[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 42 (Monday, March 4, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9787-9789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5076]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement Document: Basic Guide to 
Jail Administration

AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, Department of Justice.

ACTION: Solicitation for a cooperative agreement.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Corrections, Jails Division, is 
seeking applications for the development of a document that provides 
jail administrators a guide to the basics of assessing, directing, and 
improving their jail operations.
    Background: There are over 3,000 jails in the United States, and 
the administrators of these facilities have widely varying backgrounds, 
experience, and expertise. Often, jail administrators come to their 
position with some background in general management techniques, but 
with minimal knowledge and skills in assessing, directing, and 
overseeing functions specific to jails. Many jail administrators have 
access to little or no training, since jail funding is frequently 
severely limited and the training budget is reduced to support other 
basic functions. As a result of this lack of experience and 
information, many jail

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administrators cannot ensure their jails comply with legal mandates, 
their operations reflect effective and professional practices, or their 
scarce resources are efficiently used. In fact, without essential 
information on jail administration, many of those who oversee the 
nation's jails cannot even ensure their jails are safe and secure, and 
this puts staff, inmates, and the community at risk--and places the 
local government at high risk for liability.
    The National Institute of Corrections offers training on jail 
administration, but is able to reach only a minority of the nation's 
jail administrators in this way. NIC also makes available a variety of 
documents on administration-related issues and refers jail 
administrators to other sources of information and services where 
appropriate. There is, however, no one document that can serve as a 
concise and practical guide to jail administration. Such a document 
will help fill a widespread information void among the nation's jail 
administrators.
    Project Objectives: The National Institute of Corrections wishes to 
produce a basic guide to jail administration that can be widely 
disseminated to the nation's jails.

Scope of Work

    Document Length: Approximately 150 pages in the body of the 
document, plus appendices
    Document Audience: Administrators of jails of all sizes and all 
geographic locations, especially those administrators who are new to 
their positions or those who have been in their position for some time 
without benefit of training.
    Use of Document: The document will be a practical guide to the 
assessment, direction, and oversight of local jails.
    Document Distribution: NIC expects to distribute the document 
widely. It will be made available, upon request and free of charge, 
through the NIC Information Center. Local officials, jail 
administrators and other practitioners, professional corrections 
organizations, private corrections consultants, and professionals in 
related fields will be able to request and receive this document.
    Document Content: The document will be a basic guide to jail 
administration. It must be concise, clear, and easily read and 
referenced. It must be of practical use to the jail administrator and 
provide information and assessment tools that will allow the 
administrator to evaluate and improve his/her jail operations. It is 
not intended to provide exhaustive information on each content topic; 
instead, it should provide a brief narrative on each topic with related 
assessment instruments and reference to other reading and resources for 
further information. The following is an outline of the content topics, 
at a minimum, to be included. This is not intended to dictate the 
organization of the manual, but to give applicants an idea of expected 
subject matter. NIC acknowledges that content and organization will 
evolve during document development, and applicants are encouraged to 
present their ideas about organization and content in their proposals.
    For the purpose of this Request for Proposal, content topics are 
divided into three broad areas: (1) Introductory or general topics, (2) 
tools the jail administrator will apply in all areas of jail 
operations, and (3) specific jail functions.

Introductory Topics

The Role of the Jail in the Criminal Justice System

    Inmates--a discussion of the legal status of jail inmates (pre-
trial and sentenced, detention for various criminal justice agencies), 
the diversity of the population (gender, age, needs and risks among the 
inmate population), and the challenges this diversity presents to jail 
management.
    The role of the jail administrator--an overview of the 
administrator's role in the jail and his/her role in areas that are 
external to, but affect, the jail.
    Administrative liability and the basics of risk reduction.
    First thirty days on the job: questions to ask and where to get the 
answers.
    Planning, setting priorities, and making improvements.
    For each introductory or general topic, the document should also 
include references to additional reading and resources.

Fundamental Tools in Jail Administration (tools applied to any jail 
function)

    Jail standards--how standards are used in jail management; sources 
of standards.
    Policies and procedures--how policies and procedures are used in 
jail management; developing, reviewing, and updating policies and 
procedures.
    Resources--budget management strategies, non-fiscal resources 
available to jails.
    Staffing--determining needs; justifying and presenting the staffing 
request.
    Staff training--components of an effective staff training plan; 
training resources.
    Assessments and audits, both internal and external--assessments and 
audits essential to jail management; how to use assessment and audit 
information to make improvements.
    Documentation--the criticality, purposes, and uses of documentation 
in the jail.
    For each of the ``fundamental tools'' topics, the document should 
also include strategies and instruments for assessing operations and 
references to additional reading and resources.

Jail Functions

    For each of the following areas, the discussion should include: (1) 
Related legal requirements and standards, (2) effective practices, (3) 
strategies and tools for assessing operations, (4) strategies for 
improving operations (issues to consider, developing an action plan, 
resources needed), (5) strategies for measuring improvements, and (6) 
references to additional reading and resources.

Personnel management
Security
Emergency preparedness
Physical plant: safety, sanitation, and maintenance
Intake and release
Inmate supervision and behavior management, including classification
Inmate services
Inmate programs

    Project Description: The awardee will produce a completed document 
that has received an initial edit from a professional editor. NIC will 
be responsible for the final editing process and document design, but 
the awardee will remain available during this time for questions and 
discussion. No travel will be required during the final edit.
    Project Schedule: The list below shows the major activities 
required to complete the project. Document development will begin upon 
award of this agreement and must be completed twelve months after the 
award date. The schedule for completion of activities should include 
the following, at a minimum.

Meet with NIC staff for a project overview and initial planning for 
content
Review materials provided by NIC (awardee)
Complete initial outline of document content and layout (awardee)
Meet with NIC project staff to review, discuss, and agree on content 
outline
Research content topics and related resources (awardee)
Develop assessment tools related to content topics (awardee)
Submit draft sections of document to NIC for review (awardee)

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Revise draft sections for NIC's approval (awardee)
Submit draft of entire document to NIC for review (awardee)
Revise document for NIC's approval (awardee)
Submit document to editor hired by awardee for first content edit 
(awardee)
Submit document to NIC in hard copy and on disk in Microsoft Word 
format (awardee)

    Throughout the project period, the awardee should make provisions 
for meetings with NIC staff--to be held in Longmont, Colorado--at 
critical planning and review points in document development.

    Authority: Public Law 93-415.

    Funds Available: The award will be limited to $60,000 (direct and 
indirect costs) and project activity must be completed within twelve 
months of the date of award. Funds may not be used for construction, or 
to acquire or build real property. This project will be a collaborative 
venture with the NIC Jails Division.

Application Procedures

    Applications must be submitted in six copies to the Director, 
National Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street, NW., Room 5007, 
Washington, DC 20534. At least one copy of the application must have 
the applicant's original signature in blue ink. A cover letter must 
identify the responsible audit agency for the applicant's financial 
accounts.
    Applications must be submitted using OMB Standard Form 424, Federal 
Assistance and attachments. The applications should be concisely 
written, typed double-spaced, and referenced to the project by the 
number and title given in this cooperative agreement announcement.
    The narrative portion of this grant application should include, at 
a minimum:
    A brief paragraph that indicates the applicant's understanding of 
the purpose of the document and the issues to be addressed;
    A brief paragraph that summarizes the project goals and objectives;
    A clear description of the methodology that will be used to 
complete the project and achieve its goals;
    A statement or chart of measurable project milestones and time 
lines for the completion of each;
    A description of the staffing plan for the project, including the 
role of each project staff, the time commitment for each, the 
relationship among the staff (who reports to whom), and an indication 
that all required staff will be available;
    A description of the qualifications of the applicant organization 
and each project staff;
    A budget that details all costs for the project, shows 
consideration for all contingencies for this project, and notes a 
commitment to work within the budget proposed (budget should be divided 
into object class categories as shown on application Standard Form 
424A).
    Documentation of the principals' and associates' relevant 
knowledge, skills, and abilities to carry out the described tasks must 
be included in the application.
    Deadline for Receipt of Applications: Applications must be received 
by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, April 16, 2002. They should be 
addressed to Director, National Institute of Corrections, 320 First 
Street, NW., Room 5007, Washington, DC 20534. The NIC application 
number should be written on the outside of the mail or courier 
envelope. Applicants are encouraged to use Federal Express, UPS, or 
similar service to ensure delivery by the due date as mail at the 
National Institute of Corrections is still being delayed due to recent 
events. Hand delivered applications should be brought to 500 First 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20534. The front desk will call (202) 307-
3106 for pickup. Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted.

Addresses and Further Information: A copy of this announcement and the 
application forms may be obtained through the NIC Web site: http.//
www.nicic.org. (click on ``Cooperative Agreements''). Requests for a 
hard copy of this announcement and the application forms should be 
directed to Judy Evens, Cooperative Agreement Control Office, National 
Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street, NW., Room 5007, Washington, 
DC 20534 or by calling 800-995-6423, ext. 44222, 202-307-3106, ext. 
44222, or e-mail: [email protected]. All technical and/or programmatic 
questions concerning this announcement should be directed to Alan 
Richardson at 1960 Industrial Circle, Longmont, CO 80501, or by calling 
800-995-6429, ext. 143 or 303-682-0382, ext. 143, or by e-mail: 
[email protected].
    Eligibility of Applicants: An eligible applicant is any state or 
general unit of local government, public or private agency, educational 
institution, organization, team, or individual with the requisite 
skills to successfully meet the outcome objectives of the project.
    Review Considerations: Applications received under this 
announcement will be subjected to a NIC three to five member Peer 
Review Process. Among the criteria used to evaluate the applications 
are:
    Indication of a clear understanding of the project requirements;
    Background, experience, and expertise of the proposed project 
staff, including any subcontractors;
    Effectiveness of the creative approach to the project;
    Clear, concise description of all elements and tasks of the 
project, with sufficient and realistic time frames necessary to 
complete the tasks;
    Technical soundness of project design and methodology;
    Financial and administrative integrity of the proposal, including 
adherence to federal financial guidelines and processes;
    Sufficiently detailed budget that shows consideration of all 
contingencies for this project and commitment to work within the budget 
proposed; Indication of availability to meet with NIC staff at key 
points in document development.
    Number of Awards: One (1).
    NIC Application Number: 02J18. This number should appear in your 
cover letter, in box 11 of Standard Form 424, and on the outside of the 
envelope in which the application is sent.

Executive Order 12372

    This project is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 
12372.

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 16.601.

    Dated: February 27, 2002.
Morris L. Thigpen,
Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. 02-5076 Filed 3-1-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-36-M