[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55591-55593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25960]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement: A ``Systems Approach'' 
for Workforce Performance--Curriculum Development

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 to enter into a 
cooperative agreement to develop and field test a 36-hour curriculum to 
train a multi-disciplinary staff in state correctional agencies and 
prison systems. The time of the cooperative agreement is for a twelve 
month period. Two training pilots at sites selected by NIC will be 
completed no later than September 30, 2010, with a final curriculum 
delivered to NIC no later than December 30, 2010.
    The training curriculum will focus on the concept of agency 
management and operations as a systemic and collaborative effort of all 
stakeholders in the system. It will include updated and contemporary 
elements essential for managing an agency and institution to achieve 
its statutory mandates and mission in an increasingly challenging and 
budget lean environment. It will include modules on organizational 
change and building a culture for collaboration. The ultimate goal of 
the curriculum will be to provide management teams with the tools to 
manage their operations and demonstrate efficient, effective, safe and 
secure practices for staff, inmates and the general public.

DATES: Applications must be received by 2 p.m. EDT on Monday, November 
30, 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.
    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. Electronic applications 
can be submitted via www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this announcement can be 
downloaded from the NIC Web page at www.nicic.gov.
    All technical or programmatic questions concerning this 
announcement should be directed to Michael Dooley, Correctional Program 
Specialist, Prisons Division, National Institute of Corrections, at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Overview: The overall goal of the initiative is to design, develop, 
field test and revise, as needed, a training curriculum that will 
provide a multi-disciplinary staff in state correctional agencies and 
prison systems the competencies, skills and tools to leverage the 
performance of their operations and demonstrate efficient, effective, 
safe and secure practices for staff, inmates and the general public.
    Background: Managing prisons in today's climate presents 
correctional administrators and prison officials' particular 
challenges. First, and likely at the forefront, is the problem of 
shrinking state revenues forcing drastic cuts in funding. The impact 
has been far reaching, from delaying expansions needed to accommodate a 
growing population, closing units or even whole facilities to 
stretching staffing ratios compromising security and safety (2007/2008 
NIC Needs Assessment). Many agencies are under mounting pressure to 
release large volumes of prisoners across communities within their 
jurisdictions.
    Second, the population demographic has become increasingly complex. 
A growing women offender population presents unique gender challenges 
for prison management who continue to operate with a bias toward the 
male offender. A growing number of offenders diagnosed with mental 
illness, sentenced and placed in prison present very difficult and 
unique challenges to both custody and case management staff. These 
offenders present a serious management, safety and budget problem for 
correctional administrators.
    Another demographic that has already begun to pose problems, 
especially in terms of cost, is the ``aging'' population resulting from 
the past three decades of ``tough on crime'' legislation. This 
population and its impact will continue to intensify over the next two 
decades. Other issues facing prison administrators are: Coping with the 
changing generational workforce with different values and perspectives, 
some of which are not conducive to effective and efficient management; 
the age old cultural dissonance between custody and treatment staff 
compounded by expanding roles and expectations of each; and an 
increased demand for accountability and to open a typically closed 
system to both the media and the public.
    The list of issues for agency and prison management goes on. The 
overarching need for agencies facing increasingly complex systems and 
unique challenges is to adopt performance-based behaviors, processes 
and standards, and deploy practices and strategies that embrace the 
multiple disciplines of stakeholders and functions that make up an 
agency and prison operation.
    Another NIC related project currently underway, ``Identifying 
Characteristics of High Performing Correctional Organizations (HCPO),'' 
will inform and serve as a foundational element for curriculum work 
done under this project. The HCPO project is focused on developing a 
methodology to design a model and assessment tool to identify and 
bridge gaps between current performance and optimal performance in 
terms of efficiency, effectiveness and accountability in correctional 
organizations. For more information on this project, please visit the 
HCPO Blog at http://NICIC.gov/HPCO.
    Purpose/Outcomes: The overarching purpose of this initiative is to 
promote and help correctional agencies develop the organizational 
competence to implement systematic, seamless and ``high performing'' 
practices resulting in increased accountability for enhanced public 
safety and fiscal responsibility. The following intended outcomes for 
this project are: Agency operational practices will improve next to 
performance standards identified by system stakeholders with an action 
learning plan strategy; Agency/institutional and cultural barriers will 
be reduced/eliminated as evidenced by an increase in collaborative 
behaviors and collective performance among stakeholders; Safety and 
security in an agency/institution will increase; Agencies/institutions 
will adopt key elements and standards of a learning and performance-
based culture.

[[Page 55592]]

    Scope of Work: Under this cooperative agreement, the single goal is 
the development, testing, and revision of a curriculum to train a 
multi-disciplinary staff in State correctional agencies and prison 
systems.
    A description of the products and deliverables for the project 
include a training curriculum titled: A ``Systems Approach'' for 
Workforce Performance. The Curriculum package will contain: (1) An 
instructor/facilitator's guide with associated tools, materials and 
resources; (2) A participant resource guide to be used in conjunction 
with all training activities; (3) Instructional aides and materials 
including presentation slide shows, charts, handouts, case studies, 
assessments, etc. to support instruction and facilitation.
    Training Program Description: The training program has been 
announced in NIC's Service Plan--``Technical Assistance, Information, 
and Training for Adult Corrections'', for delivery during FY 2010. A 
description follows, or may be downloaded online at http://nicic.gov/Library/023761, refer to page 52.
    This 36-hour ``agency exclusive'' strategy development program will 
focus on the concept of agency management and operations as a systemic 
and collaborative effort of all stakeholders in addressing policies, 
procedures, and practices in their correctional system. It will include 
updated and contemporary elements essential for managing an agency in 
an increasingly challenging and budget-conscious environment. It will 
reveal and promote evidence-based practice that results in both short-
term offender management and long-term public safety. The program 
includes modules on organizational change and building an environment 
of collaboration. The objective is to provide management teams with the 
tools and techniques necessary for coordinating their operations and to 
demonstrate a systemic approach in developing, maintaining, and 
evaluating those services and operations for efficiency and 
effectiveness.
    The program can accommodate up to 30 participants identified by the 
host agency. The agency should be able to provide onsite meeting space 
for both the main sessions and breakout sessions. NIC will provide the 
facilitators and materials.
    The targeted audience for the training is agency executive staff, 
including the director, deputy/assistant directors, regional directors 
and program administrators, wardens/superintendents, and designated 
program and security managers from a selected correctional agency who 
are responsible for agency-wide operations and programs.
    Training Program Goals: The following are the intended outcomes for 
participants completing the training program: Adopt and implement 
organizational and individual ``performance-based'' behaviors, 
strategies and techniques; Adopt and implement an established set of 
performance standards and benchmarks supported by organizational 
literature and research, and identified by relevant NIC workgroups on 
agency performance; Identify system performance barriers and gaps, and 
implement, evaluate and revise strategies to close these gaps; Assess 
agency/institutional cultural characteristics and implement strategies 
to leverage healthy cultural behaviors, limit/reduce unhealthy cultural 
barriers, and increase collaborative behaviors and the collective 
performance among agency/institutional stakeholders; Develop and 
implement strategies to promote an integrated, systems approach to the 
operations and practices in an agency/institution leading to 
substantially improved operational efficiencies and practices; Assess 
and evaluate organizational behavior and practices that embrace 
``organizational learning'' and implement strategies to enhance or 
adopt the key elements and standards of a learning and performance-
based culture.
    Requirements: The recipient of this cooperative agreement award 
must, at a minimum, do the following within the scope of this project: 
Consult with the Correctional Program Specialist (CPS) assigned to 
manage the cooperative agreement to ensure understanding of, and 
agreement on, the scope of work to be performed; Submit a detailed work 
plan with time lines and milestones for accomplishing project 
activities to CPS for approval prior to any work being performed under 
this agreement; Designate a point of contact, which would serve as the 
conduit of information and work experience between the CPS and the 
award recipient; Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and 
literature review to support the basis of the curriculum; Review 
relevant NIC curriculum and/or documents in the development of the 
curriculum; Consult with the CPS on both proposed content and training 
strategies. (The NIC/CPS will have final approval of both); Conduct a 
field test of the curriculum. This will consist of two pilot trainings 
to be done at two agencies selected by NIC. (Note: all participant 
associated costs will be the responsibility of the agency receiving the 
training. It is expected that the recipient of the cooperative 
agreement award will budget for the cost of training staff); Consult 
with the CPS concerning trainers for program delivery with NIC having 
final approval of training program faculty; Consult with the CPS on 
evaluation methodology; and provide evaluation data with 
recommendations for revisions to the curriculum.
    Curriculum Specifications: The curriculum must be designed and 
developed adhering to the following standards and specifications: The 
curriculum and training design is consistent with and embraces the 
Instructional Theory into Practice (ITIP) model. A reference to this 
model can be found at the following link on the NIC Web site http://nicic.gov/Library/010714; Written products are developed to support the 
training; The curriculum facilitation guide is written using a standard 
curriculum document format to include at a minimum: Module/Sections and 
Titles, Performance Objectives/Expectations, Learning Activities Guide, 
Practice/Application, Evaluation Method and Resources needed to conduct 
training activities; References are cited that support curriculum 
content and concepts; Copyright permissions are secured for the use of 
copyright protected publications and materials with a minimum usage of 
three years; All documents must be delivered electronically in both MS 
Word 2003 or higher and Adobe PDF; A ``camera print ready'' hard copy 
must also be submitted; NIC will have final approval of the format, 
look and organization of the curriculum documents.
    Required Expertise: The successful applicant will possess 
knowledge, skills and experience in the following areas: Knowledge of 
organizational development, systems theory, organizational behavior, 
team development, organizational change, and the ability to demonstrate 
the application of the learning concepts in a correctional agency/
prison system; Knowledge and experience with correctional agency/prison 
system operations and cultural dynamics; Knowledge, skills and 
experience in curriculum development based on adult learning theory and 
the Instructional Theory into Practice (ITIP) format; Knowledge and 
expertise in a variety of instructional delivery strategies to include, 
but not be limited to, instructor-led e-learning including asynchronous 
computer/Web-based, instructor-led synchronous Web-based, social 
learning networks, Web 2.0 applications, etc.; Skilled in designing

[[Page 55593]]

training curriculum linked to training objectives; Knowledge of 
training evaluation methods; and Effective written and oral 
communication skills.
    Application Requirements: Applications should be concisely written, 
typed double spaced and reference the ``NIC Funding Opportunity 
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 of 
fiscal year that the applicant operates under (e.g., July 1 through 
June 30), 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 (available at 
www.grants.gov), and DOJ/NIC Certification Regarding Lobbying; 
Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and 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 
www.grants.gov. If submitted in hard copy, there needs to be an 
original and three copies of the full proposal (program and budget 
narratives, application forms and assurances). The original should have 
the applicant's signature in blue ink. The program narrative text must 
be limited to 15 double spaced pages, exclusive of resumes and 
summaries of experience. Please do not submit full curriculum vitae.
    A web-conference will be conducted for persons with the intent to 
respond to the solicitation on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 12 p.m. 
EDT. During this conference, NIC project managers will respond to 
questions regarding the solicitation and expectation of work to be 
performed. Please notify Michael Dooley electronically at 
[email protected] by 12 p.m. noon EDT on Friday, November 13, 2009, 
regarding your interest in participating in the conference. You will be 
provided with the Web link, call-in number and instructions for 
accessing the session.

    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 only be used for 
the activities that are linked to the desired outcome of the project.
    This project will be a collaborative venture with the NIC Prisons 
Division.
    Eligibility of Applicants: An eligible applicant is any 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 Peer Review 
Process.

    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.

    A DUNS number can be received at no cost by calling the dedicated 
toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-800-333-0505 (if you are a sole 
proprietor, you would dial 1-866-705-5711 and select option 1).
    Number of Awards: One.
    NIC Funding Opportunity Number: 10P07. 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.

Morris L. Thigpen,
Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. E9-25960 Filed 10-27-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-36-P