NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF JUSTICE
PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
AUTHORIZATION:
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968,
Section 201, as amended; Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, Public Law 100- 690; DNA
Identification Act of 1994, Section 2401, Public Law 103-322.
To increase the capabilities and capacity of State and
local crime laboratories in the United States to conduct state-of- the-art
forensic evidence testing and to reduce the backlog of convicted offender DNA
samples.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
The Federal share of grants made under this program shall not exceed 75
percent of the total cost of the project described in the application.
Furthermore, grant funds shall not be used to pay for State or local personnel
costs. Project proposals shall demonstrate that the Federal share will be
spent on expenses directly associated with the start-up or expansion of a
public crime laboratory facility. Indirect and administrative costs are
unallowable under this program. The Federal share shall not be used for new
construction of laboratory buildings or facilities or to make modifications to
existing laboratory space that are not necessary to house or operate required
equipment. Federal funds shall not be used to replace funds already available
for supplies to support forensic casework operations or the typing of
convicted offender samples. Additionally, the Federal share shall not be used
for travel-related or registration expenses for professional meetings and
conferences. Expenditures from the Federal share may include the following:
Laboratory equipment and supplies and other expenses directly attributable to
conducting forensic analysis; outside training and related travel expenses for
applicable graduate-level course work or training courses in specific
methodologies as recommended by the Director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) for DNA Quality Control/Quality Assurance; modifications
to existing laboratory space only where necessary to accommodate required
laboratory equipment and activities related to forensic analysis; contractor-
provided services to conduct forensic testing of evidence; Combined Offender
DNA Index System (CODIS) equipment and testing. Details regarding this program
may be obtained by contacting the Department of Justice Response Center at
(800) 421-6770 or accessing the web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij under
Funding Opportunities.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: In accordance with the DNA
Identification Act of 1994; Public Law 103-322, eligible applicants must be
State or local (i.e., county and municipal) governments or combinations
thereof. States with more than one current or prospective crime laboratory
must work together to develop statewide testing programs and must demonstrate
this coordination in the proposal. Such States should consider submitting a
consortium proposal covering all affected laboratories. Local or regional
crime laboratories may submit grant applications in conjunction with their
State or they may submit on their own if coordination and participation with
the State effort is clearly demonstrated and the need for forensic testing
capabilities in the applicant's crime laboratory is justified. Applicants must
certify that forensic analyses performed at the laboratory will satisfy or
exceed the current standards for a Quality Assurance Program for DNA analysis
issued by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Section
14131 of Title 42 United States Code, as required by the DNA Identification
Act of 1994, Public Law 103-322, as well as striving for ASCLD accreditation
in other forensic disciplines.
Beneficiary Eligibility: In accordance with the
DNA Identification Act of 1994; Public Law 103-322, eligible applicants must
be State or local (i.e., county and municipal) governments or combinations
thereof. The purpose of this solicitation is to request applications for
grants from State and local (i.e., county and municipal) governments to
develop or improve the capability to analyze forensic evidence in State and
local forensic laboratories.
Credentials/Documentation: The applicant must
furnish, along with the application for a grant, the "Statutory
Assurance" required by the DNA Identification Act of 1994, certification
that Federal funds will not be used to supplant State or local funds, a
proposal abstract, program narrative, project period, forensic testing
capacity requirements and estimates, and resumes of key personnel. Costs will
be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local
governments.
Pre-application Coordination: Potential applicants
are encouraged to request the program announcement for additional information
about eligibility requirements, the research priorities of the Institute, and
application and selection procedures. The standard application form as
furnished by the Federal agency, in accordance with 28 CFR, Part 66 (Common
Rule), must be used for this program. Applicants must contact their State
Point of Contact (SPOC) to determine if the program has been selected for
review by the State. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372,
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should
consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in
his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be
followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for
review. The date that the application was sent to the SPOC or the reason such
submission is not required must be included in the application. A copy of the
application must also be submitted to the State office that administers the
Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grant
Program.
Application Procedure: Detailed information is
provided in a program solicitation which is obtained by sending a
self-addressed mailing label to NCJRS, Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000;
calling toll free to request a copy at (800) 851-3420; or accessing the web
site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij under Funding Opportunities. This program is
subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110 or the Common Rule where
applicable.
Award Procedure: All applications will be
reviewed by a peer review panel selected for their operational expertise as
well as their knowledge in the substantive areas covered by this program. The
NIJ Director makes the final award decision.
Deadlines: Throughout the fiscal year, NIJ
releases multiple announcements for research and technology development
funding. Program deadlines will be included in the announcements of Requests
for Proposals in the Federal Register, on NIJ's web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij
under Funding Opportunities, and on the NCJRS bulletin board and in electronic
and hard copy publications.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Approximately
90 days from application deadline.
Appeals: Hearing by the NIJ Director.
Renewals: None.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements: The Federal share
of grants made under this program shall not exceed 75 percent of the total
cost of the project described in the application. Furthermore, grant funds
shall not be used to pay for State or local personnel costs. Applicants,
however, may include the cost of laboratory personnel directly associated with
the project as a credit toward the 25 percent minimum State or local match
requirement. Please note that the minimum match requirement is 25 percent of
total project costs, not 25 percent of the Federal share.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Awards
under this program are issued for a period of 1 year.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Fiscal report consisting of quarterly
expenditures and budget expenditure reports; final financial report giving
costs and expenditures of the complete project; program reports consisting of
bi- annual progress reports; and a final report including a summary of program
accomplishments. Other reports may be requested. Financial reporting for IPAs
will be negotiated in the appointment agreement.
Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB
Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local
Governments, and Non-Profits Organizations," nonfederal entities that
expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a
single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal
entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No.
A-133.
Records: Records and accounts concerning the
expenditure of Institute and grantee or appointee-contributed funds shall be
maintained during the grant period and retained for 3 years thereafter.
Obligations: (Grants) FY 01 $20,514,355; FY 02
est $91,790,691; and FY 03 est $75,000,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: In
amounts consistent with the applicant's proposed project and the Institute's
plans, priorities and levels of financing.
In fiscal year 2001, the Crime Laboratory Improvement Program (CLIP) provided
equipment supplies, training and technical assistance to State and local crime
laboratories to increase and expand their capabilities and capacities to
perform various types of forensic analysis. The Convicted Offender DNA Index
Sample (CODIS) Backlog Reduction Program which was combined with CLIP in
fiscal year 2001, provided funding to State DNA laboratories for outsourcing
to private labs, the analysis of 280,000 backlogged convicted offender samples
for expedited entry into the CODIS National database.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Information about a Crime Laboratory Improvement Program solicitation may be
obtained by calling NCJRS at (800) 851-3420 or accessing the web site at
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij under Funding Opportunities.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: None.
Headquarters Office: National Institute of
Justice, Department of Justice, 810 7th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20531.
Telephone: (202) 307-2942. FTS number is (202) 307-2942.
Web Site Address: http://www.usdoj.gov/nij
.
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
DNA STR Conversion Project, Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services
Agency; Forensic DNA Improvement Program, City of Houston Police Department;
"Fast Track" Forensic Indexing, City of Albuquerque; Expansion of
DNA Services, North Carolina Department of Justice/SBI; Establishing DNA
Typing Capabilities, California Department of Justice; STR
Conversion/Expansion of CODIS, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension;
Acquisition of CODIS Capabilities, Tucson Police Department. To obtain
information about additional projects funding through this program, potential
applicants may contact Dr. Richard M. Rau, Program Manager, by addressing
correspondence to Crime Laboratory Improvement Program, National Institute of
Justice, Office of Science and Technology, 810 7th Street, NW., Washington,
DC, 20531; by calling (202) 307-0648, or corresponding electronically at rau@ojp.usdoj.gov.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
All applications will be reviewed by a peer review panel selected for their
operational expertise as well as their knowledge in the substantive areas
covered by this solicitation. The NIJ Director makes the final award decision.
Award selection will be based on the comprehensiveness, coherence, and
specificity of the proposed project for developing or improving DNA testing
capabilities in accordance with the objectives of the Forensic DNA Laboratory
Improvement Program; commitment of State and local agencies to providing
technical and financial resources in support of the goals and objectives of
the proposed project; qualifications of key staff to manage and direct the
activities and tasks set forth in the project plan; and the reasonableness and
cost effectiveness of the program budget in relation to the proposed program.
