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16.735 PROTECTING INMATES AND SAFEGUARDING COMMUNITIES DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM

(Prison Rape Elimination)

FEDERAL AGENCY
OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

AUTHORIZATION
Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003.

OBJECTIVES
To make grants to States and to assist those States in ensuring that budgetary circumstances (such as reduced State and local spending on prisons) do not compromise efforts to protect male and female inmates in adult and juvenile correctional facilities from prison rape as well as safeguarding the communities to which inmates return.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE
Project Grants (Discretionary).

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS
This program is divided into two parts: Protecting Inmates and Safeguarding Communities. Protecting Inmates focuses on providing funding to State and local agencies for the costs of personnel, training, technical assistance, data collection, and equipment necessary for the proper prevention, investigation, and prosecution of prison rape and the provision of victim service and treatment. Safeguarding Communities focuses on training and technical assistance to states on moderating the growth of prison populations without compromising public safety; developing and utilizing analyses of prison populations and risk assessment instruments to educate State and local governments' understanding of risks to the community of inmate reentry; preparing and updating maps that provide on a community-by-community basis a roster of returning offenders; promoting collaborative efforts with State and local governments to understand and address the risks involved when a large number of inmates reenter a community; and developing policies and programs that reduce spending on prisons by effectively reducing rates of parole and probation revocation without compromising public safety. Grant awards of up to $1,000,000 will be made, with a grant period not to exceed 24 months.

Applicant Eligibility
Eligible applicants are States which are interested in: (1) protecting inmates by undertaking efforts to more effectively prevent, investigate, and prosecute prison rape incidents and providing the appropriate victim services and treatment, and (2) safeguarding communities through various mediums such as intergovernmental collaboration, assessment, training, and technical assistance. Applicants in varying stages of developing a prison rape initiative are eligible and encouraged to apply. Applicants must coordinate their proposal with other stakeholders in their State to ensure a collaborative response to this solicitation and ensure that agencies within a single jurisdiction are not competing against one another in the grant process. The Chief Executive of the State shall submit one application which designates which State agency will manage the grant. (Note: The Chief Executive must certify that his/her State has adopted, or will consider adopting, the national prison rape standards.) States are encouraged to make sub-awards to local jurisdictions (e.g., jails, lock-ups, detention centers) for such purposes consistent with this solicitation.

Beneficiary Eligibility
Eligible applicants are States.

Credentials/Documentation
The applicant must submit a completed Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424), including signed assurances that it will comply with statutory and administrative requirements. The applicant is also required to submit a description that includes: (1) program goals; (2) implementation process; (3) timetable for implementation; and (4) documentation that includes organizational experience, name of grantee agency or fiscal agent, identification of management structure, letters of support/commitment and/or memoranda of understanding, and description of previous collaboration.

Preapplication Coordination
Applicants must coordinate their proposal with other stakeholders in their State to ensure a collaborative response to this solicitation and ensure that agencies within a single jurisdiction are not competing against one another in the grant process. The Chief Executive of the State shall submit one application which designates which state agency will manage the grant. (Note: The Chief Executive must certify that his/her state has adopted, or will consider adopting, the national prison rape standards.) States may make sub-awards to local jurisdictions (e.g., jails, lock-ups, detention centers) for such purposes consistent with this solicitation. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure
Applicants must submit a completed Standard Form 424 and other information outlined in the Application Kit to the Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance. The receipt, review, and analysis of applications will follow Office of Justice Programs policies and procedures for the administration of grant applications. Applications must be submitted on-line through the Office of Justice Programs Grant Management System at: https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov/.

Award Procedure
A letter with copies of the grant award are sent to the applicant agency upon approval by the Office of Justice Programs. One copy of the grant award must be signed by the authorized official and returned to the Office of Justice Programs.

Deadlines
See the program solicitation or contact the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, for application deadline at (1-866) 859-2687 or E-mail: AskBJA@usdoj.gov.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
None.

Appeals
None.

Renewals
None.

Formula and Matching Requirements
None.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
24 months.

Reports
Recipients are required to submit Individual Project Reports as sub-awards are made, quarterly Financial Reports, and an annual Evaluation Report.

Audits
All organizations that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit for that year in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-133, as amended, unless the audit condition on the award says otherwise. These audits are due to the cognizant Federal agency not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year. Performance Measures: To assist in fulfilling the Departments responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), P.L. 103-62, applicants who receive funding under this solicitation must provide data that measures the results of their work.

Records
In accordance with the requirement set forth in 28 CFR Parts 66 and 70, grantees must maintain all financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the award for at least 3 years following the close of the most recent audit.

Account Identification
15-0404-0-1-754.

Obligations
FY 07 $17,942,869; FY 08 $17,860,000; and FY 09 est not available.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance
None.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
None.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE
Program Guidance and Application Kit, and the OJP Financial Guide.

Regional or Local Office
None.

Headquarters Office
Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20531. Contact: Elizabeth Griffith, Assoc. Deputy Director, Telephone: (202) 616-6500.

Web Site Address
Protecting Inmates and Safeguarding Communities: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/

RELATED PROGRAMS
None.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS
None.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS
Applications will be scored based upon ability to clearly articulate strategy in the following areas: Budget Applicants must provide a budget that is complete, allowable, and cost effective in relation to the activities to be undertaken. Program Narrative Project Abstract Applicants must briefly describe in 200 words or less the project's purpose, goals and objectives, and summarize the activities that will be implemented to achieve the goals and objectives, as well as the infrastructure and collaboration necessary to manage the proposed activities. Problem To Be Addressed -- Applicants must demonstrate an understanding of the problem; discuss historical and current efforts for addressing the problem; provide statistical evidence of the problem; illustrate what the applicant is proposing to do and how the applicant intends to do it; and provide qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate outcomes. Goals and Objectives Applicants must identify the progressive steps to be taken in order to accomplish the goal; identify how the agency's purpose area goal will enhance or expand an existing strategy; and include how achievement of the enhancement of expansion will be measured. Project Design/Strategy Applicants must provide a strategy that discusses the program's concept, identifies the program's target population(s) and target area(s), and explains how this strategy will achieve the project's goals and objectives. Management and Organizational Capability.


General Services Administration
Office of Chief Acquisition Officer
Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR)