State Justice Statistics Program of Statistical Analysis Centers, 2021 | O BJS 2021 38006

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the State Justice Statistics Program of Statistical Analysis Centers (SJS) for FY 2021?

The State Justice Statistics Program of Statistical Analysis Centers (SJS) for FY 2021 is a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) funding opportunity intended to support state Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs). The focus is on producing, analyzing, and disseminating criminal justice statistics that have practical value for decision-making across federal, state, and local criminal justice agencies, as well as community organizations.

What is the primary purpose of this grant opportunity?

The grant is designed to strengthen state-level data and analytic capacity that informs policies and programs related to crime trends, illegal drugs, victim services, and the broader administration of justice. In other words, it supports SAC work that turns justice data into usable information for policy and operational decisions.

Which federal agency is offering this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS).

What type of award is this?

The award is a discretionary award under a cooperative agreement. This generally indicates that BJS expects to have an active partnership role during the project period, such as collaborating on project goals, deliverables, or technical approaches.

What is the funding activity category for this program?

The funding activity category listed for this program is Information and Statistics.

What is the CFDA number associated with this program?

The CFDA number associated with this program is 16.550.

What was the original closing date for the solicitation?

The solicitation was released with an original closing date of March 17, 2021.

What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?

The listing shows an award ceiling of $4,800,000.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is narrowly focused. Applicants must be Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs) that have been established by state legislation or executive order. These SACs are typically the official state-level entities responsible for analyzing justice data, producing statistical reports, and supporting evidence-based policy work.

Are organizations other than a designated SAC eligible to apply?

Based on the information provided, the solicitation targets designated Statistical Analysis Centers established by state legislation or executive order. No other applicant types are described as eligible in the provided summary.

Why does the solicitation emphasize the practical value of SAC-produced information?

The program emphasizes practical value because SAC-produced statistics and analyses are intended to directly support decision-making across justice agencies and community organizations. The intent is that the funded work is not only descriptive, but also actionable for policy and program decisions.

Does BJS expect to be involved during the project?

Yes. Because this is a cooperative agreement, BJS generally expects an active partnership role during the project period, which may include collaboration on goals, deliverables, and technical approaches.

What major compliance condition is highlighted in the solicitation?

A major condition highlighted is tied to Executive Order 13929, Safe Policing for Safe Communities. For FY 2021 DOJ discretionary grant funding, the Attorney General required certain law enforcement agencies to be certified (or to have begun the certification process) by an approved independent credentialing body in order to remain eligible for funding.

Which law enforcement agencies are covered by the Executive Order 13929 certification requirement?

The requirement applies to state, local, and university or college law enforcement agencies, as described in the provided solicitation summary.

Does the certification requirement apply only to direct recipients of the award?

No. The requirement is not limited to direct recipients. It also applies when DOJ discretionary funds reach law enforcement agencies through subawards. If an otherwise eligible SAC structure includes funds flowing to a law enforcement agency as a subrecipient, that agency must meet the certification requirement (or be in process) for the overall project structure to remain compliant.

How can subawards affect eligibility or compliance for a SAC application?

If the SAC project involves passing funds through to a law enforcement agency, or financially supporting one as a subrecipient, then the law enforcement agency must be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or have begun the certification process. This downstream requirement can affect whether the overall project arrangement remains eligible and compliant.

What does "certified or have begun the certification process" mean in this context?

Based on the provided information, the requirement is that covered law enforcement agencies must either (1) be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or (2) have begun the certification process. The solicitation directs applicants to DOJ COPS Office materials for the Standards for Certification and implementation guidance.

What are the mandatory use-of-force policy conditions tied to certification?

The certification standard includes two mandatory use-of-force policy conditions: (1) the agency's use-of-force policies must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, and (2) the agency's use-of-force policies must prohibit chokeholds, except in circumstances where deadly force is legally permitted.

Is there an official resource for the certification standards and approved credentialing bodies?

Yes. The solicitation points applicants to the DOJ COPS Office page at https://cops.usdoj.gov/SafePolicingEO for the official Standards for Certification, an implementation fact sheet, and the list of designated independent credentialing bodies.

Where should applicants look for additional eligibility and compliance details?

Applicants are directed to consult the solicitation's Eligibility Information section for additional details. This is especially important because eligibility and compliance can depend on the applicant's structure and on any partnering or subaward arrangements.

Is there a restriction on profit or management fees in the budget?

Yes. The solicitation includes a financial restriction that all recipients and subrecipients must forgo any profit or management fee, including for-profit organizations.

Does the no-profit/no-management-fee restriction apply to subrecipients as well?

Yes. The restriction applies to all recipients and subrecipients. Budgets and pass-through agreements should be structured around allowable project costs and deliverables and should not include profit or management fee line items.

Can a for-profit organization receive funds under this award?

The provided information states that all recipients and subrecipients, including for-profit organizations, must forgo any profit or management fee. The summary does not provide additional detail about other conditions for for-profit participation, but it clearly prohibits adding profit or management fees.

What kinds of topics or justice areas does the program aim to inform?

The opportunity is described as supporting data and analysis that inform policies and programs related to crime trends, illegal drugs, victim services, and the broader administration of justice.

Who is expected to use the information produced under this program?

The information is intended to support decision-making by federal, state, and local criminal justice agencies and also to be useful for community organizations.

If a SAC does not plan to make subawards to law enforcement agencies, does the certification requirement still matter?

The provided information emphasizes that the requirement applies when DOJ discretionary funds reach law enforcement agencies, including through subawards. If a project structure does not route funds to covered law enforcement agencies, the downstream subaward compliance issue described would not be triggered by subawards. Applicants should still consult the solicitation's Eligibility Information section for details relevant to their structure.

What should applicants do to avoid compliance issues related to partners and subrecipients?

Applicants should review how funds will flow to any partners or subrecipients and determine whether any subrecipient is a covered law enforcement agency. If so, the agency must be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or have begun the certification process. Applicants should also ensure subrecipient budgets comply with the prohibition on profit and management fees.