[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 21 (Thursday, January 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5873-5875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-391]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement: Strategic Planning 
Coordinator, Kansas Evidence Based Practices Implementation Effort

AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, DOJ.

ACTION: Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement Applications.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) solicits proposals 
from organizations or individuals for a 12-month cooperative agreement 
to provide coaching on executive leadership and complex project 
management to achieve the implementation of evidence based practices 
(EBP) on offender risk reduction in the Kansas Department of 
Corrections (KDOC) Community Corrections Act oversight unit and a 
limited number of local community corrections agencies. The project is 
jointly supported by NIC and the JEHT Foundation.
    This Request for Proposals seeks a successful applicant to 
facilitate the strategic change process at both the KDOC oversight and 
selected local community corrections agencies levels. The coaching will 
include evidence based policy and practice related to decision making 
by criminal justice officials and stakeholders; organizational 
development knowledge and strategies; and assessment, case management 
and behavioral interventions for the State's adult felony probation 
population. The selected applicant will need to be available for on 
site facilitation and off site coaching beginning early April, 2008, 
and continuing for twelve months thereafter. An initial site visit 
including NIC and JEHT representation will be scheduled upon award of 
the cooperative agreement.

DATES: Applications must be received by 4 p.m. EST on Friday, February 
22, 2008. Selection of the successful applicant; and notification of 
review results to all applicants: March 31, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be sent to: Director, National 
Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street, NW., Room 5007, Washington, 
DC 20534. Applicants are encouraged to use Federal Express, UPS, or 
similar service to ensure delivery by the due date. Hand delivered 
applications should be brought to 500 First Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20534. At the front desk, call (202) 307-3106, extension 0 for pickup.
    Faxed applications will not be accepted. The only electronic 
applications (preferred) that will be accepted must be submitted 
through http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this announcement and the 
required application forms can be downloaded from the NIC Web site at 
http://www.nicic.org. Hard copies of the announcement can be obtained 
by calling Pam Davison at 1-800-995-6423

[[Page 5874]]

x 3-0484 or E-mail [email protected]. mailto:[email protected].
    Questions regarding the solicitation should be directed to Mr. 
Keiser at [email protected]. Questions regarding the Kansas Community 
Corrections Act authorization, the history and current status of EBP 
implementation in community corrections act agencies or other relevant 
Kansas legislative requirements should be directed to Kathleen Graves, 
Director, Community Corrections, KDOC, at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The KDOC has initiated a broad 
effort to implement evidence based policies and practices regarding 
offender risk reduction throughout the State's corrections system. The 
KDOC Parole and Institutions staff already are making good progress in 
implementing evidence based principles in their functional units. The 
focus of this effort will be the implementation of EBP in the State's 
community corrections system of locally governed community corrections 
agencies and the KDOC oversight unit, authority for each established by 
Community Corrections Act legislation in the early 1980s. In a related 
effort, Evidence Based Policy and Practice Awareness Development 
Training Sessions were provided to Community Corrections Act Executive 
Directors and some key stakeholders at the end of calendar year 2007. 
The Awareness Development Sessions will be expanded and offered to all 
Kansas community corrections staff during the first quarter of calendar 
year 2008. These sessions are funded by the JEHT Foundation and 
conducted by the Center for Effective Public Policy. The work of the 
successful applicant must be cognizant of and consistent with this 
awareness development training.
    Goals of the Strategic Planning and Coaching Cooperative Agreement: 
The first goal is to build the capacity of the KDOC to provide 
effective oversight and technical guidance to the local based community 
corrections agencies in order to expand the implementation of EBP in 
local jurisdictions. The areas of capacity building may include, but 
are not limited to, total operational management, substantive expertise 
and coaching (on the content and organizational development principles 
of EBP), program and financial audits and quality assurance.
    The second goal is to facilitate the development/improvement of the 
operational infrastructure in a limited number of local community 
corrections agencies so that these agencies may more effectively 
implement and sustain EBP risk reduction strategies. The term, 
operational infrastructure, refers to the business practices required 
to align and manage operational procedures and resources; and the 
tracking of critical outputs and outcomes with the substantive EBP 
approaches. These agencies will be learning laboratories for further 
statewide implementation. The local community corrections agencies will 
be selected by the KDOC based on clear selection criteria and in close 
consultation with applicant local agencies. The successful applicant is 
expected to assist KDOC with the development of selection criteria, 
analysis of applications and sustained implementation in the local 
agencies.
    Proposal Preparation: Persons interested in providing these 
facilitation and coaching services should prepare a proposal that 
outlines a strategic planning approach, including the straightforward 
delineation of measurable goals and objectives, intermediate 
benchmarks, assigned action steps, and feedback loops. The plan should 
be developed for two levels: (1) KDOC oversight; and (2) selected local 
community corrections agencies and jurisdictions. It should contain 
sub-sections addressing the need for management information and other 
data collection systems, multi-level communication, quality assurance, 
and program evaluation. It should include an approach to project 
coordination among the KDOC, local community corrections agencies and 
funders/sponsors.
    The successful applicant must demonstrate a logic model for 
building initially and sustaining over time and the competencies and 
capacity required by both the state oversight and the local program 
delivery functions. The applicant should identify the likely measurable 
outputs that would indicate successful progress toward the changes in 
EBP implementation infrastructure and process at both State and local 
governance levels.
    Required Expertise: It is highly desirable for the successful 
applicant to demonstrate experience in managing a statewide or large 
jurisdiction change effort centered on evidence based practice for 
offender risk reduction, as well as in coaching executives on 
successful change leadership. It also will be helpful if the successful 
applicant's experience includes the phased implementation of other 
criminal justice system change efforts, training of judges and other 
stakeholders, and the development of risk assessment and case 
management procedures. Basic practical knowledge of probation and risk 
reduction research are critical.
    Application Requirements: The application should be concisely 
written, typed double spaced and reference the ``NIC Application 
Number'' and Title provided in this announcement. The application 
package must include: OMB Standard Form 424, Application for Federal 
Assistance, a cover letter that identifies the audit agency responsible 
for the applicant's financial accounts as well as the audit period or 
fiscal year that the applicant operates under (e.g., July 1 through 
June 30), a program narrative responding to the requirements in this 
announcement, a description of the qualifications of the applicant(s), 
an outline of projected costs, and the following forms: OMB Standard 
Form 424A, Budget Information-Non Construction Programs, OMB Standard 
Form 424B, Assurances-Non Construction Programs, DOJ/NIC Certification 
Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility 
Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements. These forms are 
available from http://www.nicic.org, under the ``About Us'' bar, 
``Cooperative Agreements.''
    Submit an original and three copies of your full proposal (program 
and budget narrative, application forms and assurances) and limit the 
program narrative text to 10 double spaced pages, exclusive of resumes 
and summaries of experience. Please do not submit full curriculum 
vitae. The original should have the applicant's signature in blue ink.
    A telephonic conference will be conducted for persons receiving 
this solicitation and having a serious intent to respond on Tuesday, 
February 5, 2008, at 3 p.m. EST. In the conference, representatives of 
KDOC, NIC, and the JEHT Foundation will respond to questions regarding 
the solicitation, the expectations of work to be performed, and the 
current status of EBP work and development efforts in the State. Please 
notify Mr. Keiser electronically by close of business on February 1, 
2008, regarding your interest in participating in the conference, and 
you will be provided the call-in number and instructions.
    Additional Resources: Twelve reference documents for additional 
information can be found on NIC's Web site. Go to http://nicic.org. 
click on ``Community,'' then scroll to ``Shared Files,'' and finally 
click on ``Tools for Evidence Based Implementation.''

    Authority: Pub. L. 93-415.

    Funds Available: NIC is seeking the applicant's best ideas 
regarding delivery

[[Page 5875]]

approaches and their related costs for achieving the goals of the 
solicitation through on-site and off-site assistance. The final budget 
and award amount will be negotiated between the funders and the 
successful applicant. Funds may only be used for the activities that 
are linked to the desired outcome of the project. No funds are 
transferred to state or local governments.
    Eligibility of Applicants: An eligible applicant is any public or 
private agency, educational institution, organization, individual or 
team with expertise in the described areas.
    Review Considerations: Applications received under this 
announcement will be subjected to a 3 to 5 person NIC and joint funding 
agency Review Process.
    Number of Awards: One.
    NIC Application Number: 08C75. This number should appear as a 
reference line in the cover letter, in box 4a of Standard Form 424, and 
outside of the envelope in which the application is sent.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 16,603.
    E.O. 12372: This program is subject to the provisions of Executive 
Order 12372.
    E.O. 12372 allows states the option of setting up a system for 
reviewing applications from within their states for assistance under 
certain Federal programs. Applicants (other than Federally-recognized 
Indian tribal governments) should contact their State Single Point of 
Contact (SPOC), a list of which can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.

    Dated: January 23, 2008.
Morris Thigpen,
Director.
[FR Doc. 08-391 Filed 1-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-36-M