Assistance Listings

National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP)

Objectives

GOAL(S): Ensuring the quality and completeness of the nation’s criminal history record systems by providing financial and technical assistance to states and tribes for the establishment or improvement of computerized criminal history record systems and related systems capturing data on mental health and protective orders. OBJECTIVE(S): Objective 1: Improve criminal history record systems in the U.S. states and territories to support background checks for the purposes of identifying ineligible firearm purchases and persons ineligible to hold positions involving children, the elderly, or the disabled. Performance Measure 1: Percentage of state or tribal records that are automated. 2) Ensure the development of the infrastructure connects each state’s and tribe’s record systems to national records and connects each state’s background check databases to other states. Performance Measure 1: Percentage of records accessible through the III; Performance Measure 2: Number of states and tribes submitting records to the FBI’s III and NICS Indices; Performance Measure 3: Number of states and tribes participating in the FBI’s NGI fingerprint capture, POF, and Wanted Persons File.

Examples of Funded Projects

Assistance Listing Description

34 U.S.C. 40301; 34 U S C 10132 (c) (19)

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

See the current fiscal year’s solicitation guidelines posted on the Office of Justice Programs web site at https://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/CurrentFundingOpportunities.htm.

Accomplishments

Account Identification

15-0401-0-1-754

15-0404-0-1-754

Types of Assistance

B - Project Grants (Discretionary)

Credentials and Documentation

The applicant must furnish, along with the application for an award, all of the requirements listed in the solicitation, including a detailed budget, a budget narrative, and a program narrative including the accomplishments, goals, impact, methods, evaluation plan, and resources of the project. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

Applicant Eligibility

Applicants are limited to the agency designated by the governor in each state to administer the NCHIP program, state court systems, and federally recognized tribal entities. States and tribes may choose to submit applications as part of a multi-state consortium, multi-tribe consortium, or other entity. In such cases, please contact your BJS program manager for further information.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Funds awarded to the state or tribe may be allocated for use in state or local/tribal agencies or the courts, but should have an impact on national record systems. Private organizations may receive funds under contract arrangements with a state/tribal agency or its subgrantees to which NCHIP funds are allocated by the state/tribe.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Project duration period will be for up to 24 months. There are three methods for requesting payment of grant funds: the Letter of Credit Electronic Certification System (LOCES), the Phone Activated Paperless Request System (PAPRS) and the Automated Standard Application for Payment (ASAP). Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Please contact the program office for more information.

Use of Assistance

Allowable uses of funds are outlined in the annual NCHIP solicitations which are posted on the Office of Justice Programs web site https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/overview

Deadlines

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her state for more information on the process the state requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the state has selected the program for review. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her state for more information on the process the state requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the state has selected the program for review.

Application Procedures

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program.

Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov (opens in new window) (opens in new window).

Applicants must submit completed applications via the OJP's Justice Grants System (JustGrants) or through grants.gov following established criteria. The receipt, review, and analysis of applications will follow Office of Justice Programs policies and procedures for the administration of grant applications. Specific application instructions for solicitations are available at the Office of Justice Programs web site (http://www.ojp.gov/funding/solicitations.htm).

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria are described in the program announcement available at https://bjs.ojp.gov/document/nchip24_sol.pdf

Award Procedure

An award is granted by the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics and must be accepted by the applicant agency or institution according to the special conditions of the grant or cooperative agreement. Successful applicants are notified via OJP's Justice Grants System (JustGrants). The grant award must be accepted electronically by the receiving organizations authorized official in JustGrants.

Date Range for Approval/Disapproval

From 90 to 120 days.

Renewals

Awards may be for up to 24 months.

Appeals

Hearings by the Director.

Policy Requirements

Reports

Audits

Records

See 2 C.F.R . § 200.334 for the government-wide requirements for retention requirements for records.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Department of Justice Grants Financial Guide (http://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm ) and Post award Instructions (http://ojp.gov/funding/Implement/Resources/PostAwardInstructions.pdf), applicable OMB Circulars, and Department of Justice regulations applicable to specific types of grantees, which can be found in title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations (28 C.F.R.).

Formula and Matching Requirements

Regional or Local Locations:

Headquarters Office: