[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80966-80968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33114]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement--Jail as Part of County 
Government: Review and Revision

AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, U.S. 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 revision of its Jail as Part of County 
Government training program. The project will be for a 9-month period 
and will be completed 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, in-depth 
knowledge of: (1) The purpose, functions, and operational complexities 
of local jails, (2) liability issues common in jails, (3) the nature of 
the relationship between jail officials and their funding authorities, 
(4) the challenges inherent in the unique relationship between an 
elected sheriff and the local funding authority, (5) the resource 
constraints faced by many local governments and their jails, and (6) 
strategies for creating a productive working relationship between jail 
officials and their funding authority. Also, the applicant must 
demonstrate expertise and experience in developing curricula based on 
adult learning principles, specifically the Instructional Theory into 
Practice (ITIP) model.

DATES: Applications must be received by 4 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, 
January 19, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be sent to: Director, National 
Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street NW., Room 5002, 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 20534, and dial (202) 307-
3106, ext. 0, at the front desk for pickup.
    Faxed or emailed 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 the 
required application forms can be downloaded from the NIC Web site at 
http://www.nicic.gov/

[[Page 80967]]

cooperativeagreements. Questions about this project and the application 
procedures should be directed to Erika McDuffe, Correctional Program 
Specialist, National Institute of Corrections. Questions must be 
emailed to Ms. McDuffe at [email protected]. Ms. McDuffe will respond by 
email 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 regularly and postings will remain on the Web 
site until the closing date of this cooperative agreement solicitation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: NIC's Jail as Part of County 
Government is a 3-day training program that focuses on the relationship 
between local jail officials and their funding authority. It is held in 
various regions throughout the county and is attended by 3-person teams 
from each of 8-10 jurisdictions. Each team consists of the county 
sheriff, jail administrator, and the county supervisor or county 
commissioner.
    The goal of the program is to foster a more positive and productive 
working relationship between jail officials and their funding 
authority. This relationship is often strained due to (1) competition 
among county departments for scarce resources, (2) the funding 
authority's lack of understanding of the jail's mission, operations, 
and resource needs, and (3) jail officials' lack of understanding of 
the challenges that funding officials face. As a result of the lack of 
understanding between jail and funding officials, jails often receive 
inadequate resources to operate safely and securely.
    Current topics in Jail as Part of County Government include (1) the 
jail's role in the local criminal justice system, (2) liability issues 
in jails as they apply to both jail and funding officials, (3) factors 
in determining adequate staffing levels for the jail, (4) jail 
budgeting, (5) key elements of effective jail operations, and (6) 
building effective working relationships between jails and funding 
officials.
    NIC now wishes to update the content of this program and ensure its 
design conforms to the ITIP model. The following reference materials 
are posted with this announcement on NIC's Web site: Jail as Part of 
County Government: Lesson Plans; Jail as Part of County Government: 
Participant Manual; Jail as Part of County Government: Presentation 
Slides; Jail as Part of County Government: Activities.
    Scope of Work: The cooperative agreement awardee will revise the 
content of the current program to ensure it is current, accurate, and 
relevant. The awardee also will ensure module sequencing is logical and 
enhances the flow of the program. Finally, the awardee will revise the 
program's design to conform to the ITIP model. The awardee will ensure 
that content, module sequencing, and instructional strategies 
effectively contribute to meeting the program's goal. To achieve this, 
the awardee will complete the following activities, at a minimum.
    Initial Meeting: The cooperative agreement awardee, with the 
subject matter expert and the curriculum specialist, will attend an 
initial meeting with NIC staff for a project overview and preliminary 
planning. This will occur shortly after the cooperative agreement is 
awarded. The meeting will last up to one half day and will be conducted 
via WebEx.
    Initial curriculum review: The awardee will review and become 
familiar with the current lesson plans, presentation slides, 
participant manual, and other training materials. The awardee will 
document any comments based on this review for discussion at the 
initial curriculum review.
    Curriculum review meeting with NIC staff: After becoming familiar 
with the curriculum, the awardee (project director, subject matter 
experts, and curriculum specialist) will meet with NIC staff for 3 days 
in Washington, DC, to discuss the program's goal, audience, and design. 
The awardee and NIC staff will identify needed revisions to content, 
instructional strategies, presentation slides, the participant manual, 
and other training materials.
    In the cooperative agreement application, the awardee is required 
to project milestones and dates for the completion of all project 
activities. Based on the decisions made during the initial meeting, the 
awardee and NIC staff may set additional dates for completion of 
specific activities.
    The awardee will document primary discussion points and all 
decisions made during the meeting and will give NIC this documentation 
within 2 weeks of the meeting.
    Draft revisions and NIC review: Based on decisions made during the 
initial meeting, the awardee will draft revisions to the curriculum. 
Lesson plan revisions will be completed first. The awardee will send 
revised lesson plans to NIC staff for review and approval before any 
other materials are developed. Once the lesson plans are approved, the 
awardee will draft revisions to the presentation slides and participant 
manual. The awardee will also send these draft revisions to NIC staff 
for review and approval. Finally, the awardee will draft participant 
evaluation forms to be completed after each module and at the end of 
the program and will send these to NIC staff for approval.
    Program Pilot: The awardee will conduct one pilot of the revised 
curriculum at a location yet to be determined. The awardee, with NIC 
staff, will identify trainers for this pilot. The awardee will hire 
these trainers and pay their fees and expenses.
    The awardee will also pay fees and expenses for the project 
director and curriculum specialist, both of whom are required to attend 
the entire program. If qualified, the project director or others on the 
cooperative agreement team may be included among the trainers.
    The awardee will print all program materials for the instructors 
and the participants and will assume the cost of this. The awardee will 
send one full set of these materials to NIC staff prior to the program 
for approval.
    During the pilot, the awardee, curriculum specialist, and trainers 
will meet regularly with NIC staff to discuss their observations about 
the revised program and the participants' responses. They will also 
review and discuss the module evaluations each day.
    The awardee will document the main discussion points and decisions 
from these meetings. The awardee will also summarize all participant 
evaluations (module and end-of-program). The awardee will submit the 
documentation of the meetings, the evaluation summaries, and all 
participant evaluations to NIC within 2 weeks after the program.
    Final program revisions: Based on the results of the pilot program 
and discussion with NIC staff, the awardee will draft additional 
curriculum revisions. The awardee will send the drafts to NIC staff for 
review and approval before creating the final curriculum.
    Final product: The final curriculum will include a program 
description (overview), detailed narrative lesson plans, presentation 
slides for each lesson plan, a participant manual that follows the 
lesson plans, and other training materials as identified through this 
project. The curriculum will be designed according to the ITIP model 
for adult learners. Lesson plans will be in a format that NIC provides. 
The awardee will deliver all materials in hard copy (1) and on a disk. 
The awardee must also ensure that all products meet NIC's standards for 
accessibility and Section 508 compliance.

[[Page 80968]]

    Meetings: In addition to the initial WebEx meeting and the 
curriculum review meeting noted above, the awardee will attend other 
meetings with NIC staff as needed for project development and updates. 
These meetings will include, at a minimum: 1 two-day meeting in 
Washington, DC, and several WebEx meetings. The WebEx meetings will be 
hosted by NIC and will last up to 4 hours each. NIC will pay to host 
the WebEx meetings, but fees for project staff who attend will be 
charged to the cooperative agreement. For all meetings, the awardee 
should plan to have the project director, subject matter experts, and 
the curriculum specialist attend.
    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://nicic.gov/Downloads/General/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 principle and each staff member 
assigned to the project (including instructors) that documents relevant 
knowledge, skills, and abilities to complete 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.
    In addition to the narrative and attachments, the applicant must 
submit only one full curriculum developed by the primary curriculum 
developer named in the application. This curriculum must be in ITIP 
format and include lesson plans, presentation slides, and a participant 
manual, at a minimum.

    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. 
The funding amount should not exceed $ 80,000.
    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 
are:

Project Design and Management--25 Points

    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?

Applicant Organization & Project Staff Background--25 Points

    Is there a description of the background and expertise of all 
project personnel as they relate to this project? Does the applicant 
have an established reputation or skill that makes the applicant 
particularly well qualified for the project? Does the staffing plan 
propose sufficient and realistic time commitments from key personnel?

Budget--20 Points

    Does the application provide adequate cost detail to support the 
proposed budget? 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?

Sample Curriculum--30 Points

    Does the sample curriculum include all components specified in the 
RFP (lesson plans, presentation slides, and participant manual)? Are 
the lesson plans designed according to the ITIP model? Are the lesson 
plans detailed, clear, and well written (spelling, grammar, 
punctuation)? Is the participant manual clear, and does it follow the 
lesson plans?

    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: 12JA02. 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.
    Executive Order 12372: This project is not subject to the 
provisions of the executive order.

Thomas J. Beauclair,
Deputy Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. 2011-33114 Filed 12-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-36-P