Grants to USA State and Local Governments and IHEs to Increase DNA Evidence Processing Capacity

Competitive DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

Agency

Federal

GrantWatch ID#

208184

Funding Source

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)

CFDA Number: 16.741

Funding or PIN Number: O-BJA-2023-171623

Geographic Focus

All USA
USA Territories: American Samoa (USA); Guam (USA); Puerto Rico (USA); Virgin Islands (USA); Northern Mariana Islands (USA);

Important Dates

Deadline: 04/19/23 8:59 PM ET - Grants.gov deadline; 04/26/23 8:59 PM ET - JustGrants deadline.

Grant Description

Grants to USA and territories state and local governments and IHEs to increase DNA evidence processing capacity. Applicants are advised that required registrations may take several weeks to finalize. Funding is intended to purchase additional equipment, streamline workflows to improve efficiency, and purchase software to maximize the effective utilization of DNA technology to solve crimes and protect public safety.

With this solicitation, BJA seeks to provides funding to states and units of local government with existing crime laboratories that conduct DNA analysis to solve crimes and protect public safety by maximizing the effective utilization of DNA technology to process DNA samples for entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

The Competitive DNA CEBR Program awards funding to eligible entities with at least one of the two program objectives:

Increase the capacity of laboratories to process CODIS eligible crime scene samples in accredited, publicly funded forensic DNA laboratories through the use of DNA technology.
Increase laboratory efficiency for processing CODIS eligible crime scene samples analyzed in accredited, publicly funded forensic DNA laboratories through the use of DNA technology.

Allowable activities include, but are not limited to:

Purchasing/implementing new and more efficient instruments/robotics to automate routine laboratory processing steps.
Evaluating, validating, and implementing improved workflows for efficient laboratory processing or improved testing results (e.g. enhanced techniques to recover higher quantities of DNA).
Purchasing and upgrading software (e.g. LIMS) to more efficiently manage laboratory operations.

Permissible Uses of Funds: https://bja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/media/document/O-BJA-2023-171623.pdf#page=11

Recipient

Eligibility

City or township governments
County governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
State governments

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants:
City or township governments, County governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, State governments

For the purposes of this solicitation, “state” means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

BJA will consider applications under which two or more entities would carry out the federal award; however, only one entity may be the applicant. Any others must be proposed as subrecipients (subgrantees).

Ineligible

A state or unit of local government (or any department, agency, or instrumentality of the foregoing) that does not own, control, or operate a crime laboratory or laboratory system is not an eligible applicant under this program. For example, a state or unit of local government that receives forensic services only by way of an inter- or intra- governmental arrangement or contract, but does not own, control, or operate its own crime laboratory within its jurisdiction, is not eligible under this program.

Forensic genetic genealogical DNA analysis (FGG) expenses are not allowable under the CEBR Program at this time.

Expenses That are Not Permitted: https://bja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/media/document/O-BJA-2023-171623.pdf#page=14

Pre-Proposal Conference

The Bureau of Justice Assistance will hold a solicitation webinar on March 8, 2023 at 3pm ET. This call will provide a detailed overview of the solicitation and allow an opportunity for interested applicants to ask questions. Preregistration is required for all participants.

Register: https://ojp.webex.com/weblink/register/r603b7a0fcbb02081fe5e18ed7e977450

Pre-Application Information

The SF-424 and the SF-LLL must be submitted in Grants.gov by April 19, 2023 8:59 PM ET.

The full application must be submitted in JustGrants by April 26, 2023 8:59 PM ET.

To use the webinar time most efficiently, the Bureau of Justice Assistance encourages participants to review the solicitation and submit any questions they may have in advance and no later than March 7, 2023.

Before submitting an application, all applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). Registration and renewal can take up to 10 business days to complete.

Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step process via Grants.gov and JustGrants:
- Step 1: The applicant must submit by the Grants.gov deadline the required Application for Federal Assistance standard form (SF-424) and a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SFLLL) form when they register in Grants.gov. Submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL as early as possible, but no later than 48 hours before the Grants.gov deadline. If an applicant fails to submit in Grants.gov, they will be unable to apply in JustGrants.
- Step 2: The applicant must submit the full application, including attachments, in JustGrants by the JustGrants application deadline.

In order to qualify for funding, an applicant for funds must submit the Competitive DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program Eligibility Certification form. This certification form is separate and distinct from the Formula DNA CEBR certification form.

OJP Grant Application Resource Guide: https://www.ojp.gov/funding/apply/ojp-grant-application-resource-guide#apply

View this opportunity on Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=346376

For a list of application documents, see the Package tab (press Preview) on the Grants.gov page above.

Webinar recording from March 8, 2023: https://bja.ojp.gov/funding/webinar/fy23-cebr-recording

Additional Funding Information

Estimated Total Program Funding:

$5,000,000

Number of Grants

Up to 10

Estimated Size of Grant

Up to $1,000,000

Term of Contract

- Period of Performance Start Date: 10/1/23
- Period of Performance Duration: 24 months

Contact Information

Submit pre-webinar questions to Forensic.DNACapacity@ojp.usdoj.gov.

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact the OJP Response Center at 800-851-3420, 301-240-6310 (TTY for hearing-impaired callers only), or grants@ncjrs.gov.

For technical assistance with submitting the SF-424 and a SF-LLL in Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, Grants.gov Customer Support, or support@grants.gov.

For technical assistance with submitting the full application in JustGrants, contact the JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov.

Grants to USA State and Local Governments and IHEs to Increase DNA Evidence Processing Capacity

Competitive DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program

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