OJP/OVW Solicitation Template to Announce Grant Programs

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs or Office on Violence Against Women

Agency name (i.e. Bureau of Justice Assistance) OJP or OVW Logo

The U.S. Department of Justice, [Insert name of Office, with Hyperlink] is pleased to announce that it is seeking applications for funding under the Recovery Act [Program name] program.

On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the landmark American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Recovery Act”). As one of its many elements, the Recovery Act provides the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) with funding for grants to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement (including support for hiring), to combat violence against women, to fight internet crimes against children, to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, to assist victims of crime, and to support youth mentoring. DOJ is committed to working with our national, state, local and tribal partnerships to ensure this funding invests in the American workforce.

Recovery Act - Announcement Title

Eligibility

(See “Eligibility,” page __)

Deadline

Registration with Grants.gov/GMS is required prior to application submission.

Applicants must obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet prior to application submission. Applicants, including those applying through GMS, must register with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database.

(See “Deadline: Registration,” page __)

All applications are due by (time) p.m. Eastern Time on (date), 200__.

(See “Deadline: Application”, page __)

Contact Information

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact (name of grant or program manager), (title), at (phone number) or Email.

This application must be submitted through Grants.gov/OJP’s Grants Management System (GMS). For technical assistance with submitting the application, call _______________ [This will vary by announcement; may include information below for Grants.gov or GMS].

The Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 1–800–518–4726 or send an email to support@grants.gov.

The Grants Management System Support Hotline at 1-888-549-9901, option 3.

Note: The Grants.gov/GMS Support Hotline hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Grants.Gov number assigned to announcement: office-200x-xxxx

CONTENTS

[Titles can be hyperlinks to sections for electronic versions.]

Overview [Grant/Cooperative Agreement] …………………………………………………

Deadline: Registration ……………………………………………………………………………

Deadline: Application …………………………………………………………………………

Eligibility ………………………………………………………………………………………

• General Statement of Eligibility in accordance with program authority and/or policy (outlines organizations generally eligible to apply in response to this solicitation)

• Additional Requirements of the Recovery Act related to Eligibility to Receive Funds

• Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations (if applicable) ……….

• American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Tribes and/or Tribal Organizations (if applicable)

[Program-/Project-] Specific Information…………………………………………..

Accountability and Transparency under the Recovery Act ………………………

Performance Measures……………………………………………………………..

How to Apply…………………………………………………………………………

What An Application Must Include …………………………………………………

Selection Criteria…………………………………………………………………….

Review Process……………………………………………………………………...

Additional Requirements ………………………………………………………….

Application Checklist ………………………………………………………………

Appendix: Template(s) for Required Certification(s) ……………………………

TITLE (of the announcement)

(CFDA #)

Overview

This grant program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (the “Recovery Act”) [and by __________________.] [Insert reference to specific authorizing legislation, if applicable.]

The purposes of the Recovery Act are to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize State and local government budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive State and local tax increases.

The Recovery Act places great emphasis on accountability and transparency in the use of taxpayer dollars. Among other things, it creates a new Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board and a new website – Recovery.gov – to provide information to the public, including access to detailed information on grants and contracts made with Recovery Act funds.

[In roughly 100 words, describe the purpose of the solicitation. You might state the crime problem or issue you want addressed, the program, or the reasons you are issuing this solicitation.]

Deadline: Registration

[For announcements that require application through Grants.gov, the following language should be used:]

Registering with Grants.gov

Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time process. OJP [OVW] highly recommends that applicants start the registration process as early as possible to prevent delays in submitting an application package to our agency by the application deadline specified. It can take up to several weeks for first-time registrants to receive confirmations/user passwords and other unforeseen processing delays may occur. The registration process for organizations involves these steps: (1) Obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number; (2) Register your organization with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database; (3) Register with Grants.gov’s Credential Provider and obtain a username and password; (4) Register with Grants.gov to establish yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); and (5) The E-Business Point of Contact (POC) assigns the “Authorized Applicant Role” to you. For more information about the registration process, go to www.grants.gov. Note: Your CCR Registration must be renewed once a year. Failure to renew the CCR registration may prohibit submission of a grant application through Grants.gov.

[For announcements that require application through GMS, the following language should be used:]

Registering with OJP’s Grants Management System (GMS)

Applications must be submitted through OJP’s online Grants Management System (GMS). To access the system, go to https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov. Applicants should begin the process immediately to meet the GMS registration deadline, especially if this is the first time they have used the system. Each application requires a separate GMS registration. The registration process for organizations includes: (1) Obtaining a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number; (2) Registering your organization with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database; and (3) Registering with GMS prior to applying.

The deadline to register is ________ p.m. Eastern Time on (date), 200__.

A DUNS number is required. All applicants under this solicitation must include a DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number in their application. Applications without a DUNS number are incomplete.

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, simple, one-time activity. Obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or by applying online at http://www.dnb.com/us/. Individuals are exempt from this requirement.

Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is required. In addition to the DUNS number requirement, OJP [OVW] 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 registration procedures can be accessed at www.ccr.gov.

Deadline: Application

The due date for applying for funding under this announcement is ________ p.m. Eastern Time on (date), 200__.

[For announcements that require application through Grants.gov, the following language should be included:]

Applying in Grants.gov

Within 24-48 hours after submitting your electronic application, you should receive an email validation message from Grants.gov. The validation message will tell you if the application has been received and validated or if it has been rejected, and why.

Important: You are urged to submit your application at least 72 hours prior to the due date of the application to allow time to receive the validation message and to correct any problems that may have caused the rejection notification.

OJP [OVW] procedures to address technical problems related to the submission of your application

If you experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond your control, you must contact OJP [OVW] staff within 24 hours after the due date and request approval to submit your application. At that time, OJP [OVW] staff will require you to email the complete grant application, your DUNS number, and provide a Grants.gov Help Desk tracking number(s). After OJP [OVW] reviews all of the information submitted as well as contacts Grants.gov to validate the technical issues reported by the applicant, OJP [OVW] will contact you to either approve or deny the request.

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 Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its website; (3) failure to follow all of the instructions in the OJP [OVW] solicitation; and (4) technical issues experienced with the applicant’s computer or information technology (IT) environment.

Notifications regarding known technical problems with Grants.gov are posted on the OJP [OVW] funding web page, www.ojp.gov/funding/solicitations.htm [OVW url].

Eligibility

[General Statement of Eligibility in accordance with program authority and/or policy (identifies entities generally eligible to apply in response to this solicitation). The content and formatting of this section may differ for each agency or announcement.]

Additional Requirements related to the Recovery Act (including certification requirements):

Reporting on the Use of Funds. In order to be eligible to receive funds under this solicitation, applicants must certify that they will satisfy the reporting requirements of section 1512(c) of the Recovery Act, which requires detailed reporting (including reporting on subawards) not later than ten calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter. Detailed information on section 1512(c) appears below, under “Accountability and Transparency under the Recovery Act.” A template for the certification is included in the appendix. Applicants may expect that a standard form and/or standard reporting mechanism will be made available.

[Insert if program makes funds available to States]

Funding Distribution and Appropriate Use of Funds. Section 1607 of the Recovery Act requires either a certification by the Governor or a concurrent resolution of the State legislature concerning funds distribution and assurance of appropriate use of funds. States may not receive funds under this Recovery Act solicitation unless section 1607 is satisfied. (Refer to the OJP [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements webpage at [new url] for the text of section 1607.)

[Insert if program makes funds available to States or units of local government (including tribal governments) for infrastructure investment]

Certification regarding Infrastructure Investments. Pursuant to section 1511 of the Recovery Act, a State or local government (including a federally-recognized Indian tribal government) may not receive funds for an infrastructure investment (for example, construction or major renovation of a correctional facility) unless the Governor, mayor, or other chief executive, as appropriate, certifies that the infrastructure investment has received the full vetting required by law and that the chief executive accepts responsibility that the infrastructure is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. The certification must include a description of the infrastructure investment, the estimated total cost, and the amount of Recovery Act funds to be used, and must be posted on a website that is linked to Recovery.gov. (Refer to the OJP [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements webpage at [new url] for the text of section 1511.)

Consistent with section 1511, all applicants under this solicitation must complete a “General Certification as to Requirements for Receipt of Funds for Infrastructure Investments,” a template for which is included in the appendix. Recipients that are awarded funds for one or more infrastructure investment projects must also submit and post a certification that satisfies section 1511 as to each such specific project prior to obligating, expending, or drawing down funds for such a project. Applicants or recipients that intend to prepare a section 1511 certification should consult the OJP [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements webpage at [new url]. If a standard form becomes available, OJP [OVW] will include a notice in the appropriate section of the webpage.

[Every solicitation must include the following two statements (with boldfaced subheading) if faith based and community organizations or American Indian and Alaska Native communities are eligible to apply for the funding available through the announcement. This section should be omitted from the announcement for any grant for which faith-based and community organizations are ineligible.]

Faith-Based And Other Community Organizations: Consistent with Executive Order 13279, dated December 12, 2002, and 28 C.F.R. Part 38, faith-based and other community organizations that statutorily qualify as eligible applicants under DOJ programs are invited and encouraged to apply for assistance awards to fund eligible grant activities. Faith-based and other community organizations will be considered for awards on the same basis as other eligible applicants and, if they receive assistance awards, will be treated on an equal basis with all other grantees in the administration of such awards. No eligible applicant or grantee will be discriminated for or against on the basis of its religious character or affiliation, religious name, or the religious composition of its board of directors or persons working in the organization.

Faith-based organizations receiving DOJ assistance awards retain their independence and do not lose or have to modify their religious identity (e.g., remove religious symbols) to receive assistance awards. DOJ grant funds, however, may not be used to fund any inherently religious activity, such as prayer or worship. Inherently religious activity is permissible, although it cannot occur during an activity funded with DOJ grant funds; rather, such religious activity must be separate in time or place from the DOJ-funded program. Further, participation in such activity by individuals receiving services must be voluntary. Programs funded by DOJ are not permitted to discriminate in the provision of services on the basis of a beneficiary’s religion.

If your organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it may be entitled, under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb, to receive federal funds and yet maintain that hiring practice, even if the law creating the funding program contains a general ban on religious discrimination in employment. For the circumstances under which this may occur, and the certifications that may be required, please see the section titled, “Funding to Faith-Based Organizations” on the “OJP [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements” webpage at [new url].

Applicants are also encouraged to review the “Civil Rights Compliance” section on the “OJP [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements” webpage, which can be found at the web address shown above.

American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Tribes and/or Tribal Organizations: All applications intended to directly benefit an Indian tribe must be accompanied by a current authorizing resolution of the governing body of the tribal entity or other enactment of the tribal council or comparable government body. If the grant will benefit more than one tribal entity, a current authorizing resolution or other enactment of the tribal council or comparable government body from each tribal entity must be included. If the grant application is being submitted on behalf of a tribal entity, a letter or similar document authorizing the inclusion of the tribal entity named in the application must be included.

[Program-/Project-] Specific Information

[All solicitations should include the following statement:]

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law. Applicants also should anticipate that awards under the Recovery Act will be one-time awards.

[More detailed information on what is sought in this program or project should appear here. The content and format of the information provided in this section should be customized to the announcement by the agency. However, at a minimum, information on the following should be included, if applicable to the announcement:

Detailed information on the purpose of the grant program (including, as appropriate, expected public benefits related to the goals and objectives of the Recovery Act)

Goals, objectives, and deliverables

Capabilities and competencies

Impact, outcome, and evaluation

General guidance on the expected awards, such as grant amount, and length of grant period

General guidance on funding information for each particular announcement

[Note: In developing discretionary Recovery Act programs (including performance measures and selection criteria), program offices are expected to give consideration to the goals and objectives of the Recovery Act.]

Include the following in solicitations for discretionary (i.e., non-formula) programs:

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver: No portion of any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation may be used to pay any portion of the total cash compensation (salary plus bonuses) of any employee of the award recipient whose total cash compensation exceeds 110% of the maximum annual salary payable to a member of the Federal government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an agency with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System for that year. (The salary table for SES employees is available at www.opm.gov.)

This prohibition may be waived at the discretion of the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. An applicant that wishes to request a waiver should include a detailed justification in the budget narrative for the application. The justification should include: the particular qualification and expertise of the individual, the uniqueness of the service being provided, the individual’s specific knowledge of the program or project undertaken with the grant funds and a statement explaining that the individual’s salary is commensurate with the regular and customary rate for an individual with her/his qualifications and expertise, and for the work that is to be done.

Match Requirement: If a match is required, an explanation of that requirement should appear in this section and should be highlighted with a bold subheading. At the present time (February 2009), it appears to OJP [OVW] OGC that the only Recovery Act program that requires a match is the construction of jails in tribal lands pursuant to VOI/TIS. The following language should be used:

Match Requirement (cash or in-kind)

A grant made under this program may not cover more than 90 percent of the total costs of the project being funded. The applicant must identify the source of the 10 percent non-federal portion of the budget and how match funds will be used. Applicants may satisfy this match requirement with either cash or in-kind services. The formula for calculating the match is:

Award amount = Adjusted Project Costs X Recipient's share = required match

Federal Share

Example: 90/10% match requirement

For a federal award amount of $350,000, match would be calculated as follows:

$350,000 = $388,889 X 10% = $38,889 match

90%

[For programs to which non-supplanting does not apply]

Non-Supplanting: For purposes of this Recovery Act solicitation, the general non-supplanting requirement of the OJP Financial Guide (Part II, Chapter 3) does not apply.

[For programs to which non-supplant requirement does apply]

Non-supplanting: Funds awarded under this solicitation must not supplant existing funds. For additional information on matters concerning this requirement, please refer to the OJP Financial Guide (Part II, Chapter 3), and to the additional information that appears on the “OJP [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements” webpage at [new url].

[Include in solicitations for programs where funds may be used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work:]

Recovery Act: Buy American

All applicants that propose to use grant funds to construct, alter, maintain, or repair a public building or public work should be aware that the Recovery Act (in section 1605) contains a “Buy American” provision that applies to iron, steel, and manufactured goods, subject to certain exceptions. The provision is to be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements. Government-wide guidance on this provision is not yet available, but is expected. For the text of section 1605, please refer to the ““OJP [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements” webpage at [new url].

[Include in solicitations that permit construction or renovation or _________ (TBD).

Recovery Act: Wage Rate Requirements

All applicants should be aware that the Recovery Act contains a provision on wage rate requirements that concerns projects funded or assisted by Recovery Act funds that employ laborers and mechanics. See section 1606 of the Recovery Act, the text of which appears on the “OJP [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements” webpage at [new url]. Government-wide guidance on this provision is not yet available, but is expected.

[Include for programs that permit infrastructure investment][May need modification for State JAG]

Recovery Act: Preference for Quick-Start Activities

Pursuant to section 1602 of the Recovery Act, recipient of funds under this solicitation for infrastructure investment are to give preference to activities that can be started and completed expeditiously, and also are expected to use grant funds in a manner that maximizes job creation and economic benefit. For the details of this requirement, please refer to the text of section 1602, which appears on the “OJP’s [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements” webpage at [new url].

Include for all solicitations:

Recovery Act: Contracts

Generally speaking, the Recovery Act places special emphasis on the use of fixed-price contracts awarded through competitive procedures. As information becomes available, OJP [OVW] will provide guidance to applicants as to what, if any, particular procurement requirements or procedures may apply to contracts awarded with Recovery Act grant funds, apart from those that appear in 28 C.F.R. Part 66 and 28 C.F.R. Part 70.

Recovery Act: Limit on Funds

The Recovery Act specifically provides that funds may not be used by any State or local government, or any private entity, for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, or swimming pool.

Recovery Act: Use of Funds in Conjunction with Funds from Other Sources.

Recovery Act funds may be used in conjunction with other funding as necessary to complete projects, but tracking and reporting of Recovery Act funds must be separate, to meet the reporting and other requirements of the Recovery Act and other applicable law. There can be no commingling of funds. (See “Accountability and Transparency under the Recovery Act,” below.)

Accountability and Transparency under the Recovery Act

Separate Tracking and Reporting of Recovery Act Funds and Outcomes

Consistent with the special purposes and goals of the Recovery Act, and its strong emphasis on accountability and transparency, it is essential that all funds from a Recovery Act grant be tracked, accounted for, and reported on separately from all other funds (including funds from non-Recovery-Act grants awarded for the same or similar purposes or programs). Recipients must also be prepared to track and report on the specific outcomes and benefits attributable to use of Recovery Act funds.

The accounting systems of all recipients and subrecipients must ensure that funds from any award under this Recovery Act solicitation are not commingled with funds from any other source.

Quarterly Financial and Programmatic Reporting

Consistent with the Recovery Act emphasis on accountability and transparency, reporting requirements under Recovery Act grant programs will differ from and expand upon OJP’s [OVW’s] standard reporting requirements for grants. In particular, section 1512(c) of the Recovery Act sets out detailed requirements for quarterly reports that must be submitted within 10 days of the end of each calendar quarter. Receipt of funds will be contingent on meeting the Recovery Act reporting requirements.

Under this Recovery Act program, quarterly financial and programmatic reporting will be required, and will be due within 10 calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter, starting July 10, 2009. The information from grantee reports will be posted on a public website. To the extent that grant funds are available to pay a grantee’s administrative expenses, those funds may be used to assist the grantee in meeting the accelerated time-frame and extensive reporting requirements of the Recovery Act.

Recovery Act grant recipients may expect that the information posted by OJP [OVW] will identify grantees that are delinquent in their reporting. In addition, in keeping with standard OJP [OVW] practice, grant recipients who do not submit required reports by the due date will not be permitted to draw down funds thereafter, during the pendency of the delinquency, and may be subject to other appropriate actions by OJP [OVW], including, but not limited to, restrictions on eligibility for other OJP [OVW] awards, restrictions on draw-down on other OJP [OVW] awards, and suspension or termination of the Recovery Act award.

Additional instructions and guidance regarding the required reporting will be provided as they become available. For planning purposes, however, all applicants should be aware that the Recovery Act section 1512(c) provides as follows:

Recipient Reports- Not later than 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter, each recipient that received recovery funds from a Federal agency shall submit a report to that agency that contains--

(1) the total amount of recovery funds received from that agency;

(2) the amount of recovery funds received that were expended or obligated to projects or activities; and

(3) a detailed list of all projects or activities for which recovery funds were expended or obligated, including--

(A) the name of the project or activity;

(B) a description of the project or activity;

(C) an evaluation of the completion status of the project or activity;

(D) an estimate of the number of jobs created and the number of jobs retained by the project or activity; and

(E) for infrastructure investments made by State and local governments, the purpose, total cost, and rationale of the agency for funding the infrastructure investment with funds made available under this Act, and name of the person to contact at the agency if there are concerns with the infrastructure investment.

(4) Detailed information on any subcontracts or subgrants awarded by the recipient to include the data elements required to comply with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-282), allowing aggregate reporting on awards below $25,000 or to individuals, as prescribed by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Subawards under Recovery Act Grants

Reporting; DUNS and CCR. As indicated above, quarterly reporting requirements for Recovery Act awards include reporting with respect to subawards. In order to facilitate that reporting, award recipients must work with their first-tier subawardees (if any) to ensure that, no later than the due date of the award recipient’s first quarterly report after a subaward is made, the subawardee has a DUNS numbers and is registered with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. See “Deadline: Registration,” above, for more information on CCR and DUNS numbers.

Monitoring of subawards. All applicants should bear in mind that any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be responsible for monitoring of subawards under the grant in accordance with all applicable statutes, regulations, OMB circulars, and guidelines, including the OJP Financial Guide.

Reporting Fraud, Waste, Error, and Abuse

Each grantee or subgrantee awarded funds made available under the Recovery Act is to promptly refer to an appropriate inspector general any credible evidence that a principal, employee, agent, contractor, subgrantee, subcontractor, or other person has submitted false claim under the False Claims Act or has committed a criminal or civil violation of laws pertaining to fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, gratuity, or similar misconduct involving Recovery Act funds.

Report potential fraud, waste or abuse to the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/index.html.

Performance Measures

[Performance measures specific to each project/program will be inserted by the program office. Information outlined in the chart will vary by announcement. However, the chart and the following statement on performance measures should be included in the announcement.]

To assist in fulfilling the accountability objectives of the Recovery Act, as well as the Department’s responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, applicants who receive funding under this solicitation must provide data that measure the results of their work. Additionally, applicants must discuss their data collection methods in the application. Performance measures for this solicitation are as follows:

Objective	Catalog ID	Performance Measures	Data Grantee Provides

How to Apply

[For announcements that require application through Grants.gov, the language in the following four paragraphs should be used:]

DOJ participates in Grants.gov – a “one-stop storefront” that provides a unified process for all customers of federal grants to find funding opportunities and apply for funding.

Grants.Gov Instructions: Complete instructions can be found at www.grants.gov.

If you experience difficulties at any point during this process, please call the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 1-800-518-4726, Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. eastern time.

Funding Opportunities with Multiple Purpose Areas: Some OJP [OVW] solicitations posted to Grants.gov contain multiple purpose areas, denoted by the individual Competition ID. If you are applying to a solicitation with multiple Competition IDs, you must select the appropriate Competition ID for the intended purpose area of your application. The application will be peer reviewed according to the requirements of the purpose area under which it is submitted.

Note: OJP’s Grants Management System (GMS) does not support Microsoft Vista or Microsoft 2007.  Therefore, OJP [OVW] will not review any application whose attachments are in Microsoft Vista or Microsoft 2007 format. GMS downloads applications from Grants.gov and is the system in which OJP [OVW] reviews applications and manages awarded grants. Applications submitted via GMS must be in the following formats: Microsoft Word (*.doc), Word Perfect (*.wpd), Microsoft Excel (*.xlm), PDF files (*.pdf), or Text Documents (*.txt). GMS is not yet compatible with Vista and cannot yet process Microsoft Word 2007 documents saved in the new default format with the extensions of “.docx.” Please ensure that any Word documents you are submitting in Grants.gov are saved using “Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc)” format. Additionally, 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."

[For announcements that require application through GMS, the following language should be used:]

Grants Management System Instructions. Applications must be submitted through OJP’s online Grants Management System (GMS). To access the system, go to https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov. Applicants should begin the process a few weeks prior to the GMS registration deadline, especially if this is the first time they have used the system. Each application requires a separate GMS registration. For a step-by-step guide, visit http://www.ojp.gov/gmscbt/ and refer to the section entitled “External Overview: Locating & Applying for Funding Opportunities.” For additional assistance, call the GMS Help Desk at 1–888–549–9901 from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday to Friday.

Note: OJP [OVW] will not review any application whose attachments are in Microsoft Vista or Microsoft 2007 format. Applications submitted via GMS must be in the following formats: Microsoft Word (*.doc), Word Perfect (*.wpd), Microsoft Excel (*.xlm), PDF files (*.pdf), or Text Documents (*.txt). GMS is not yet compatible with Vista and cannot yet process Microsoft Word 2007 documents saved in the new default format with the extension “.docx.” Please ensure that any Word documents you are submitting are saved using "Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc)" format. Additionally, 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."

[All announcements should include the CFDA number statement and DUNS number statement as appropriate to the announcement.]

Recovery Act CFDA Number: The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for this solicitation is ___________, titled “___________,” and the funding opportunity number is ___________. [The CFDA title and solicitation title are not necessarily the same; please use the CFDA title in the space provided in this entry.]

What an Application Must Include

[This section may vary as to the specific guidance each agency provides applicants for each announcement. Generally, this section should contain guidance on the following elements:]

Standard Form 424

Program Narrative

Budget and Budget Narrative [hyperlink]

Description of the Applicant’s Plan for the Collection of the Data Required for Performance Measures

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

Certifications

Other Attachments

[This section of the announcement may also include specific information for the applicant, such as requirements for the length or format of the application package.]

Selection Criteria

[This section should include information on the criteria used (and assignment of percentage weight, if applicable) to evaluate applications. The percentages provided below are only examples. This information may vary by agency or announcement. Headings below should be used in all OJP [OVW] solicitations. Components may customize the sub-criteria.]

1. Statement of the Problem/Program Narrative (15%)

2. Project/Program Design and Implementation (30%)

3. Capabilities/Competencies (20%)

4. Budget (15%)

5. Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation/Plan for Collecting Data for Performance Measures (15%)

6. Other (5%)

[Program offices should consider adding to the above list (whether as additional criteria or subcriteria) factors that reflect the goals of the Recovery Act (stated earlier, under “Overview.” These may include--

Project objectives that are linked to meaningful and measurable outcomes consistent with the goals of the Recovery Act, and the likelihood of achieving such outcomes, such as job creation and preservation.

Activities that can be started and completed expeditiously, and in a manner that maximizes job creation and economic benefit.

Sound financial systems and procedures that can track and report funds separately and in a clear, accurate, and timely manner.]

Review Process

[This section should include a discussion of the review process that will be used for applications. Information about how applications will be reviewed (i.e. through peer review) and who will make the final funding decisions also should be included here. At a minimum, the paragraphs in blue need to be included.]

OJP [OVW] is committed to ensuring a standardized process for awarding grants. The [insert Program Office name] reviews the application to make sure that the information presented is reasonable, understandable, measurable, and achievable, as well as consistent with program or legislative requirements as stated in the solicitation.

[For Competitive Solicitations add the following two paragraphs]

Peer reviewers will be reviewing the applications submitted under this solicitation as well. [insert Program Office name] may use either internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers or a combination of both 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 an expert in the field of the subject matter of a given solicitation who is a current U.S. Department of Justice employee. Applications will be screened initially to determine whether the applicant meets all eligibility requirements. Only applications submitted by eligible applicants that meet all other requirements (such as timeliness, proper format, and responsiveness to the scope of the solicitation) 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 may include, but are not limited to, underserved populations, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding.

After the peer review is finalized, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), in consultation with [insert Program Office name], conducts a financial review of all 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. OCFO also reviews the award document and verifies the OJP [OVW] Vendor Number.

[Add the following to all solicitations:]

Absent explicit statutory authorization or written delegation of authority to the contrary, all final grant award decisions will be made by the OJP Assistant Attorney General (AAG) [OVW Director], who may also give consideration to factors including, but not limited to, underserved populations, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding when making awards.

Additional Requirements

Successful applicants selected for awards under this Recovery Act solicitation must agree to comply with additional applicable requirements prior to receiving grant funding. We strongly encourage you to review the list below pertaining to these additional requirements prior to submitting your application. Additional information for each can be found at [insert new url for “OJP [OVW] Recovery Act Additional Requirements” webpage.]

• Civil Rights Compliance

• Funding to Faith-Based Organizations

• Confidentiality and Human Subjects Protection

• Anti-Lobbying Act

• Financial and Government Audit Requirements

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) [Content to be edited in light of section 1609 of the Recovery Act. ]

• DOJ Information Technology Standards

• Single Point of Contact Review

• Non-Supplanting of State and Local Funds [Content to be edited]

• Criminal Penalty for False Statements

• Compliance with Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide [hyperlink]

• Suspension or Termination of Funding

• Non-Profit Organizations

• For-Profit Organizations

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

• Rights in Intellectual Property

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

• Section 1511 of the Recovery Act: Certifications [Text of provision only]

• Section 1512(c) of the Recovery Act: Reports on the Use of Funds [Text of provision only]

• Section 1602 of the Recovery Act: Preference for Quick-Start Activities [Text of provision only]

• Section 1604 of the Recovery Act: Limit on Funds [Text of provision only]

• Section 1605 of the Recovery Act: Buy American [Text of provision; OMB meeting scheduled for 2/27/09]

• Section 1606 of the Recovery Act: Wage Rate Requirements [Text of provision only]

• Section 1607 of the Recovery Act: Additional Funding Distribution and Assurance of Appropriate Use of Funds [Text of provision only]

• Section 1609 of the Recovery Act: Relating to National Environmental Policy Act

[This section may also include any additional information deemed necessary by announcing agency.]

Appendix. Template(s) for Certification(s)

(Instructions: Scan signed certification(s) and submit image files electronically as part of your application package.)

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

[OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN]

Recovery Act - [insert name of grant program]

Grants Program

Certification as to Recovery Act Reporting Requirements

On behalf of the applicant entity named below, I certify the following to the Office of Justice Programs [Office on Violence Against Women], U.S. Department of Justice:

I have personally read and reviewed the section entitled “Accountability and Transparency under the Recovery Act” in the program announcement for the Recovery Act grant program identified above. I have also read and reviewed section 1512(c) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), concerning reporting requirements for grants. I agree that the applicant will comply with the reporting requirements set forth therein with respect to any grant the applicant may receive under the Recovery Act grant program identified above.

I acknowledge that a false statement in this certification may be subject to criminal prosecution, including under 18 U.S.C. § 1001. I also acknowledge that Office of Justice Program [Office on Violence Against Women], grants, including certifications provided in connection with such grants, are subject to review by the Office of Justice Programs [Office on Violence Against Women], and/or by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General.

I have authority to make this certification on behalf of the applicant entity (that is, the entity applying directly to the Office of Justice Programs [Office on Violence Against Women]).

___________________________________________

Signature of Certifying Official

___________________________________________

Printed Name of Certifying Official

___________________________________________

Title of Certifying Official

___________________________________________

Full Name of Applicant Entity

____________________

Date

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

[OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN]

Recovery Act - [insert name of grant program]

Grants Program

General Certification as to Requirements for Receipt of Funds

for Infrastructure Investments

On behalf of the applicant State or unit of local government (including tribal government) named below, I certify the following to the Office of Justice Programs (“OJP”) [Office on Violence Against Women (“OVW”)], U.S. Department of Justice:

I have personally read and reviewed the section entitled “Eligibility” in the program announcement for the Recovery Act grant program named above. I also have personally read and reviewed section 1511 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Recovery Act”), which requires a specific certification prior to receipt of Recovery Act funds for infrastructure investments.

Initial the statement that applies:

_____ The applicant identified below does not intend to use any portion of any funds received under this Recovery Act grant program for any infrastructure investment. Should this intention change, the applicant will promptly notify OJP [OVW], and (except to the extent, if any, that OJP [OVW] has given prior written approval to expend funds to conduct the review and vetting required by law) will not draw down, obligate, or expend any funds received under this Recovery Act program for any infrastructure investment project until section 1511 of the Recovery Act has been satisfied, and an adequate project-specific certification has been executed, posted, and submitted to OJP [OVW].

_____ The applicant identified below does intend to use some or all of any funds received under this Recovery Act grant program for one or more infrastructure investment projects. Except to the extent, if any, that OJP [OVW] has given prior written approval to expend funds to conduct the review and vetting required by law, I agree that the applicant entity will execute, post, and submit to OJP [OVW], prior to obligating, expending, or drawing down funds for such project, a project-specific certification that satisfies all of the requirements of section 1511 (including execution by the Governor, mayor, or other chief executive, as appropriate) for each such infrastructure investment project.

Page 2 of 2

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS

[OFFICE ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN]

General Certification as to Requirements for Receipt of Funds

for Infrastructure Investments __

I acknowledge that a false statement in this certification may be subject to criminal prosecution, including under 18 U.S.C. § 1001. I also acknowledge that Office of Justice Program [Office on Violence Against Women] grants, including certifications provided in connection with such grants, are subject to review by the Office of Justice Programs [Office on Violence Against Women] and/or by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General.

I have authority to make this certification on behalf of the applicant (that is, the governmental entity applying directly to the Office of Justice Programs [Office on Violence Against Women]).

___________________________________________

Signature of Certifying Official

___________________________________________

Printed Name of Certifying Official

___________________________________________

Title of Certifying Official

___________________________________________

Full Name of Applicant Government Entity

____________________

Date

22