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Technical Assistance - Frequently Asked Questions

How much will technical assistance cost my agency?


NIC provides services free of charge. However, it is expected that the requesting agency provide access to staff, data, and anything else that will help us help you.

Who has to sign the technical assistance request letter?


The CEO of your agency. For example, the Director of Corrections, the Sheriff, or County Administrator must sign the technical assistance request letter.

Do you give grants for equipment and training?



NIC is not a funding agency. We do not provide you with a grant to purchase equipment or procure training. NIC does not provide funds directly to an agency. When we provide assistance, we fund the cost of consultants' travel and time.

Who receives the technical assistance report?



Both NIC and the agency representative who requested the technical assistance will receive a copy of the technical assistance report. The agency is free to distribute the report.

If NIC receives a request for the report from an outside party, we will direct them back to the agency. If the outside party submits a Freedom of Information (FOAI) request, NIC will send the report with suggestions for redaction to the Bureau of Prisons Legal Department. It is NIC’s policy to advise the agency that the FOIA request has been made.

Learn More: For more information about the Freedom of Information Act, visit www.bop.gov/foia

Can you do a staffing analysis, population projection, and/or feasibility study for our agency?



No, NIC cannot provide such services. These studies are very lengthy and complicated, and we do not have the resources to do them. What NIC can do is assist an agency in building the capacity to conduct these analyses, on its own, through training and materials available through the NIC Information Center.

Can you pay for a keynote speaker at our conference?



No, NIC cannot provide funding for keynote speakers at a conference. However, NIC can provide training at a conference providing it meets our initiatives.

I have a court order that says NIC will certify my jail. Can you do that for me?



No, NIC does not certify jails. NIC is not an investigatory or regulatory agency. NIC’s interest is in determining how best you can provide detention services in your community in a manner that is safe for inmates, staff and the public.

Can I have NIC come in once a month for a year and conduct training?



NIC’s technical assistance is short-term assistance. We generally complete it in three days, provide the requestor with a report, and address the specific issues for assistance as requested in the letter.

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