[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8736-8737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-3701]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
National Institute of Corrections
Cooperative Agreement Announcement
AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, Justice.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The NIC announces the solicitation of applications for the
study of the District of Columbia Department of Corrections.
DATES: Applications for this cooperative agreement will be available
beginning February 15, 1995. Applications are due no later than 4 p.m.
Eastern time, March 20, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Request copies of the solicitation (application) from NIC,
320 First St., N.W. (HOLC), Washington, D.C. 20534, by FAX to 202-307-
3361.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John E. Moore or Ms. Anna Z.
Thompson, (202) 307-1300, ext. 147 or 145.
Cooperative Agreement Announcement
District of Columbia Department of Corrections Study
I. Overview
Congress has appropriated $200,000 to the National Institute of
Corrections (NIC) for Federal Fiscal Year 1995 to fund an in-depth
study of the District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DC DOC).
Therefore, the National Institute of Corrections is soliciting
applications from organizations or individuals knowledgeable about
correctional management, programs and operations. The project to be
funded involves an analysis and evaluation of specific areas of the
District of Columbia Department of Corrections. Some areas will also
require attention in the development of a program design as well as
implementation strategies. The project should include, but not be
limited to, a compilation and review of existing data and relevant
information; analysis of the data, to include previous and/or on-going
court ordered evaluations and findings; evaluation of areas listed
below; and recommendations for programmatic and operational improvement
in the DC DOC based on current and ``best'' practices.
II. Scope
The successful applicant will document findings and recommendations
in a report to be made available to NIC. The report will be based on a
comprehensive study of each of the areas listed below:
* Analysis of the rated capacity of the system, to include an
analysis of the appropriate number of inmates to be housed in each
facility;
* Design and implementation of an objective classification system
and a community risk assessment system;
* Staffing analysis;
* A review of the policies, procedures, standards, regulations and
laws currently governing human resource issues within the D.C.
Department of Corrections including hiring, training, assignment, and
promotion of personnel with a special emphasis on hiring and training
standards;
* Assessment of the physical plant, to include, but not be limited
to, state of repair and safety and health considerations;
* Security analysis of those facilities which are not under court
order, to include, but not be limited to, internal security, perimeter/
external security, and assessment of emergency preparedness; (through
and comprehensive security audits as well as assessments of emergency
preparedness have been conducted at Central, Maximum and the Jail by
Court consultants. This effort will be extended to all other facilities
by the cooperative agreement recipient);
* Facility safety and health assessments, primarily of an
environmental nature, to include, but not be limited to, food service
sanitation, vector control, air quality, water supply and sewage
disposal, lighting, and noise control, and communicable disease and
infection control. (Comprehensive assessments are currently being
conducted at Central, Maximum, Modular and the Jail by the Department
of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) with thorough, detailed
reports issued every four months by highly qualified environmental
health and safety experts. The concerns at the facilities under court
scrutiny are probably similar to those at all DC facilities and these
issues can be addressed by auditing the facilities not under court
scrutiny and extrapolating the relevant findings of the DCRA reports to
them);
* Assessment of the adequacy of existing financial resources;
* Review and recommendations as to new and/or additional policies
and procedures relative to the above mentioned areas.
Funding for this project has been set at $200,000 which will
support one cooperative agreement. Activities funded through this
agreement are to be completed within six months after the project
award. Those eligible for application consideration include state
agencies; public for profit or non-profit organizations; associations;
educational institutions; other organizations and individuals. This
project is on an expedited time frame and the award recipient should be
prepared to begin work within 45 days of the closing date of the
announcement. Applications for this project must be received by the
Prisons Division no later than 4 p.m. Eastern time, March 20, 1995.
Note: It is acceptable for two or more organizations to join
together to submit a joint application for this award or for an
applicant to propose some type of a subcontract. There are specific
provisions which apply to these types of arrangements. Any
applicants planning on proposing such an arrangement should contact
NIC and specifically request the briefing materials related to this
issue, see Section VI.
III. Application Procedures
The applicant must complete OMB Standard Form 424, Application for
Federal Assistance; the certification of a drug-free workplace; and the
[[Page 8737]] certification regarding debarment (Copies of these forms
are included in the Institutes' Annual Program Plan.) Detailed
procedures for preparing financial assistance applications are given in
the NIC Guidelines Manual: Instructions for Applying for Federal
Assistance. Each of the above referenced documents will be made
available upon request, see Section VI.
Applications should be submitted in six copies. At least one of the
six copies must bear the original signature, in ink, of the
administrator or chief executive officer of the applicant organization.
A cover letter must identify the responsible audit agency for the
applicant's financial accounts. Applications must be written concisely
and typed double spaced.
Applications must detail the project, the objectives, and the plan
for implementing the proposal. Projected costs and description of the
qualifications of the applicant(s) must be included. The projected cost
of conducting the project is a critical element in the decision making
process, and the Institute urges applicants to keep indirect costs, in
particular, to a minimum. In addition, applicants must assure that they
have the personnel resources to complete this project within the
specified timeframes.
Applications being sent by mail should be addressed to the National
Institute of Corrections, Grant Office, 320 First Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20534. Applications transmitted by fax will not be
accepted or acknowledged. Applications for grants should not be sent to
NIC Longmont, Colorado, offices. Applications being sent by personal
delivery or Federal Express should be directed to the National
Institute of Corrections, 500 First Street, N.W., Grants Office,
Seventh Floor, Washington, D.C. 20534.
IV. Application Review Procedures
Applications for grants and cooperative agreements are reviewed by
a team of Institute staff members. The applications are subsequently
approved or disapproved by the Director of the National Institute of
Corrections. Four categories of criteria are used in reviewing
applications: programmatic, organizational, project management, and
financial/administrative. Among the specific criteria used to evaluate
the applications are:
* Indication of a clear understanding of the specific areas of
corrections to be addressed by this project and the key issues;
* Well-defined project objectives, tasks, and resources necessary
to meet the objectives;
* Technical soundness of the design and methodology for achieving
the project goals;
* Description of all elements and tasks of the project, and
realistic timeframes necessary to complete the tasks;
* Background, experience, and expertise of the proposed project
staff, including any subcontractors;
* Sufficient and realistic time commitments from key project staff;
* Reputation or recognized skill of the applicant organization and
any proposed subcontractors;
* Financial and administrative integrity of the proposal, including
adherence to federal financial guidelines and processes;
* Adequate detail and narrative about the cost elements in the
proposed budget.
V. Project Outcome
The final product will be a camera-ready document that is fully and
professionally edited and prepared in accordance with NIC and federal
publications guidelines. A copy of the ``General Conditions'' for
projects entailing the preparation of a report for publication and
public dissemination is available upon request, see section VI.
Monthly briefings, quarterly progress reports and a three month
interim product will be required. The Cooperative Agreement recipient
will be expected to work closely with the NIC Project Monitor as well
as the designated Project Coordinator from the DC Department of
Corrections.
VI. Additional Information
To obtain additional information including OMB Standard Form 424,
Application for Federal Assistance; the certification of a drug-free
workplace; certification regarding debarment (Copies of these forms are
included in the Institutes' Annual Program Plan), as well as, NIC
Guidelines Manual: Instructions for Applying for Federal Assistance and
``General Conditions'' for the preparation of printed material you may
contact John E. Moore or Anna Z. Thompson, Correctional Program
Specialists, Prisons Division, National Institute of Corrections, 320
First St., N.W. (HOLC), Washington, D.C. 20534, Phone: 202-307-1300,
ext. 147 or 145 or fax 202-307-3361.
Morris L. Thigpen,
Director.
[FR Doc. 95-3701 Filed 2-14-95; 8:45 am]
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