing and producing a product or service similar to that required under this cooperative agreement. Application Evaluation Criteria All proposals received will be evaluated by a panel of qualified government personnel which will rank the applicants using the criteria listed below. The successful applicant will demonstrate the highest level of knowledge, experience, and management and organizational capability, as well as the greatest promise through its management plan and budget that it will provide the highest quality of technical and program development expertise to OJP/NIJ. The order of importance of the evaluation criteria is as follows: The technical approach is the most important, followed by the organization and management, past performance, cost and budget, and understanding the project. Technical Approach o The application provides a sound, practical, and feasible approach to providing science and engineering advice and support that is responsive to the needs of law enforcement and corrections practitioners. o The applicant proposes a technical partner with significant research and development capabilities in the physical sciences, and the expertise necessary to provide science and engineering advice and support to State and local law enforcement and corrections agencies. Organization and Management o The application demonstrates that the applicant has the ability and resources to manage a project of this complexity and scope and to assure prompt delivery of products. Emphasis will be on: 1) the proposed arrangements for supervision, coordination, and control of workflow; 2) quality control procedures; 3) flexibility to commit sufficient numbers of qualified staff and consultants for task requirements; and 4) adequacy of professional and technical effort (in person hours) allotted to the project. o The application demonstrates that key project personnel meet the minimum qualifications as outlined in this solicitation; have the experience and background to manage a project of similar scope and size; have a general knowledge of corrections and criminal justice research and practice, including an acquaintance with key actors and their skills; and are experienced in all aspects of the outreach and science and engineering advice and support provisions, especially in relation to law enforcement and corrections practitioners. o The education and experience of all project staff should be appropriate for their functions and responsibilities in the project. The proposal should include complete and up-to-date resumes for all key personnel, as well as matrices identifying the names of all staff and consultants, their respective subject areas of expertise, and the amount of time they can devote to the project. o The applicant demonstrates an understanding of the role of the Regional Advisory Council, and describes how the applicant intends to form and convene the Regional Advisory Council. Past Performance o Demonstrated recent successful experience in overseeing and providing full administrative support for similar projects of comparable technical complexity. Cost and Budget o The proposed budget reflects a clear understanding of the resources required to perform the tasks. o A task plan is included that clearly delineates the effort necessary to complete each task listed in the Required Tasks section of this solicitation. Understanding the Project o Conceptualization of the requirements of OJP/NIJ programs. o The quality of the organization and writing of the applicant's proposal will also be taken into account. o A cost proposal is included that clearly identifies costs per each task of the task plan. o Compensation levels for professional employees reflect a clear understanding of the requirements of the work to be accomplished and the suitability of the proposed compensation structure to obtain and retain qualified personnel to meet mission objectives. Eligibility to Apply Applicants may be public or private nonprofit or for-profit organizations (for-profit organizations must waive their profit fee in order to be eligible). Award Period The initial award period will be for 12 months. At NIJ's discretion, supplemental awards may be made annually for a period of up to four additional years, based on the recipient's performance, OJP/NIJ's program needs, and the availability of funds. The anticipated start date is on or about February 1, 2000. Award Amount Up to $1.65 million is expected to be available, pending appropriations, to support this effort for the period 2/1/00 through 1/31/01. This award may be supplemented for and additional four years. In the event that the recipient is tasked with special projects by NIJ, then NIJ in consultation with the recipient may supplement the award to adjust the scope of work. Due Date for Applications Applications must be received by OJP/NIJ no later than 4:00 PM ET October 15, 1999. The original and nine copies of the application should be sent to: The National Institute of Justice Office of Science and Technology 810 7th Street, N.W., 7th Floor Washington, D.C. 20531 [overnight courier ZIP code 20001] FAX transmissions will not be accepted. For further information regarding this solicitation, please direct inquiries to: o Department of Justice (DOJ) Response Center (800) 421-6770, or (202) 307-1480 in the Washington, D.C. metro area. o Fax: (202) 616-9249 Application Requirements Checklist As a final step before submitting your application, please complete this checklist to ensure that your application is complete. All forms, assurances, and application instructions are provided in the pages that follow. Your Application Must Include: o A completed and signed Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424). o A program narrative (no more than 40 pages) that includes: a description of the technical approach that will be used to implement the project, and a task plan that clearly delineates the effort necessary to complete each task listed in the Required Tasks section of this solicitation. o A cost proposal that identifies costs per each task of the task plan. o A description of how the applicant organization is organized and will manage the project, including: --An organizational chart --A management plan --Resumes and letters of commitment for project staff and any proposed consultants --A quality control plan o A list of all cooperative agreements, grants, contracts, and subcontracts entered into by the applicant in the past five years that are similar in nature to the work performed under this solicitation, including: --A description of the problems encountered on these projects and corrective actions taken --Information on cost overruns --A description of any quality awards o A signed Assurances form. o A completed and signed certification regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters. o A completed and signed Drug Free Workplace Requirements. o A completed Budget Detail Worksheet form with justification for each budget item. SL 000368 ------------------------------- For more information on the National Institute of Justice, please contact: National Criminal Justice Reference Service Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 800-851-3420 e-mail: askncjrs@ncjrs.org You can view or obtain an electronic version of this document from the NCJRS Justice Information Center World Wide Web site. To access the site, go to http://www.ncjrs.org If you have any questions, call or e-mail NCJRS.