[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 155 (Monday, August 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46649-46650]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18420]



[[Page 46649]]

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement: Gender Responsive 
Management and Practice Assessment (Facility Version)

AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, Department of Justice.

ACTION: Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is soliciting 
proposals from organizations, groups or individuals who would like to 
enter into a cooperative agreement with NIC to work with an advisory 
team of experts on gender-informed policy and practice to complete the 
design and initial testing of a women offender policy and practice 
assessment protocol.

DATES: Applications must be received by 4 p.m. EDT on Friday, August 
22, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be sent to: Director, National 
Institute of Corrections, 320 First St., 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, dial 7-3106, extension 0 
for pickup.
    Faxed applications will not be accepted. Only e-mailed applications 
which are submitted via http://www.grants.gov will be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this announcement and the 
required application forms can be downloaded from the NIC Web page at 
http://www.nicic.gov. Click on ``About Us'' then ``Cooperative 
Agreements'' for announcements. Hard copies of the announcement can be 
obtained by calling Pam Davison at 1-800-995-6423 ext. 3-0484 or e-mail 
[email protected].
    All technical or programmatic questions regarding this solicitation 
should be directed to Maureen Buell, Correctional Program Specialist, 
National Institute of Corrections. She can be reached by calling 202-
514-0121 or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: Over 18 months, a team of researchers and practitioners 
outlined the essential domains of an assessment protocol for gender-
responsive policy, programs and operations for women offenders. To date 
the domains address: Agency/Organizational Philosophy; External/System/
Stakeholder Support; Leadership and Management; Supervision and 
Staffing; Assessment/Classification; Case Planning and Transitional 
Planning; Core Treatment Programs; Services; Facility/Site; Behavior 
Motivation/Discipline; Culture; and QA/Assessment. Goals of the Project 
in the Development Phase: ----The intention of the protocol is to 
provide specific guidance to agencies seeking to improve their 
management and treatment of women offenders to improve outcomes. These 
outcomes may include: Improved risk and needs assessment; targeting of 
critical factors through case management that will reduce institutional 
misconduct; revocation and re-offending; and improved interaction 
between staff and women in custody settings.
    The team that developed the draft protocol package will serve as 
the core advisory team working with the successful applicant to 
complete the assessment protocol package.
    Scope of Work and Deliverables: NIC will award one cooperative 
agreement for a 12 month period to work closely with the advisory team 
to complete the design of the assessment protocol package.
    The Advisory Group will provide a completed tool with methodology 
and scoring parameters. The Recipient will: Develop a user manual for 
the protocol (e.g., expanded definitions and citations);
    Pilot the instrument in up to three agencies in jail and prison 
settings. (It is anticipated that site visits will be 2-3 days in 
length and teams will generally be 2-person teams.);
    Participate in a series of conference calls (or on-line platforms 
such as a Web-Ex system event) with sites applying as pilot locations;
    Develop a resource guide to assist with development of 
recommendations and post-assessment implementation of gender-responsive 
practices. (Examples to include model programs and emerging 
practices.);
    Work with an advisory group (5-8 members) to conduct focus groups 
with experts on women offender policy and programs to get feedback on 
the instrument, its key domains and definitions, and readiness of the 
field to use such an instrument;
    Develop recommendations for evaluator training and certification; 
and
    Meet face-to-face with the advisory group on 1-2 occasions. 
(Additional meetings can be conducted via conference call and/or on-
line platforms).
    Specific Requirements: Required Expertise: The successful applicant 
will need the conceptual skills and management capacity to complete the 
protocol design and standardization, manage the testing of the 
instrument in pilot sites conducting focus groups, and incorporate all 
the feedback into a final assessment protocol package.
    Application Instruction: Please prepare a cooperative agreement 
proposal that consists of no more than 10 double spaced pages, 
excluding statements of organizational capacity and summaries of the 
experiences and capabilities of key project staff. Please submit 
summaries of experience and expertise and not full curricula vitae. The 
proposal must list all persons who will be involved in the project, 
including their role within the organization related to this project, 
areas of expertise related to this project, and complete contact 
information.
    The proposal must: Define project objectives and methodologies for 
achieving project goals in the 12 months' period.
    Provide a budget narrative that defines the relative use of 
resources for the key objective areas.
    Give at least one example of your experience or your team's 
experience in delivering each of the following: Design of tools to 
assess policies and programs in correctional settings; summarize 
research on women offender risk and needs assessments, program 
assessments and the like.
    Application Requirements: Applications should be concisely written, 
typed double spaced and reference the ``NIC Application Number'' and 
Title provided in this announcement. The 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); and an outline 
of projected costs. The following additional forms must also be 
included: OMB Standard Form 424A, Budget information--Non-Construction 
Programs; OMB Standard Form 424B, Assurances--Non-Construction Programs 
(available on http://www.grants.gov) And DOJ/NIC Certification 
Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility 
Matters; and the Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (available at http://www.nicic.gov/Downloads/PDF/certif-frm.pdf)
    Applications may be submitted in hard copy, or electronically via 
http://www.grants.gov. If submitted in hard

[[Page 46650]]

copy, there needs to be an original and six copies of the full proposal 
(program and budget narratives, application forms and assurances). The 
original should have the applicant's signature in blue ink.
    Telephone Conference: A telephone conference will be conducted for 
persons receiving this solicitation and having a serious intent to 
respond on Friday, August 15 at 3 p.m. EDT. In the conference, the NIC 
project manager will respond to questions regarding the solicitation 
and expectations of work to be performed. Please notify Maureen Buell 
electronically by close of business (4 p.m. EDT) on Wednesday, August 
13 regarding your interest in participating in the conference. You will 
be provided with a call-in number and instructions.
    Authority: Public Law 93-415.
    Funds Available: NIC is seeking the applicant's best ideas 
regarding accomplishment of the scope of work and the related costs for 
achieving the goals of this solicitation. The final budget and award 
amount will be negotiated between NIC and the successful applicant. NIC 
will fund one cooperative agreement for an estimated 12 month period 
for the development phase of this project. Funds may only be used for 
the activities that are linked to the desired outcomes of the project.
    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 subject to a 3 to 5 person NIC and joint funding 
agency Review Process.
    Number of Awards: One.
    NIC Application Number: 08P06. 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: 16.601.
    Executive Order 12372: This project is not subject to the 
provisions of Executive Order 12372.
    Resources: Link to draft protocol located at http://www.nicic.org/WomenOffenders.

Thomas J. Beauclair,
Deputy Director, National Institute of Corrections.
 [FR Doc. E8-18420 Filed 8-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-36-P