[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 103 (Monday, June 1, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26258-26261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-12629]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement--National Sheriffs' 
Institute: Training Program Review, Delivery, Revision, and Evaluation

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), Jails Division, 
is seeking applications for the review, delivery, evaluation, and 
revision of the curriculum for the National Sheriffs' Institute (NSI), 
which is co-sponsored by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) 
and the National Sheriffs' Association (NSA). The NSI is a seven-day 
training program designed to introduce first-term sheriffs to 
leadership concepts as they apply to the Office of Sheriff. The project 
will be for a three-year period and will be carried out in conjunction 
with the NIC Jails Division. The awardee will work closely with NIC 
staff on all aspects of the project. To be considered, applicants must 
demonstrate, at a minimum: (1) Knowledge of the leadership role of 
sheriffs in their organization, local criminal justice system, and 
community; (2) in-depth expertise on contemporary leadership 
principles, concepts, and practices and their application to the 
leadership roles of sheriffs; (3) ability to conduct training, based on 
adult learning principles, on leadership principles, concepts, and 
practices; and (4) experience in conducting training for first-term 
sheriffs on their leadership roles.

DATES: Applications must be received by 4 p.m. (EDT) on June 19, 2009.

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 as mail at NIC is 
sometimes delayed due to security screening.
    Applicants who wish to hand-deliver their applications should bring 
them to 500 First Street, NW., Washington, DC

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20534, and dial 202-307-3106, ext. 0, at the front desk for pickup.
    Faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted; however, 
electronic applications can be submitted via http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this announcement and links 
to the required application forms can be found on the NIC Web page at 
http://www.nicic.gov/cooperativeagreements.
    Questions about this project and the application procedures should 
be directed to Jim T. Barbee, Correctional Program Specialist, National 
Institute of Corrections. Questions must be e-mailed to Mr. Barbee at 
[email protected], and Mr. Barbee will respond by e-mail to the 
individual. Also, all questions and responses will be posted on NIC's 
Web site at http://www.nicic.gov for public review. (The names of those 
submitting the questions will not be posted.) The Web site will be 
updated daily and postings will remain on the Web site until the 
closing date of this cooperative agreement solicitation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: The NSI is a training program designed to introduce 
first-term sheriffs to their leadership role, specifically as it 
relates to the role of the sheriff in his/her own organization, the 
local criminal justice system, and the community. All leadership 
concepts are taught within the context of the experience of the first-
term sheriff. Current program topics include: The Sheriff as Leader; 
Defining Your Leadership Direction; Self Awareness; Developing Your 
Executive Team; Ethics; Power and Influence; The External Environment 
and Public Partnerships; and Leading Change. The first two topics form 
the foundation for the program, and all other topics are taught as they 
relate to the sheriff's leadership role and the achievement of the 
sheriff's leadership direction. There are also two evening sessions--
one conducted by NSA on the Office of Sheriff and one that provides a 
forum for discussing issues of the participants' choice. At the end of 
the program, each participant creates a leadership-development plan, 
based on what he/she has learned and self-assessments conducted 
throughout the program.
    Although the current curriculum has been pilot tested and 
successfully conducted, NIC continuously assesses the content and 
delivery strategies for needed improvement. The current curriculum has 
been in place for about three years and is due for an overall review. 
NIC expects to work closely with the awardee and NSA to conduct the 
program, evaluate it, determine needed revisions, and make those 
revisions.

Scope of Work

    NSI program delivery: The cooperative agreement awardee will 
facilitate the delivery of six NSI programs. This will entail 
contracting with five instructors to prepare for and deliver the 
program; ensuring all instructors are available and present for the 
entire program and a pre-program meeting (up to four hours) on the 
Sunday the program begins; managing the instructor team during the 
program; ensuring adherence to the lesson plans; facilitating 
participant learning activities; and managing participant activities 
and breaks to ensure compliance with timeframes noted in the lesson 
plans. NIC staff will be on site for each program, and the awardee will 
work closely with NIC staff during program delivery.

    Note: The applicant must identify and describe the 
qualifications of at least four instructors who have committed to 
teaching the NSI under this cooperative agreement. The fifth 
instructor will be identified jointly by NIC and the awardee after 
the cooperative agreement is awarded. The work of the fifth 
instructor will be funded by the awardee and must be accounted for 
in the application budget.

    The NSI begins on a Sunday with an instructor meeting in the 
afternoon and the opening program session Sunday night. The program 
concludes the following Saturday afternoon. For the foreseeable future, 
the program will be conducted in Longmont, Colorado.
    The following are the responsibility of NIC or NSA: Recruiting and 
selecting participants; notifying participants of selection and program 
details; providing the training room, equipment, and materials; 
providing for participant lodging, meals, and transportation; mailing 
and ensuring completion of participants' pre-program assignments; and 
scoring the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory and the Leadership Practices 
Inventory. In addition to the program instructors, there is a mentoring 
sheriff for each program. NIC and NSA select and pay all expenses for 
the mentoring sheriff.
    NSI program evaluation: There are three types of program evaluation 
for which the awardee will be responsible.
    First, the awardee will, in conjunction with all program staff, 
observe and discuss participants' response to instructional modules; 
effectiveness of instructional strategies; relevance of content; and 
instructors' effectiveness in delivering the curriculum, managing 
participants, responding to participant questions, and engaging 
participants in learning activities. The awardee will facilitate a 
meeting of program staff to discuss these issues at the end of each 
day.
    Second, the NIC Jails Division has developed two in-program 
evaluation forms. One is an evaluation form that participants complete 
at the end of each module. This form assesses, based on self report, 
each participant's level of knowledge about a given concept before and 
after completing the module; the relevance of each concept to the 
participant's work; and the degree to which each participant intends to 
use what he/she has learned. Participants are given time at the end of 
each module to complete the form. The awardee will distribute and 
collect the forms after each module for program staff review and 
discussion at the end of the day. The other in-program evaluation is an 
end-of-program questionnaire completed by each participant. The awardee 
will distribute and collect these forms for program staff review and 
discussion at the end of the program. Within three weeks after the 
program, the awardee will submit a report to NIC that includes: (1) 
Tabulation of all ratings from both evaluation forms, (2) compilation 
of all comments from both evaluation forms, and (3) a brief summary of 
evaluation results and their implications for program revision.
    Third, NIC has developed a three-month follow-up evaluation to 
determine if participants implemented the concepts taught; the effect 
of implementation on their ability to lead; obstacles to 
implementation; participants' assessment of the effectiveness of the 
NSI; and participants' suggestions for improving the NSI. The awardee 
will conduct this evaluation through telephone interviews with program 
participants. Within one month of interview completion, the awardee 
will deliver to NIC a written report of evaluation findings and the 
implications for program content and delivery. The awardee will include 
in this report note of any correlation or discrepancies between the in-
program evaluation results (degree of learning, assessment of concept 
relevance, and intention to implement concepts) and the findings of the 
follow-up evaluation.
    Program revisions: Based on the evaluations noted above, the 
awardee will work closely with NIC staff to identify needed curriculum 
revisions. The awardee will also draft revisions, working with NIC 
staff. NIC staff will write the final version of the revised lesson 
plans and ensure they are in NIC's lesson plan format.
    Meetings with NIC staff: Shortly after the award of the cooperative 
agreement,

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the awardee and instructional team will meet with NIC staff for a 
``kick-off'' meeting, which will last up to two days. Also, the awardee 
and up to four members of the instructional team will meet at three 
times each year of the award. These meetings will last up to two days 
and will focus on program planning, review, and revision.
    Initial familiarization with the NSI: In preparation for the 
project kick-off meeting, the awardee will review all program lesson 
plans, participant manuals, presentation slides, and other program 
materials.
    Application Requirements: An application package must include OMB 
Standard Form 425, 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 under 
which the applicant operates (e.g., July 1 through June 30); and an 
outline of projected costs with the budget and strategy narratives 
described in this announcement. 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 (both available at http://www.grants.gov); DOJ/
FBOP/NIC Certification Regarding Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension and 
Other Responsibility Matters; and the Drug-Free Workplace Requirements 
(available at http://www.nicic.org/Downloads/PDF/certif-frm.pdf).
    Applications should be concisely written, typed double spaced, and 
reference the NIC opportunity number and title referenced in this 
announcement.
    If you are hand delivering or submitting via Fed-Ex, please include 
an original and three copies of your full proposal (program and budget 
narrative, application forms, assurances and other descriptions). The 
original should have the applicant's signature in blue ink. Electronic 
submissions will be accepted only via http://www.grants.gov.
    The narrative portion of the application should include, at a 
minimum: a brief paragraph indicating the applicant's understanding of 
the project's purpose; 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 timelines for the completion 
of each milestone; a description of the qualifications of the applicant 
organization and a resume for the principal and each staff member 
assigned to the project (including instructors) that documents relevant 
knowledge, skills, and abilities to carry out the project; and a budget 
that details all costs for the project, shows consideration for all 
contingencies for the project, and notes a commitment to work within 
the proposed budget.
    The narrative portion of the application should not exceed ten 
double-spaced typewritten pages, excluding attachments related to the 
credentials and relevant experience of staff.

    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. Funds may be used only for 
the activities that are linked to the desired outcome of the project.
    Eligibility of Applicants: An eligible applicant is any State or 
general unit of local government, private agency, educational 
institution, organization, individual, or team with expertise in the 
described areas. Applicants must have demonstrated ability to implement 
a project of this size and scope.
    Review Considerations: Applications will be subject to the NIC 
Review Process. The criteria for the evaluation of each application 
will be as follows:

Project Design and Management--30%

    Is there a clear understanding of the purpose of the project and 
the nature and scope of project activities? Does the applicant give a 
clear and complete description of all work to be performed for this 
project? Does the applicant clearly describe a work plan, including 
objectives, tasks, and milestones necessary to project completion? Are 
the objectives, tasks, and milestones realistic and will they achieve 
the project as described in NIC's solicitation for this cooperative 
agreement? Are the roles and the time required of project staff clearly 
defined? Is the applicant willing to meet with NIC staff, at a minimum, 
as specified in the solicitation for this cooperative agreement?

Applicant Organization and Project Staff Background--45%

    Is there a description of the background and expertise of all 
project personnel as they relate to this project? Is the applicant 
capable of managing this project? Does the applicant have an 
established reputation or skill that makes the applicant particularly 
well qualified for the project? Do project personnel, individually or 
collectively, have knowledge of the leadership role of sheriffs in 
their organization, local criminal justice system, and community? Do 
the project personnel, individually or collectively, have in-depth 
expertise on contemporary leadership principles, concepts, and 
practices and their application to the leadership roles of sheriffs? Do 
the project personnel, individually or collectively, have the ability 
to conduct training, based on adult learning principles, on leadership 
principles, concepts, and practices? Do project personnel, individually 
or collectively, have experience in conducting training for first-term 
sheriffs on their leadership roles? Does the staffing plan propose 
sufficient and realistic time commitments from key personnel? Are there 
written commitments from proposed staff that they will be available to 
work on the project as described in the application?

Budget--25%

    Does the application provide adequate cost detail to support the 
proposed budget? Are potential budget contingencies included? Does the 
application include a chart that aligns the budget with project 
activities along a timeline with, at a minimum, quarterly benchmarks? 
In terms of program value, is the estimated cost reasonable in relation 
to work performed and project products?

    Note: NIC will not award a cooperative agreement to an applicant 
who does not have a Dun and Bradstreet Database Universal Number 
(DUNS) and is not registered in the Central Contractor Registry 
(CCR).

    Applicants can obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the 
dedicated toll-free DUNS number request line at 800-333-0505. 
Applicants who are sole proprietors should dial 866-705-5711 and select 
option 1.
    Applicants may register in the CCR Online at the CCR Web site at 
http://www.ccr.gov. Applicants can also review a CCR handbook and 
worksheet at this Web site.
    Number of Awards: One.
    NIC Opportunity Number: 09J70. This number should appear as a 
reference line in the cover letter, where the opportunity number is 
requested on Standard Form 424, and on the outside of the envelope in 
which the application is sent.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 16.601.

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

Morris L. Thigpen,
Director, National Institute of Corrections.
 [FR Doc. E9-12629 Filed 5-29-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-36-P