[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 116 (Monday, June 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41272-41276]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-15150]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office for Victims of Crime

[OJP(OVC)-1356]


Notice of Solicitation for Training and Technical Assistance for 
Victim Assistance to Trafficking Victims

AGENCY: Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, 
Justice.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office for Victims of Crime 
(OVC) is requesting applications for the Training and Technical 
Assistance for Victim Assistance to Trafficking Victims solicitation. 
The purpose of this solicitation is to support the development, 
expansion, or strengthening of victim service programs for victims of 
trafficking in persons funded under the Services for Trafficking 
Victims Discretionary Grant Program (Trafficking Program).

DATES: Applications for competitive programs must be received (not 
postmarked) at the OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center located 
at the address below on Monday, June 29, 2002, no later than 5:30 
eastern standard time. OVC will not grant extensions of the due date.

ADDRESSES: All applications should be addressed to Office for Victims 
of Crime, c/o OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center, 10530 
Rosehaven Street, Suite 400, Fairfax, Virginia 22030 (telephone 703-
385-3200). Applicants must clearly write the name of the program being 
applied for in the lower left corner of the envelope. OVC does not 
accept faxed submissions. Please be advised that if an application does 
not reach the OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) by 
the due date, it will not be considered for funding regardless of the 
postmark date.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Avery Weston, Program 
Specialist (telephone 202-514-5084 or e-mail [email protected]). 
Interested applicants should obtain the OVC FY 2002 Services for 
Trafficking Victims Discretionary Grant Application Kit. This 
application kit provides the necessary information and guidance for 
preparing and submitting an application for an OVC Services for 
Trafficking Victims Discretionary grant program award.

[[Page 41273]]

    Section I of the application kit contains solicitation for the two 
competitive programs. Section II presents general application 
requirements and includes the required application forms. To request 
applicant kits, please call the OVC Resource Center at 1-800-627-6872 
or call the OVC Reply Line at 202-616-1926. In addition, the 
application kit can be downloaded from the OVC World Wide Web home page 
at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Type and Amount of Award: One cooperative agreement will be awarded 
in the amount of $200,000.
    Award Period: Up to 36 months.
    Purpose(s): The purpose of the Trafficking Training and Technical 
Assistance Program is to provide comprehensive, skills-building 
training and technical assistance to states, Indian tribes, units of 
local government, and nonprofit, nongovernmental victims' service 
organizations that have received funding under the Trafficking Program. 
This training and technical assistance will include:
     Assisting Trafficking Program funding recipients in 
assessing technical assistance needs and maintaining flexibility to 
address a variety of organizational and/or service needs.
     Promoting awareness among Trafficking Program funding 
recipients of resources and mentoring to meet the comprehensive needs 
of trafficking victims.
     Identifying and replicating/adapting promising practices 
in trafficking victim service delivery.
    (Although the primary intended recipients of training and technical 
assistance provided through this project are grantees under the 
Trafficking Program, the training and technical assistance provider 
awarded funding under this program solicitation also may assist service 
providers who are not grant recipients, and federal, state/regional, 
and local government agencies engaged in anti-trafficking activities. 
Such assistance should be provided only when the needs of Program 
grantees have been sufficiently addressed, and to the extent feasible 
within existing budget limitations. For example, training and technical 
assistance materials developed for Program grantees ideally also should 
be appropriate/adaptable for wider dissemination and use beyond 
Trafficking Program grantees.)
    Problem Statement: There is a critical need for training and 
technical assistance among service providers and criminal justice 
professionals who are serving trafficking victims. Given the diversity 
of trafficking victims' origins and forms of their victimization, their 
need for comprehensive services and intensive case management, their 
barriers to accessing services, and the fact that trafficking cases 
with varying numbers of victims may surface anywhere in the country, 
the challenges faced by service providers are clear. Existing service 
providers have been called on to develop and deliver expanded services 
on an ad hoc basis, often at a moment's notice and without receiving 
additional resources to support these expanded services. Many service 
providers throughout the United States remain unaware of the crime, the 
needs of victims, the existing services for trafficking victims in 
their area, if any, and the need to coordinate among government and 
nongovernment entities at all levels (local, state, regional, and 
federal).
    The crime of trafficking requires more than just a law enforcement 
or victim service response, but a collaborative and integrative effort 
to address special needs and circumstances of trafficking victims. 
Criminal justice system-based professionals and community-based service 
providers need assistance in developing collaborative mechanisms to 
improve community responses to trafficking victims. Recipients of 
funding for victim services under the Services for Trafficking Victims 
Program who would be eligible for training and technical assistance 
under this project include representatives from a wide range of service 
professions, including but not limited to social services, legal 
services, mental health services, health care providers, faith-based 
organizations, refugee and migrant workers organizations, and the 
women's, children's, and crime victims' advocacy community.
    Background: Under the provisions of the Trafficking Victims 
Protection Act of 2000 (Pub. L. No. 106-386), 22 U.S.C. 7101 et. seq., 
Congress authorized an array of new services and protections for 
victims of trafficking. Congress appropriated $10,000,000 to the 
Department of Justice to support the development or enhancement of 
victim service programs for trafficking victims, and indicated that a 
percentage of funds should be dedicated to training and technical 
assistance related to victim services.
    Program Strategy: OVC will competitively select an organization to 
implement training and technical assistance for Trafficking Program 
grantees in the form of a cooperative agreement. This responsibility 
will be carried out with the full collaboration of OVC Trafficking 
Program monitors who will provide input and guidance to the selected 
training and technical assistance provider regarding the needs 
assessment plan, selection of training topics, training curricula, and 
other deliverables. In addition, OVC and the selected training and 
technical assistance provider will work closely to exchange information 
and assess Trafficking Program grantee performance, based on 
information collected via formal (e.g., categorical progress reports 
submitted by grantees, site visit observations, and reports) and 
informal (e.g., periodic telephone and e-mail communication with 
grantees) methods.
    Proposals in response to this solicitation should describe how this 
training and technical assistance program will be implemented, how the 
objectives will be achieved, and how the program will address the 
diverse needs of trafficking victim service providers. Specifically, 
proposals should:
     Identify the types of training and technical assistance 
requests anticipated and the strategies proposed to address them.
     Include a detailed discussion of the criteria for 
prioritizing training and technical assistance requests and the 
elements of a screening protocol for selecting sites requesting 
training and technical assistance.
     Address how the training and technical assistance provider 
will market materials developed for trafficking program grantees to 
other victim service providers assisting trafficking victims.
     Provide an implementation plan that includes a time-task 
plan outlining activities and deliverables. This implementation plan 
should demonstrate innovation in the design and delivery of training 
and technical assistance, and identify how resources will be used to 
maximize the impact of training and technical assistance in a cost-
effective manner.

Objectives

     Assess the training and technical assistance needs of 
Trafficking Program grantees.
     Develop and facilitate the use of research-driven training 
and technical assistance materials.
     Provide technical assistance to Trafficking Program 
grantees to build their capacity to assess needs, initiate program 
planning, implement appropriate services for victims, and evaluate and 
sustain programs.
     Establish a network of experienced trafficking victim 
service providers who can contribute substantive input to the

[[Page 41274]]

development of training and technical assistance.
     Establish a mentor program of experienced trafficking 
victim service providers who will provide training and technical 
assistance on request.
     Enhance the skills of Trafficking Program grantees by 
providing training and technical assistance which might include but is 
not limited to the following subjects:
     Trafficking Program elements and requirements.
     Financial sustainability of programs.
     Coordination with federal, regional, state, and local 
public agencies.
     Confidentiality and victim safety/security.
     Jurisdiction issues.
     Evaluation of the quality and utility of the training and 
technical assistance services provided.
     Identification and access of resources for trafficking 
victims.
     Assist OVC in monitoring performance of Trafficking 
Program grantees by assessing progress toward program goals.
    Deliverables: In addition to the strategy and content of the 
training and technical assistance design, the following are specific 
deliverables to be completed during the project period:
     Establish, in collaboration with OVC, an network of 
experienced trafficking victim service providers to inform topic 
selection and content guidelines for training and technical assistance 
materials, assist in the review and analysis of performance measure 
data, and assess the progress of Trafficking Program grantees.
     Identify and establish a network of experienced 
trafficking victim service providers to serve as mentors to Trafficking 
Program grantees.
     Develop a Trafficking Program grantees training and 
technical assistance needs assessment plan (to be delivered within 30 
days after the grant award).
     Develop a protocol and plan for delivery of training and 
technical assistance that includes criteria for prioritizing requests 
and addresses different levels of technical assistance including 
immediate and long-range responses, comprehensive system response, and 
specialized response (to be delivered within 60 days after the grant 
award).
     Develop a training curriculum or curricula and generally 
increase the number of technical assistance and training tools that 
support delivery of appropriate and adequate services to trafficking 
victims (to be delivered within 180 days after the grant award).
     Provide additional ongoing training and technical 
assistance to Trafficking Program grantees that will enable them to 
improve direct services to trafficking victims.
     Assist Trafficking Program grantees in the development of 
protocols for effective case management and service delivery to 
trafficking victims, and collect/disseminate such protocols among other 
Trafficking Program grantees and victim service providers serving 
trafficking victims. Such protocols should address supporting victims 
in their participation in the criminal justice process and provide 
guidance on victim privacy and confidentiality.
    The training and technical assistance delivery plan is subject to 
OVC review and approval. Training materials shall not include 
information about ongoing investigations or prosecutions, or disclose 
identities or locations of victims or other sensitive information. As 
requests for training and technical assistance may exceed the 
availability of resources, grantees must develop a plan that fosters 
technological innovation (such as Web-based dissemination) to maximize 
available resources at minimum cost.
    Performance Measurement: To ensure compliance with the Government 
Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, this 
solicitation notifies applicants that funding recipients will be 
required to collect and report data that measure the results of the 
projects implemented under this program. To ensure accountability for 
this data, the following performance measures are provided:
     The number of training and technical assistance requests 
fulfilled.
     The development of a trafficking victims staff training 
curriculum.
     The development of model protocols for victim case 
management and victim service delivery.
    Award recipients will be required to document achievement of these 
measures in periodic progress reports submitted to OVC. Progress 
reports must include information regarding the composition and 
participation of the networks; the number, nature, and scope of 
training and technical assistance requests fulfilled; the development, 
pilot-testing, and revision of a trafficking victims staff training 
curriculum; and the number and scope of model protocols developed for 
victim case management and victim service delivery.
    Evaluation: The performance measures identified in the preceding 
section represent minimal standards that the training and technical 
assistance grantee will be expected to meet. Applicants must provide an 
evaluation plan to self-assess performance and the impact of training 
and technical assistance efforts. This evaluation plan must:
     Describe the evaluation strategy (to collect data on the 
performance measures identified above and identify other measures to 
reflect the impact of training and technical assistance rendered).
     Provide a timetable for performance of the evaluation.
     Indicate the resources required to perform the evaluation.
    Eligibility Requirements: As defined by statute, applicants may be 
states, Indian tribes, units of local government, and nonprofit, 
nongovernmental victims' service organizations.
    Selection Criteria: Specific criteria include:

1. Problem(s) To Be Addressed

    Applicants must demonstrate an indepth knowledge and understanding 
of the provision of direct services for victims of trafficking. 
Specifically, applicants must demonstrate the following:
     Knowledge of current issues/problems related to the 
delivery of appropriate and effective services to victims of 
trafficking, and the ability to adapt suitable victim-related materials 
and resources to meet the needs of trafficking victim service 
providers.
     Knowledge/understanding of the provision of direct 
services and case management appropriate for victims of trafficking in 
persons.
     Knowledge/understanding of service provision in situations 
involving large numbers of victims of trafficking, torture, or mass 
trauma.
     Knowledge of (and ideally, experience in) the federal 
criminal justice system as it relates to trafficking victims and 
victims of crime in general.
     Understanding of legal issues as they relate to victims of 
crime, generally, and to victims of trafficking, including advising 
victims about legal protections provided in the Trafficking Victims 
Protection Act of 2000.
     Understanding of the jurisdictional and coordination 
issues involved in the provision of services to victims of trafficking.

2. Goals and Objectives

    Applicants are encouraged to be realistic in developing their 
project's goals and objectives. The overall goals of the project must 
be clearly defined and linked to the needs of service providers set 
forth in the ``Problems(s) To Be Addressed'' section (above).

[[Page 41275]]

Applicants must be specific in addressing identified problems. Each 
applicant must include a statement of purpose that describes the 
expected outcomes and achievements for the project period.
    Project goals must be stated in clear and measurable terms so that 
project staff can track the project's progress. Project objectives must 
be clearly defined, measurable, and described. Objectives must be 
stated as a list of quantifiable activities that will assist applicants 
in achieving project goals.

3. Project Strategy/Design

    The project design must support the purpose and goals of the 
Trafficking Program. The project strategy must include sufficient 
detail so that the reader can understand what will be accomplished, how 
it will be accomplished, and who will accomplish it. Applicants must 
provide a time-task plan that clearly identifies major activities and 
deliverables for the duration of the project. All proposed tasks should 
be presented in a way that allows a reviewer to see the logical 
progression of tasks and be able to relate the tasks directly to the 
accomplishment of project goal(s). Proposed activities should be 
realistic and reflect the project's allocated time, staff, and funding. 
A clear picture of the contents or components of products or training 
materials is important, as is a detailed plan for packaging and 
disseminating products to the target audience(s). In the past, 
reviewers have given higher scores to applications that describe how 
they will introduce products to the field; therefore, applicants are 
encouraged to provide such information. Detailed procedures for pilot-
testing and refining training and technical assistance products also 
have resulted in more competitive applications.

4. Program Management and Organizational Capability

    Applicants must allocate adequate staff resources to overall 
management of this project, and must demonstrate how their resources, 
capabilities, and experience will enable them to achieve the goals and 
accomplish the tasks of the project for which they are applying. 
Specifically, they must demonstrate experience in organizing and 
implementing high-quality training events and a proven ability to 
provide technical assistance, particularly for victim service providers 
and related criminal justice system or community-based personnel. 
Points will be awarded based on applicants' demonstrated capability to 
implement a national-scope, federally funded project, including 
evidence that applicants possess the requisite staff and expertise. 
Organizational capability will be assessed on the basis of (1) 
applicants' described management structure, previous experience with 
similar or related efforts, and financial capability; and (2) 
applicants' project management plan and documentation of the 
professional staff members' unique qualifications to perform their 
assigned tasks. Applicants must clearly establish that their experience 
and resources enable them to achieve the goals and objectives of this 
program. Additional desirable experience includes:
     Ability to understand cultural issues inherent in service 
provision to trafficking victims.
     Understanding of trafficking.
     Understanding of victims' unique needs (housing, medical 
services, and mental health services, etc.) and the comprehensive case 
management required to provide optimal services to victims.
     Understanding of/familiarity with federal criminal justice 
process and mechanisms for collaboration among criminal justice system-
based professionals and community-based resources.
     Experience in or ability to develop coordinated community 
interventions and/or collaborations with local, state, tribal, or 
national entities to assist victims of trafficking.
     Familiarity with resources for victim assistance.

5. Program Evaluation

    This criterion addresses an applicant's plan for measuring project 
progress and success. All applications must contain a plan for 
evaluating the accomplishment of project objectives. Applicants must 
describe what evaluation data will be gathered and analyzed and the 
resources that are being committed for this purpose. In determining the 
quality of the evaluation plan, the following factors will be 
considered:
     Extent to which the evaluation plan will provide the kind 
of information that contributes to the effectiveness of management and 
administration of the project, documents that objectives have been met, 
and determines the overall effectiveness and impact of the project.
     Extent to which the proposed methods of evaluation are 
thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and 
outcomes of the proposed project.
     Adequacy of the identified performance measures to 
demonstrate whether and to what extent the proposed strategy is meeting 
its short-term, intermediate, and long-term objectives.

6. Budget

    All applicants must provide a proposed budget and budget narrative 
for the proposed project. The budget must be complete, detailed, 
reasonable, allowable, and cost effective in relation to the activities 
proposed. OVC prefers that applicants use the Budget Detail Worksheet/
Budget Narrative form (OJP Form 7150/1) provided in Section II of the 
application kit.
    All applicants must indicate in their budgets the amount of project 
funds for applicable standard program costs such as personnel, fringe 
benefits, equipment, supplies, travel, consultants/contracts, and 
indirect costs. Please see the sample budget detail sheet in the Forms 
Appendix for an example.
    All applicants should anticipate either a post-award meeting with 
the OVC program monitor or an OVC meeting for discretionary grantees 
each year of the project. For these meeting costs, applicants outside 
the Washington, DC, metropolitan area should budget $1,000 for travel, 
lodging, and per diem costs for one key project staff person to attend 
the meeting.
    Applicants also must budget costs to attend one Financial 
Management Training Seminar sponsored by the Office of Justice 
Programs, Office of the Comptroller. Specific information (such as 
dates and locations of upcoming training events) to assist grantees in 
estimating such costs can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/oc/fmts.htm and 
www.ncja.org/financial_management.html.
    By statute, federal funds for this project may not exceed 75 
percent of total project costs; therefore, federal funds may be used to 
pay up to 75 percent of the total costs of a victim services project. 
The matching requirement is 25 percent of total project costs. 
Applicants should apply the match requirement over and above the total 
amount requested. (For example, if the grant award is $200,000, the 
total project cost would be $266,666. The match would therefore be 
$66,666 or 25 percent of total project costs.) The matching requirement 
may be met through cash or in-kind contributions, or a combination of 
both.

Additional Selection Considerations

    Applicants must identify the author(s) of grant applications 
submitted in response to this solicitation.


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    Dated: June 11, 2002.
John W. Gillis,
Director, Office for Victims of Crime.
[FR Doc. 02-15150 Filed 6-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P