[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40634-40636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16786]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
National Institute of Corrections
Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement: Pretrial Technical
Assistance for Evidence-Based Decision Making in Local Criminal Justice
Systems
AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice.
ACTION: Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Community Services
Division is soliciting proposals from organizations, groups, or
individuals to enter into a cooperative agreement with NIC for up to 12
months beginning in September 2012. Work under this cooperative
agreement is part of a larger NIC initiative, Evidence-Based Decision
Making (EBDM) in Local Criminal Justice Systems. Work under this
cooperative agreement will be coordinated with recipients of other
cooperative agreements providing services under Phase III of this
initiative.
Specifically, under this cooperative agreement, the awardee will
provide technical assistance to seven Phase III sites that have already
been identified. During Phase II of the EBDM planning, each of seven
sites identified change strategies based on their individual system
planning activities. These change strategies are critical to meeting
their system's harm reduction goals.
The technical assistance from this award will be targeted toward
expanding the knowledge and use of legal and evidence-based pretrial
risk assessment and release practices among criminal justice
stakeholders.
DATES: Applications must be received by 4 p.m. (E.D.T.) on Friday, July
20, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be sent to: Director, National
Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street NW., Room 5002, Washington,
DC 20534. Applicants are encouraged to use Federal Express, UPS, or
similar service to ensure delivery by the due date.
Hand delivered applications should be brought to 500 First Street
NW., Washington, DC 20534. At the front desk, dial 7-3106, extension 0
for pickup.
Faxed applications will not be accepted. Electronic applications
can be submitted via http://www.grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this announcement can be
downloaded from the NIC Web site at www.nicic.gov/cooperativeagreements.
All technical or programmatic questions concerning this
announcement should be directed to Lori Eville, Correctional Program
Specialist, National Institute of Corrections, at [email protected]. In
addition to direct reply, all questions and answers will be posted on
the NIC Web site at www.nicic.gov for public review (the names of those
submitting questions will not be posted). The Web site will be updated
regularly and postings will remain on the Web site until the closing
date of this cooperative agreement solicitation. Only questions
received by 12 p.m. (E.D.T.) on July 15, 2012 will be posted on the NIC
Web site.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Overview: The overall goal of the EBDM
Initiative is to establish and test the links (information tools and
protocols) between local criminal justice decisions and the application
of human and organizational change principles (evidence-based
practices) in achieving measurable reductions in pretrial misconduct
and post-conviction risk of reoffending. The unique focus of the
initiative is the review of locally developed criminal justice
strategies that guide practice within existing sentencing statutes and
rules. The
[[Page 40635]]
initiative intends to (1) improve the quality of information that leads
to making individual case decisions in local systems and (2) engage
these systems as policymaking bodies to collectively improve the
effectiveness and capacity of their decision making related to pretrial
release/sentencing options. Local officials involved in the initiative
include judges, prosecutors, public defenders, police, human service
providers, county executives, and administrators of jail, probation,
and pretrial services agencies.
Local criminal justice decisions are defined broadly to include
dispositions regarding arrest, cite and release or to custody; pretrial
release or detention and setting of bail and pretrial release
conditions; pretrial diversion; charging and plea bargaining;
sentencing of adjudicated offenders regarding use of community and
custody options; and responses to violations of conditions of pretrial
release and community sentences.
Background: In June 2008, the National Institute of Corrections
(NIC) launched a multi-phased initiative and awarded a cooperative
agreement to address evidence-based decision making in local criminal
justice systems. The goal of Phase I of the initiative was to build a
systemwide framework (from arrest through final disposition and
discharge) that would result in more collaborative, evidence-based
decision making and practices in local criminal justice systems. This
effort was grounded in two decades of research on the factors that
contribute to criminal reoffending and the methods a justice system can
employ to interrupt the cycle of reoffense. Today, the initiative seeks
to equip criminal justice policymakers in local communities with
information, processes, and tools that will result in measurable
reductions of pretrial misconduct and post-conviction reoffending.
The principle product of Phase I of this initiative was the
Evidence-Based Decision Making Framework in Local Criminal Justice
Systems. The Framework identifies the key structural elements of a
system informed by evidence-based practice. It defines a vision of
safer communities. It puts forward the belief that risk and harm
reduction are fundamental goals of the justice system and that these
can be achieved without sacrificing offender accountability or other
important justice system outcomes.
The Framework both acknowledges the importance of the key premises
and values underlying our criminal justice system and provides a set of
principles to guide evidence-based decision making within that context;
the principles themselves are evidence-based. The Framework also
highlights the groundbreaking research that demonstrates pretrial
misconduct and offender recidivism can be reduced. The Framework
identifies the key stakeholders who must be actively engaged in a
collaborative partnership if an evidence-based system of justice is to
be achieved. It outlines some of the most difficult challenges agencies
face as they seek to implement such an approach deliberately and
systematically in their local communities. A copy of the Evidence-Based
Decision Making Framework document can be downloaded online at http://nicic.gov/Library/024372.
In August 2010, NIC launched Phase II (Planning and Engagement) of
the Evidence-Based Decision Making in Local Criminal Justice Systems
Initiative by selecting seven jurisdictions to serve as EBDM seed
sites. Those sites are Mesa County, Colorado; Grant County, Indiana;
Ramsey County, Minnesota; Yamhill County, Oregon; City of
Charlottesville/County of Albemarle, Virginia; Eau Claire County,
Wisconsin; Milwaukee County, Wisconsin.
The cooperative agreement awardees of Phase II provided extensive
technical assistance to each of the seven seed sites for a period of 10
months. The overarching purpose of the technical assistance was to (1)
Develop a shared philosophy and vision for the local criminal justice
system; (2) Determine the capacity to collect and analyze data,
including the quality of the data, to support ongoing analysis of the
effectiveness of current and future policies, practices, and services
designed to achieve specific risk and harm reduction outcomes; and (3)
Change in knowledge, skills, and abilities regarding research-based
risk reduction strategies.
Each site received technical assistance that was specific to the
initiative and individualized to its system's needs. Monthly site
visits from an assigned technical assistance site coordinator led the
jurisdictions through the attainment of specific activities and goals.
The Roadmap to Phase II outlines the major objectives that the
technical assistance providers guided the seeds sites through. A copy
of the roadmap is available online at http://static.nicic.gov/Public/roadmap_phase_ii_final_2.docx.
The technical assistance was intended to lead to the following
outcomes: Build a genuine, collaborative policy team; Build individual
agencies that are collaborative and in a state of readiness for change;
Understand current practice within each agency/across the system;
Understand and have the capacity to implement evidence-based practices;
Establish performance measurements/outcomes/system scorecard; Develop a
system logic model; Engage/gain support of the community; and Develop a
strategic action plan.
All seven sites completed Phase II in October 2011. Each
jurisdiction submitted an application for acceptance into Phase III of
the initiative. Within their applications are a detailed strategic
action plan and their system's logic model. The action plan and logic
model are the foundation of implementation activities of the Phase III
technical assistance.
Scope of Work: The intent of this request for proposal is to expand
the knowledge and use of legal and evidence-based pretrial risk
assessment and release practice among criminal justice stakeholders in
their local jurisdiction. The cooperative agreement awardee will design
and deliver technical assistance to seven specific EBDM sites: Grant
County, IN; Yamhill County, OR; Charlottesville, VA; and Ramsey County,
MN; Mesa County, CO; Milwaukee County, WI; and Eau Claire County, WI.
The technical assistance will be guided by each site's strategic
action plan, logic model, and other specialized assistance required to
reach the jurisdiction's identified outcomes. The applicant should
demonstrate a strong background in working with criminal justice
stakeholders in the topics of legal and evidence-based practices in
pretrial release. The applicant will draw from existing research and
legal principles related specifically to pretrial detention and
release. The final training products may be used in future NIC
trainings with similar audiences.
Project Deliverables: (1) Develop a training curriculum and provide
evidence-based pretrial release training and tools to each of the
assigned EBDM technical assistance site coordinators. (2) Complete
pretrial program assessment, including jail population analysis, if
determined necessary at each site. (3) Develop training curriculum and
provide training targeted to judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys
who focus on the legal foundations of pretrial release and evidence-
based pretrial practices. (4) Provide training and strategic planning
with criminal justice stakeholders to increase their use of non-
financial pretrial release based on actuarial pretrial risk assessment.
Risk assessment should be based on factors known to increase the
probability of selecting those pretrial defendants who
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show the lowest risk of pretrial misconduct.
Meetings: The cooperative agreement awardee will participate in an
initial meeting with NIC staff for a project overview and preliminary
planning meeting within 2 weeks of the award. The awardee will meet
with NIC staff routinely to discuss the activities noted in the
timeline during the course of the cooperative agreement. Meetings will
be held no less than quarterly and may be conducted via webinar or in
person as agreed upon by NIC and the awardee. Application Requirements:
Applications should be concisely written, typed, double-spaced, no more
than 30 pages, and reference the project by the ``NIC Opportunity
Number'' and Title in this announcement. The package must include: A
cover letter that identifies the audit agency responsible for the
applicant's financial accounts as well as the audit period or fiscal
year that the applicant operates under (e.g., July 1 through June 30);
a program narrative in response to the statement of work, and a budget
narrative explaining projected costs. The following forms must also be
included: OMB Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance;
OMB Standard Form 424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs;
OMB Standard Form 424B, Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (these
forms are available at http://www.grants.gov) and DOJ/NIC Certification
Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility
Matters; and the Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (available at http://www.nicic.gov/Downloads/general/certif-frm.pdf.).
Applications may be submitted in hard copy, or electronically via
http://www.grants.gov. If submitted in hard copy, there needs to be an
original and three copies of the full proposal (program and budget
narratives, application forms and assurances). The original should have
the applicant's signature in blue ink.
Authority: Public Law 93-415.
Funds Available: Up to $125,000 is available for this project,
subject to available funding, but preference will be given to
applicants who provide the most cost efficient solutions in
accomplishing the scope of work. Determination will be made based on
best value to the government, not necessarily the lowest bid. Funds may
be used only for the activities that are directly related to the
project.
This project will be a collaborative venture with the NIC Community
Services Division.
Eligibility of Applicants: An eligible applicant is any public or
private agency, educational institution, organization, individual, or
team with expertise in the described areas.
Required Expertise: Successful applicants must be able to
demonstrate that they have the organizational capacity to carry out the
deliverables of this project. Appropriate expertise may include
extensive experience in correctional and criminal justice policy and
practice, and a strong background in criminal justice systemwide change
with expertise in the implementation of evidence-based practices in
pretrial release without an over reliance on financial release
conditions.
Review Considerations: Applications received under this
announcement will be subject to the NIC Review Process. The criteria
for the evaluation of each application will be as follows:
Program Narrative: (50%).
Are all of the project tasks adequately discussed? Is there a clear
statement of how each task will be accomplished, including the
staffing, resources, and strategies to be employed? Are there any
innovative approaches, techniques, or design aspects proposed that will
enhance the project?
Organizational Capabilities: (25%).
Do the skills, knowledge, and expertise of the applicant(s) and the
proposed project staff demonstrate a high level of competency to
complete the tasks? Does the applicant have the necessary experience
and organizational capacity to complete the goals of the project?
Program Management/Administration: (25%).
Does the applicant identify reasonable objectives, milestones, and
measures to track progress? If there are consultants and/or
partnerships proposed, is there a clear structure to ensure effective
utilization and coordination? Is the proposed budget realistic, does it
provide sufficient cost detail/narrative, and does it represent good
value relative to the anticipated results?
Note: NIC will NOT award a cooperative agreement to an
applicant who does not have a Dun and Bradstreet Database Universal
Number (DUNS) and is not registered in the Central Contractor
Registry (CCR).
A DUNS number can be received at no cost by calling the dedicated
toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-800-333-0505 (if you are a sole
proprietor, dial 1-866-705-5711 and select option 1).
Registration in the CCR can be done online at the CCR Web site at
http://www.ccr.gov. A CCR Handbook and worksheet can also be reviewed
at the Web site.
Number of Awards: One.
NIC Opportunity Number: 12CS10. This number should appear as a
reference line in the cover letter, where indicated on Standard Form
424, and outside of the envelope in which the application is sent.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 16.603.
Executive Order 12372: This program is subject to the provisions of
Executive Order 12372. E.O. 12372 allows states the option of setting
up a system for reviewing applications from within their states for
assistance under certain federal programs. Applicants (other than
federally recognized Indian tribal governments) should contact their
state Single Point of Contact (SPOC), a list of which is available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
Morris L. Thigpen,
Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. 2012-16786 Filed 7-9-12; 8:45 am]
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