[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41084-41086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-16482]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement--Video Production: 
Direct Supervision Jails

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) is soliciting 
proposals from organizations, groups, or individuals to enter into a 
cooperative agreement for a 12-month period to begin no later than 
September 15, 2013. Work under this cooperative agreement will involve 
the production of a 20- to 25-minute, high-end broadcast-quality DVD 
that introduces podular direct-supervision to a varied audience. The 
DVD will illustrate direct supervision through narration, interviews, 
graphics, and footage shot in jails. This project will be a 
collaborative venture with the NIC Jails Division.
    NIC Opportunity Number: 13JD05. This number should appear in the 
reference line in your cover letter, on Standard Form 424 in section 11 
with the title of your proposal, and in the right justified header of 
your proposal.
    Number of Awards and Funds Available: Under this solicitation, one 
award will be made. Funds awarded under this solicitation may only be 
used for activities directly related to the project as described herein 
unless otherwise amended in writing by NIC.
    Applications: All applications must be submitted electronically via 
http://www.grants.gov. Hand delivered, mailed, faxed, or emailed 
applications will not be accepted. However, three copies of two sample 
video productions specifying the applicant's role in each production 
must be submitted before the application due date. To ensure timely 
delivery of the video please send via a commercial carrier (e.g., 
FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.) directly to NIC c/o Danny Downes at 500 First 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20534.

DATES: Application must be submitted before midnight on Thursday, July 
25, 2013.


[[Page 41085]]


    Authority:  Public Law 93-415.

    Eligibility of Applicants: An eligible applicant is any public or 
private agency, educational institution, organization, individual, or 
team with expertise in the described areas.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: Inmate violence and vandalism 
have been pervasive in American jails. This is a result of our 
traditional approach to detention, which focuses primarily on 
physically containing inmates with the use of locks, steel doors, 
security glass, and bars. In traditional jails, physical barriers 
separate staff and inmates. As a result, inmates receive little 
supervision and are essentially left to their own devices. This creates 
a dangerous environment for both inmates and staff. Podular direct 
supervision combines a physical plant design with inmate management 
techniques to shift control of the jail from inmates to staff, which 
can significantly reduce inmate violence, vandalism, and other 
problematic behaviors. NIC provides training, technical assistance, and 
information to local jails on podular direct supervision. Scope of 
Work: The production company will see the DVD production through from 
beginning to end. The company will provide staff, equipment, and other 
resources necessary for all aspects of DVD production. The company will 
provide music, professional voice-over narration, and other talent 
necessary for the complete production.

Project Director

    The production company will assign one staff to oversee the project 
and work with NIC on all production phases.

NIC Oversight and Approval

    NIC will work closely with the production company throughout the 
project to ensure personnel understand podular direct supervision and 
that it is portrayed accurately in every detail of the DVD. NIC will be 
available for questions and quality assurance through all project 
phases. Each step of the production process will require NIC's 
approval.

Meetings

    Production company staff must be readily available for up to 5 
face-to-face meetings with NIC staff when necessary. These meetings 
will take place at the NIC offices in Washington, DC, or other agreed 
upon location. NIC will make provisions for telephone conferences or 
meetings through electronic media as needed.
    The project kickoff meeting will take place shortly after the 
cooperative agreement is awarded. During this meeting, production 
company staff and NIC will discuss direct supervision and all project 
activities.

Scriptwriting

    NIC anticipates using the script from a previous NIC video on this 
subject as a basis for the new DVD. This script may need revision, but 
it covers all concepts to be included in the DVD. Working with NIC, the 
production company will produce the final written script for the video.

Talent

    The production company will provide a professional voice-over 
narrator for the video and other talent deemed necessary during the 
scripting process. NIC does not anticipate hiring professional actors 
for filming. NIC will arrange for individuals to participate in filmed 
interviews and staged events, such as meetings.

Filming Locations

    Filming and interviews will take place at up to 5 jails throughout 
the United States. The production company will film inside jails, 
including inmate housing units, booking rooms, administrative areas, 
and meeting rooms. NIC will identify and confirm all filming sites. NIC 
staff will accompany the film crew to the filming sites.

Audio

    The company will provide all music for the video as approved by 
NIC.

Voice Over

    The company will provide professional talent for voice-over 
narration. NIC must approve all voices used for narration.

Graphics/Effects

    The awardee will produce graphics, artwork, animation, and 
lettering for the DVD. The awardee also will produce digital effects 
for the transition between DVD segments.

Production Activities

    The major activities required to complete the project are listed 
below. Project activities will begin upon award of this agreement and 
must be completed 12 months after the award date. The project activity 
schedule should include the following, at a minimum:

--Production company attends kickoff meeting with NIC
--Production company reviews materials on direct supervision provided 
by NIC
--NIC develops outline of key concepts to be included in video, with 
suggestions for illustrating concepts
--Working with NIC, production company develops initial treatment and/
or storyboard
--Production company writes script and presents to NIC for review
--Production company completes script revisions and submits to NIC for 
approval
--Production company prepares complete shot list
--NIC schedules filming and interviews at jails
--Production company completes filming
--Production company begins offline editing
--Production company and NIC screen offline edit and select shots to be 
used
--Production company creates graphics
--NIC reviews and approves or asks for changes
--Production company hires professional talent for online narration
--Production company completes online edit
--Production company and NIC staff complete online screening
--NIC reviews and approves final edit
--Production company delivers final products to NIC

    Deliverables: Once the production is complete and has been approved 
in writing by NIC, the production company will deliver (1) one 20- to 
25-minute master copy suitable for duplicating, 2) various high-
definition files (including prores and h.264) for play on computers, 
tablets, and smartphones and online delivery through YouTube and Vimeo, 
and (3) all video/b-roll used in this production.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: All technical or programmatic 
questions concerning this announcement should be directed to Danny 
Downes, Correctional Program Specialist, National Institute of 
Corrections who may be reached by email at [email protected]. In 
addition to the direct reply, all questions and responses will be 
posted on NIC's Web site at www.nicic.gov for public review (the names 
or affiliations of those submitting 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.
    Application Requirements: Application Requirements: Applications 
should be typed, double spaced, in 12-point font, and reference the 
project by the ``NIC Opportunity Number'' (13JD05) and title in this 
announcement,

[[Page 41086]]

``Video Production: Direct Supervision Jails.'' The package must 
include: 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 concisely written program narrative, not to exceed 30 
numbered pages, in response to the statement of work, and a detailed 
budget with a budget narrative explaining projected costs. Applicants 
may submit a description of the project teams' qualifications and 
expertise relevant to the project, but should not attach lengthy 
resumes. Large attachments to the proposal describing the organization 
or examples of other past work are discouraged. Applicants must also 
attach 2 samples of a video production completed by the applicant. The 
applicant organization must specify its role in the production of the 
sample videos. As noted above, the three copies of 2 sample videos must 
also be submitted before the application due date (to ensure timely 
delivery of the video please send via a commercial carrier (e.g., 
FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.) directly to NIC c/o Danny Downes at 500 First 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20534. Attachments should not exceed 5MB.
    The following forms must also be included: OMB Standard Form 424, 
Application for Federal Assistance; OMB Standard Form 424A, Budget 
information--Non-Construction Programs; OMB Standard Form 424B, 
Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (these forms are available at 
(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://nicic.gov/Downloads/General/certif-frm.pdf.
    Failure to supply all required forms with the application package 
may result in disqualification of the application from consideration.

    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). 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).

    Registration in the CRR can be done online at the CCR Web site: 
http://www.bpn.gov/ccr. A CCR Handbook and worksheet can also be 
reviewed at the Web site.
    Review Considerations: Applications received under this 
announcement will be subject to the NIC Review Process. Proposals which 
fail to provide sufficient information to allow evaluation under the 
criteria below may be judged non-responsive and disqualified.
    The criteria for the evaluation of each application will be as 
follows:

Programmatic (40%)

    Are all of the project tasks adequately discussed? Is there a clear 
statement of how each task will be accomplished to include the overall 
project goal(s), major tasks to achieve the goals(s), the strategies to 
be employed in completing the tasks, required staffing, and other 
required resources? Are there any approaches, techniques, or design 
aspects proposed that are new to NIC and will enhance the project?

Organizational (35%)

    Do the proposed project staff members possess the skills, 
knowledge, and expertise necessary to complete the tasks listed under 
the scope of work as evidenced in the sample video? Does the applicant 
organization, group, or individual have the organizational capacity to 
achieve all project tasks? Does the proposal contain project management 
and staffing plans that are realistic and sufficient to complete the 
project within the project time frame?

Project Management/Administration (25%)

    Does the applicant identify reasonable objectives, milestones, and 
measures to track progress? If consultants and/or partnerships are 
proposed, is there a reasonable justification for their inclusion in 
the project, and a clear structure to ensure effective coordination? Is 
the proposed budget realistic, does it provide a sufficient cost 
detail/narrative, and does it represent good value relative to the 
anticipated results?
    Specific Requirements: Documents or other media that are produced 
under this award must follow these guidelines: Prior to the preparation 
of the final draft of any document or other media, the awardee must 
consult with NIC's Writer/Editor concerning the acceptable formats for 
manuscript submissions and the technical specifications for electronic 
media. For all awards in which a document will be a deliverable, the 
awardee must follow the guidelines listed herein, as well as follow the 
Guidelines for Preparing and Submitting Manuscripts for Publication as 
found in the ``General Guidelines for Cooperative Agreements,'' which 
can be found on our Web site at www.nicic.gov/cooperativeagreements.
    All final documents and other materials submitted under this 
project must meet the federal government's requirement for Section 508 
accessibility, including those provisions outlined in 1194 Subpart B, 
Technical Provisions, Subpart C, Functional Performance Criteria; and 
Subpart D, Documentation and Support, NIC's government product 
accessibility template (see www.nicic.gov/section508) outlines the 
agency's minimum criteria for meeting this requirement; a completed 
form attesting to the accessibility of project deliverables should 
accompany all submissions.

    Note Concerning Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) should be entered 
into box 10 of the SF 424. The CFDA number for this solicitation is 
16.603--Technical Assistance/Clearinghouse. You are subject to the 
provisions of Executive Order 12372. The order allows states the 
option of setting up a system for reviewing applications from within 
their states for assistance under certain Federal programs. You must 
notify the Single State Point of Contact in your state, if it 
exists, of this application before NIC can make an award. Applicants 
(other than Indian tribal governments recognized by the Federal 
government) should contact their State Single Point of Contact 
(SPOC), a list of which can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc. Check the appropriate box in section 16 of the SF-
424.


Robert M. Brown, Jr.,
Acting Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. 2013-16482 Filed 7-8-13; 8:45 am]
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