Program Description and Goal
The objective of this program is to rapidly accelerate the analysis of convicted offender samples collected by States in order to provide CODIS-compatible data for all 13 CODIS core STR loci for local, State, and national DNA databases so that law enforcement is provided with critical investigative information in a timely manner. All convicted offender DNA profiles obtained with funding from this program are to be included in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).
Through this program, NIJ provides Federal contract administration for States to outsource their convicted offender backlog samples.
Who Is Eligible for Funding
Participants in this program must be the designated convicted offender laboratory(ies) for a State. All convicted offender samples analyzed under this program must be analyzed for all 13 CODIS core STR loci - FGA, vWA, D3S1358, CSF1PO, TPOX, THO1, D18S51, D21S11, D8S1179, D7S820, D13S317, D5S818, and D16S539 using commercially available PCR kits accepted by the National DNA Index System (NDIS). The resulting DNA profiles must be entered into CODIS.
Federal Contract Administration
Beginning in fiscal year 2003, all private vendor laboratories were required to be listed on the General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule in order to participate in the program. As an additional requirement these new vendor labs undergo a qualifying procedure that includes a DNA audit and Grant Program Assessment. This allows the government to procure DNA analytical services from vendors for States' convicted offender samples. Upon approval, these vendors complete State's sample analyses. Funding is obligated to vendors through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Acquisition Management Division (Contracting Office). Since 2003, over 35 States have contacted NIJ for federal assistance through the Outsourcing Program.
Among NIJ's highest goals are standardization, objectivity, and fairness to all participating entities. To accomplish these goals, a new Request for Proposal (RFP) template was approved by the OJP Contracting Office and is now used for the base document that the States complete for their State's specific RFQ technical specifications.
Vendor Laboratory Assessments
Under this program NIJ also conducts an annual DNA Compliance Audit and a contract compliance audit for each contract vendor laboratory performing convicted offender DNA analyses through the NIJ Grant Progress Assessment Program. The goal of this transaction is to certify that all vendors meet national quality assurance standards and NIJ program requirements. By completing these DNA Compliance Audits, each State participating in the program can use their required site visits to discuss issues concerning the DNA analyses of their DNA samples, rather than conduct their own compliance audit. As a result, the vendors benefit from this procedure by completing only DNA Compliance Audit, instead of several individual audits one from each State.
Program Contacts
lf you would like to speak with someone at NIJ about this program, please call Brenda Worthington, NIJ Program Operations Specialist, at (202) 305-7844.
Vendor laboratories should contact Mr. Ray German, OJP Senior Contracting Officer, at (202) 307-0613.
