[Federal Register: February 3, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 22)]
[Notices]
[Page 5187-5193]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03fe04-93]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
[OJP (OJJDP) Docket No. 1392]
Program Announcement for the Internet Crimes Against Children
Task Force Program
AGENCY: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office
of Justice Programs, Justice.
ACTION: Notice of Solicitation.
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SUMMARY: Based on the availability of appropriations, notice is hereby
given that the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
(OJJDP) is requesting applications from State and local law enforcement
agencies interested in participating in the Internet Crimes Against
Children (ICAC) Task Force Program. In an effort to expand ICAC
Regional Task Force coverage to areas that do not currently have an
ICAC Regional Task Force presence, this solicitation is limited to
State and local law enforcement agencies in the following States and
localities: Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, Oregon, West Virginia, and the
Northern Virginia/Washington, DC, metropolitan area (excluding
Maryland). (For the purpose of this solicitation, the Northern
Virginia/Washington, DC, metropolitan area is defined as the cities of
Washington, DC; Alexandria, VA; and Falls Church, VA; and all cities
and towns in Virginia within and including Arlington County, Fairfax
County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and Stafford County.)
Only one grant will be awarded per State/locality listed above. This
program encourages communities to develop regional multidisciplinary,
multijurisdictional task forces to prevent, interdict, and investigate
sexual exploitation offenses committed by offenders who use online
technology to victimize children.
DATES: Applications must be received by March 19, 2004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Holloway, ICAC Program Manager,
Child Protection Division, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention, at (202) 305-9838 or holloway@ojp.usdoj.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose
The purpose of this program is to help State and local law
enforcement agencies enhance their investigative response to offenders
who use the Internet, online communication systems, or other computer
technologies to sexually exploit children. Throughout this program
announcement, ``Internet crimes against children'' refers to the sexual
exploitation of children that is facilitated by computers and includes
crimes of child pornography and online solicitation for sexual
purposes.
Background
Unlike some adults who view the benefits of the Information Age
dubiously, children and teenagers have seized the Internet's
educational and recreational opportunities with astonishing speed.
Adapting information technology to meet everyday needs, young people
are increasingly going online to meet friends, get information,
purchase goods and services, and complete school assignments.
Currently, more than 28 million children and teenagers have access to
the Internet; industry experts predict that they will be joined by
another 50 million globally by 2005. Although the Internet gives
children and teenagers access to valuable resources, it also increases
their risk of being sexually exploited or victimized.
Cloaked in the anonymity of cyberspace, sex offenders can
capitalize on the natural curiosity of children and seek victims with
little risk of detection. Preferential sex offenders no longer need to
lurk in parks and malls. Instead, they can roam from chat room to chat
room, trolling for children susceptible to victimization. This alarming
activity has grave implications for parents, teachers, and law
enforcement officers because it circumvents conventional safeguards and
provides sex offenders with virtually unlimited opportunities for
unsupervised contact with children.
Today's Internet is also rapidly becoming the new marketplace for
offenders seeking to acquire material for their child pornography
collections. More insidious than sexually explicit adult pornography,
child pornography depicts the sexual assault of children and is often
used by child molesters to recruit, seduce, and control their victims.
Child pornography is used to break down inhibitions, validate sex
between children and adults as normal, and control victims throughout
their molestation. When offenders lose interest in their victims, child
pornography is often used as blackmail to ensure the child's silence.
When posted on the Internet, pornography becomes an enduring and
irretrievable record of victimization and a relentless violation of
that child's privacy.
OJJDP recognizes that the increasing online presence of children,
the lure of predators searching for unsupervised contact with underage
victims, and the proliferation of child pornography present a
significant threat to the health and safety of children and a
formidable challenge to law enforcement today and into the foreseeable
future. Three main factors complicate law enforcement's response to
these challenges.
First, conventional definitions of jurisdiction are practically
meaningless in the electronic universe of cyberspace; very few
investigations begin and end within the same geographical area. Because
they involve multiple jurisdictions, most investigations require close
coordination and cooperation between Federal, State, and local law
enforcement agencies.
Second, evidence collection in ICAC investigations typically
requires specialized expertise and equipment. Because preferential sex
offenders tend to be avid recordkeepers, their computers, magnetic
media, and related
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equipment can be valuable sources of evidence. However, routine
forensic examination procedures are insufficient for seizing,
preserving, and analyzing this information. In addition, the seizure of
computers and related technology may lead to specific legal issues
regarding property and privacy rights.
Third, routine interviewing practices are inadequate for collecting
testimonial evidence from child victims of Internet crimes. Some
children deny they are victims because they fear embarrassment,
ridicule from their peers, or discipline from their parents. Other
victims bond with the offender, remain susceptible to further
manipulation, or resent what they perceive as interference from law
enforcement. Investigators who do not fully understand the dynamics of
juvenile sexual exploitation risk losing critical information that
could help convict perpetrators or identify additional victims. When
appropriate, medical and psychological evaluations should be a part of
law enforcement's response to cases involving child victims. In
addition to ensuring that injuries or diseases related to the
victimization are treated, forensic medical examinations provide
crucial corroborative evidence.
The above factors almost routinely complicate the investigative
process. Although no two cases raise identical issues of jurisdiction,
evidence collection, and victim services, it is logical to presume that
investigations characterized by a multijurisdictional,
multidisciplinary approach will more likely result in successful
prosecutions.
Current Strategies
A variety of Federal activities are helping and can further help
law enforcement respond to these offenses. For example, the Innocent
Images National initiative, managed by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation's (FBI's) Cyber Division, Innocent Images Unit, works
specifically on cases involving computer-facilitated child sexual
exploitation. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE)
(formerly the U.S. Customs Service [USCS]) and the U.S. Postal
Inspection Service (USPIS) have successfully investigated hundreds of
child pornography cases.
The Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the U.S.
Department of Justice prosecutes Federal violations and offers advice
and litigation support to Federal, State, and local prosecutors working
on child pornography and sexual exploitation cases.
With support from OJJDP and private sector funding, the National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) serves as the
nation's primary resource center and clearinghouse for issues involving
missing and exploited children. NCMEC's training division coordinates a
comprehensive training and technical assistance program that includes
prevention and awareness activities. Gathering information from
citizens and Internet service providers, the CyberTipline (http://www.missingkids.com
) collects online reports regarding the computer-
facilitated sexual exploitation of children and rapidly forwards this
information to the law enforcement agencies with investigative
jurisdiction. Brought online in March 1998, the CyberTipline has
provided law enforcement officers with information that has enabled
them to arrest individuals seeking sex with underage victims and to
safely recover and return children enticed from home by sex offenders.
NCMEC's law enforcement training and technical assistance program
was developed in partnership with OJJDP, the FBI, BICE, USPIS, and
CEOS. NCMEC has also developed an education and awareness campaign that
features the Kids and Company curriculum, the Know the Rules teen
awareness program, and two pamphlets (Child Safety on the Information
Highway and Teen Safety on the Information Highway) that provide
information about safe Internet practices for children and youth. These
programs and materials are offered free of charge, and OJJDP encourages
communities working on child victimization issues to use them.
Additional information about NCMEC's services for children, parents,
educators, and law enforcement officers can be obtained by calling 800-
THE-LOST or by accessing NCMEC's Web site at http://www.missingkids.com
.
Since fiscal year 1998, OJJDP has awarded funds to 40 State and
local law enforcement agencies to develop regional multijurisdictional
and multiagency task forces to prevent, interdict, and investigate ICAC
offenses. The following jurisdictions currently receive ICAC Regional
Task Force Program funding: Alabama Department of Public Safety;
Arkansas State Police; Bedford County, Virginia, Sheriff's Department;
Broward County, Florida, Sheriff's Department; Colorado Springs,
Colorado, Police Department; Connecticut State Police; Cuyahoga County,
Ohio, District Attorney; Dallas, Texas, Police Department; Delaware
County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney; Gainesville, Florida, Police
Department; Georgia Bureau of Investigation; Hawaii Office of the
Attorney General; Indiana State Police; Kentucky State Police;
Knoxville, Tennessee, Police Department; Las Vegas, Nevada,
Metropolitan Police Department; Los Angeles, California, Police
Department; Louisiana Office of the Attorney General; Maryland State
Police; Massachusetts Department of Public Safety; Michigan State
Police; Nebraska State Patrol; New Jersey State Police; New York State
Police; North Carolina Division of Criminal Investigation; Oklahoma
State Bureau of Investigation; Phoenix, Arizona, Police Department;
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Police Department; Sacramento County,
California, Sheriff's Office; Saint Paul, Minnesota, Police Department;
San Diego, California, Police Department; San Jose, California, Police
Department; Seattle, Washington, Police Department; Sedgewick County,
Kansas, Sheriff's Office; South Carolina Office of the Attorney
General; Utah Office of the Attorney General; Wisconsin Department of
Justice; and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. These
agencies have become regional clusters of ICAC technical and
investigative expertise, offering prevention and investigation services
to children, parents, educators, law enforcement officers, and other
individuals working on child sexual exploitation issues. Collectively,
task force agencies have made more than 1,200 arrests and provided
forensic or investigative assistance in more than 4,500 cases.
Despite these accomplishments, law enforcement agencies continue to
be increasingly challenged by sex offenders who use computer technology
to victimize children. To help meet this challenge, OJJDP is continuing
the ICAC Regional Task Force Program, which will competitively award
cooperative agreements to State and local law enforcement agencies
seeking to improve their investigative responses to the computer-
facilitated sexual exploitation of children.
Program Strategy
The ICAC Task Force Program seeks to enhance the nationwide
response to child victimization by maintaining and expanding a State
and local law enforcement network composed of regional task forces. The
program requires communities to develop multijurisdictional,
multiagency responses and provides funding to State and local law
enforcement agencies to help them acquire the knowledge, personnel, and
specialized equipment needed to prevent, interdict, and investigate
ICAC offenses. Although the ICAC Task Force Program emphasizes
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law enforcement investigations, OJJDP encourages jurisdictions to
include intervention, prevention, and victim services activities as
part of their comprehensive approach.
OJJDP Program Management
During the past 5 years of managing the ICAC Task Force Program,
OJJDP has made the following observations:
The Internet challenges traditional thinking
about law enforcement jurisdiction and renders city, county, and State
boundaries virtually meaningless. Because of this jurisdictional
ambiguity, offenders are often able to frustrate enforcement actions
and conceal their criminal activities.
Nearly all ICAC investigations (95 percent)
involve communication and coordination efforts among Federal, State,
and local law enforcement agencies. Without meaningful case
coordination, law enforcement agencies may inadvertently investigate
identical suspects and organizations, target undercover operatives of
other law enforcement agencies, or disrupt clandestine investigations
of other agencies.
The obvious need for interagency cooperation and
coordination has sustained interest in maintaining standards for ICAC
undercover investigations. Representatives from Federal, State, and
local law enforcement agencies have repeatedly expressed concern about
initiating investigations that are based on referrals from outside
agencies--referrals that may be predicated on information acquired
through inappropriate officer conduct or investigative techniques.
The clandestine nature of undercover operations,
the anonymity of Internet users, and the unclear jurisdictional
boundaries of cyberspace significantly exacerbate these investigative
concerns. Undercover operations, when executed and documented properly,
collect virtually unassailable evidence regarding a suspect's
predilection to sexually exploit children. These operations allow law
enforcement agencies to go on the offensive and, most important,
protect children from revictimization. Although carefully managed
undercover operations by well-trained officers can be very effective,
these operations also generate concerns regarding legal, coordination,
communication, and resource management issues.
Although Internet awareness appears to be
growing, many children, teenagers, and parents are not sufficiently
informed about the potential dangers and repercussions of releasing
personal information to, or meeting with, individuals encountered
online.
Although Federal agencies are responsible for
monitoring illegal interstate and telecommunications activities,
protecting children is primarily the responsibility of State and local
law enforcement agencies. The production of child pornography or the
sexual assault of a child--whether originating online or not--usually
creates both a jurisdictional interest and a responsibility for State
and local authorities.
Despite the belief that these cases are usually
manufactured by undercover operations in which officers pose as minors
in chat rooms, most ICAC investigations are initiated in response to a
citizen complaint or a request from law enforcement. Unfortunately,
these cases often involve multiple victims who require a response by
both local law enforcement and victim services.
Internet crime is placing a new demand on
forensic resources. Computers are piling up in evidence rooms across
the country because many agencies do not have the forensic capacity to
meet the needs of investigative efforts.
A generation ago, officers beginning their law
enforcement careers would be issued a uniform, a service weapon, and a
notebook. Those items rarely changed during a 20-year career. Today,
changes in equipment and software occur seemingly overnight. Officers
are hard pressed to stay current not only with technological changes
but also with a motivated offender community that is adapting these new
technologies to exploit children.
To address these observations and concerns, the ICAC Task Force
Program implements the following management strategies:
Maintaining and expanding the nationwide network
of State and local law enforcement agencies participating in the
program.
Ensuring that ICAC Task Force personnel are
adequately trained and equipped.
Establishing and/or maintaining ICAC Task Force
investigative standards to facilitate interagency case referrals.
Advocating coordination and collaboration among
Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies investigating ICAC
offenses.
Fostering meaningful information sharing to
avoid redundant investigations or activities that could disrupt the
ongoing investigations of other agencies.
Maintaining an ICAC Task Force Board composed of
local law enforcement executives and prosecutors to advise OJJDP,
formulate policy recommendations, and assess the law enforcement
community's needs for training and technical assistance related to
investigating Internet crimes.
Convening an annual ICAC Task Force training
conference to focus on child exploitation, emerging technology, and its
relevance to criminal activity and enforcement efforts, and to enhance
the networking essential for sustaining an effective State and local
law enforcement response to online crime.
OJJDP established the ICAC Task Force Program Standards through a
collaborative process involving the 10 original ICAC Task Force
agencies, the FBI, NCMEC, USCS, USPIS, CEOS, and the Executive Office
for United States Attorneys. The standards were designed by the task
force agencies to foster information sharing, coordinate
investigations, ensure the probative quality of undercover operations,
and facilitate interagency case referrals by standardizing
investigative practices. In 2002, the ICAC standards were revised and
updated to reflect 20 additional ICAC Regional Task Forces and an
expanded program focus on the protection of children.
OJJDP has also established an ICAC Task Force Board (the Board) to
help administer the ICAC Task Force Program. As a condition of the
award, each grantee must designate a policy-level law enforcement
official or prosecutor to be a Board member. Although its primary
responsibility is to serve as an advisory group to OJJDP, the Board
also encourages case coordination and facilitates information sharing
on trends, innovative investigative techniques, and prosecution
strategies. Technical advice is provided to the Board by NCMEC, CEOS,
the FBI, BICE, and USPIS.
Goal
The program's goal is to enhance the ICAC investigative response of
State and local law enforcement agencies.
Objectives
Projects must accomplish the following objectives:
Develop or expand multiagency,
multijurisdictional regional task forces that include, but are not
limited to, representatives from law enforcement, prosecution, victim
services, and child protective services agencies. Regional task forces
should include large regional geographic areas, entire States, or, when
applicable, multiple States. Relevant nongovernment organizations may
also be included. OJJDP strongly encourages applicants to invite
Federal law
[[Page 5190]]
enforcement agencies to participate in the task force.
Institute policies and procedures that comply
with the ICAC Task Force Program Standards (see ``OJJDP Program
Management'' above). Requests from eligible law enforcement agencies
for copies of the ICAC Program Operational and Investigative Standards
must be faxed on official letterhead to the ICAC Program Manager at
202-353-9093.
Enhance investigative capacity by properly
equipping and training ICAC Task Force investigators. Task force
investigators should be computer literate, knowledgeable about child
exploitation issues, and familiar with Federal and State statutes and
case law pertaining to ICAC investigations.
Develop and maintain case management systems to
record offenses and investigative results, make or receive outside
agency referrals of ICAC cases, and comply with the reporting
requirements of the ICAC Monthly Performance Report (MPR).
Develop response protocols or memorandums of
understanding that foster collaboration, information sharing, and
service integration among public and private organizations that provide
services to sexually exploited children.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be State and/or local law enforcement agencies
located in Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, Oregon, West Virginia, and the
Northern Virginia/Washington, DC, metropolitan area (excluding
Maryland). (For the purpose of this solicitation, the Northern
Virginia/Washington, DC, metropolitan area is defined as the cities of
Washington, DC; Alexandria, VA; and Falls Church, VA; and all cities
and towns in Virginia within and including Arlington County, Fairfax
County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and Stafford County.)
Joint applications from two or more eligible agencies are welcome;
however, one applicant must be clearly designated as the primary
applicant (for correspondence, award, and management purposes) and the
other(s) designated as coapplicant(s).
Selection Criteria
OJJDP is committed to establishing a network of State and local law
enforcement agencies to respond to offenses involving online enticement
and child pornography. Within this network, ICAC Task Forces positioned
throughout the country will serve as regional sources of technical,
educational, and investigative expertise, providing assistance to
parents, teachers, law enforcement officers, and other professionals
working on child sexual exploitation issues. Successful applicants will
be expected to serve as regional clusters of ICAC technical and
investigative expertise, collaborate with existing ICAC Task Forces,
and become part of a nationwide law enforcement network designed to
protect children from computer-facilitated victimization. To accomplish
this goal, regional task forces should include large regional
geographic areas, entire States, or, when applicable, multiple States.
Applications should include evidence of multijurisdictional and
multiagency law enforcement partnerships and multidisciplinary
partnerships among public agencies, private organizations, community-
based groups, and prosecutors' offices. Successful applicants will
develop or enhance an investigative ICAC response that includes
prevention, education, and victim services activities.
All applications will be peer reviewed. OJJDP will review peer
review results, and the U.S. Department of Justice will make the final
award determinations. Applicants will be evaluated and rated according
to the criteria outlined below.
Application Procedures
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) requires that applications be
submitted through its online Grants Management System (GMS). This
online application system is designed to streamline the processing of
requests for funding. A toll-free telephone number (888-549-9901) is
available to provide applicants with technical assistance as they work
through the online application process.
Beginning October 1, 2003, a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number must be included in every
application for a new award or renewal of an award. The DUNS number
will be required whether an applicant is submitting an application on
paper, through OJP's Grants Management System, or using the government-
wide electronic portal (Grants.gov). An application will not be
considered complete until a valid DUNS number is provided by the
applicant. Individuals who would personally receive a grant or
cooperative agreement from the Federal government are exempt from this
requirement.
Organizations should verify that they have a DUNS number or take
the steps necessary to obtain one as soon as possible. Applicants can
receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free
DUNS number request line at 800-333-0505.
Applicants should use the following application guidelines when
preparing their application for this cooperative agreement.
Applications must be electronically submitted to OJP through GMS no
later than 5 p.m., e.t., on March 19, 2004. However, in order to allow
adequate time to register with GMS, applicants must create a ``user
profile'' before March 4, 2004. Applicants who have previously
registered with GMS and have a GMS password should log on to GMS prior
to March 4, 2004, to determine whether the password is still valid. If
the password has expired, please follow the on-screen instructions or
call the GMS Hotline (888-549-9901). OJJDP will begin accepting
applications immediately. Applications submitted via GMS must be in the
following word processing formats: Microsoft Word (``.doc''), PDF files
(``.pdf''), or Text Documents (``.txt'').
Application Requirements
Applicants to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
Program solicitation must submit the following information online
through GMS:
Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424).
This form is generated by completing the Overview, Applicant
Information, and Project Information screens in GMS.
Assurances and Certifications. The Assurances
and Certifications must be reviewed and accepted electronically by the
authorizing official or the designated authorizing official.
Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachment #1). The
Budget Detail Worksheet--including budget worksheets and detailed
budget narratives for each year in the project period--accounts for 15
of the possible 100 points allotted by the peer reviewers.
Program Narrative (Attachment #2). The Program
Narrative--including Problem(s) To Be Addressed, Goals and Objectives,
Project Design, and Management and Organizational Capability--accounts
for 85 of the possible 100 points allotted by the peer reviewers. Point
values for specific sections of the Program Narrative are as follows:
Problem(s) To Be Addressed (10 points), Goals and Objectives (10
points), Project Design (35 points), and Management and Organizational
Capability (30 points).
Other Program Attachments (Attachment #3). The
Other Program Attachments--including resumes of key personnel, signed
letters of support, and information on additional funding activities
(see ``Coordination of Federal Efforts'' below)--will be used by the
peer reviewers to enhance their
[[Page 5191]]
evaluation of the project design and management and organization
sections of the narrative. These materials are required and must be
attached in one file to your GMS application.
Detailed instructions and descriptions of each of the required
elements are provided below. Note: Applications that do not include all
the required elements will not be considered for funding.
Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
The Application for Federal Assistance is a standard form used by
most Federal agencies. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) number for this program is 16.543.
Assurances and Certifications
Applicants are required to review and accept the Assurances and
Certifications. Please verify that the name, address, phone number, fax
number, and e-mail address of the authorizing official on these online
forms are correct.
Assurances. Applicants must comply with the
Assurances to receive Federal funds under this program. It is the
responsibility of the recipient of the Federal funds to fully
understand and comply with these requirements. Failure to comply may
result in the withholding of funds, termination of the award, or other
sanctions.
Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment,
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; and the Drug-Free
Workplace Requirement. Applicants are required to review and check the
box on the certification form included in the online application
process. This form commits the applicant to compliance with the
certification requirements under 28 CFR Part 69, ``New Restrictions on
Lobbying,'' and 28 CFR Part 67, ``Government-Wide Debarment and
Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Government-Wide Requirements for Drug-
Free Workplace (Grants).''
The authorizing official must review the Assurances and
Certifications forms in their entirety. To accept the Assurances and
Certifications in GMS, click on the Assurances and Certifications link
and click the ``Accept'' button at the bottom of the screen.
Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachment 1) (15 points)
Applicants must provide a proposed budget that is complete,
detailed, reasonable, allowable, and cost effective in relation to the
activities described in the program narrative. Budgets must allow for
required travel, including four trips for one individual to attend the
quarterly ICAC Task Force Board meetings. Budgets must also allow for
the participation of at least two agency representatives at the annual
ICAC Training Conference.
Applicants must submit budget worksheets and budget narratives in
one file. The worksheet provides the detailed computation for each
budget item (often in spreadsheet format). The narrative justifies or
explains each budget item and relates it to project activities.
Budget Worksheet. The budget worksheet must list
the cost of each budget item and show how the cost was calculated. For
example, costs for personnel should show the annual salary rate and the
percentage of time devoted to the project for each employee to be paid
through grant funds. The budget worksheet should present a complete and
detailed itemization of all proposed costs.
Budget Narrative. The budget narrative should
closely follow the content of the budget worksheet and provide
justification for all proposed costs. For example, the narrative should
explain how fringe benefits were calculated, how travel costs were
estimated, why particular items of equipment or supplies must be
purchased, and how overhead or indirect costs (if applicable) were
calculated. The budget narrative should justify the specific items
listed in the budget worksheet (particularly supplies, travel, and
equipment) and demonstrate that all costs are reasonable.
A sample Budget Detail Worksheet form that can be used as a guide
to help applicants prepare the budget worksheet and budget narrative is
available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/oc. (Follow link to Standard
Forms, item 3, Budget Detail Worksheet.)
Program Narrative (Attachment 2) (85 total points)
Problem(s) To Be Addressed (10 points)
Applicants must clearly identify the need for this project in their
communities and demonstrate an understanding of the program concept.
Applicants must include data that illustrate the size and scope of the
problem in their State or region. If statistics or other research
findings are used to support a statement or position, applicants must
provide the relevant source information.
Goals and Objectives (10 points)
Applicants must establish clearly defined, measurable, and
attainable goals and objectives for this program that are congruent
with those outlined in the ``Goals'' and ``Objectives'' sections of
this solicitation.
Project Design (35 points)
Applicants must explain in clear terms how the State or regional
task force will be developed and implemented. Applicants must define
the region, State, or, when applicable, the multistate area in which
the task force intends to concentrate its efforts. Applicants must
present a clear workplan that contains program elements directly linked
to achieving the project objectives. The workplan must indicate project
milestones, product due dates, and the nature of the products to be
delivered.
Management and Organizational Capability (30 points)
The management structure and staffing described in the application
must be adequate and appropriate for the successful implementation of
the project. Applicants must identify individuals responsible for the
project and their time commitments. Applicants must provide a schedule
of major tasks and milestones. Applicants must describe how activities
that prevent Internet crimes against children will be continued after
Federal funding is no longer available.
Other Program Attachments (Attachment 3)
At a minimum, resumes of key personnel, signed letters of support
from State and local prosecution offices and the local district United
States Attorney must be included. Information pertaining to the
``Coordination of Federal Efforts'' section of this solicitation (see
below) should also be included.
Application Format
The narrative portion of this application (excluding forms,
assurances, and appendixes) must not exceed 35 double-space pages, with
1-inch margins, written in a standard 12-point font. The double-spacing
requirement applies to all parts of the program narrative, including
any lists, tables, bulleted items, or quotations. These standards are
necessary to maintain fair and uniform consideration among all
applicants. If the narrative does not conform to these standards, OJJDP
will deem the application ineligible for consideration.
Project and Award Period
These cooperative agreements will be funded for up to an 18-month
budget and project period. Funding beyond the
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initial project period will be contingent on the grantee's performance
and the availability of funds.
Award Amount
OJJDP estimates that the total amount available for this program
will be $1.8 million. OJJDP intends to award six cooperative agreements
of up to $300,000 each for the 18-month project period. Funding is
contingent upon congressional appropriations.
Performance Measurement
To ensure compliance with the Government Performance and Results
Act, Public Law 103-62, this solicitation notifies applicants that they
will be required to collect and report on data that measure the results
of the program implemented by this cooperative agreement. To ensure the
accountability of these data, for which OJP is responsible, grantees
are required to provide the following data:
The number of investigations.
The number of computer forensic examinations.
Under this solicitation, grantees will be required to supply OJJDP
with the above performance information. In addition, OJJDP will measure
the performance of the ICAC Task Force Program. Data collection will be
covered within the existing ICAC Monthly Performance Report (MPR)
forms. MPR is a required data-reporting document that was created by
OJJDP to collect ICAC data related to arrests, subpoenas, search
warrants, technical assistance (investigative and computer forensic),
and prevention and intervention activities performed by ICAC Regional
Task Forces and ICAC Investigative Satellites. Data gathered from MPRs
will help law enforcement track the number of arrests made and the
types of offenses (e.g., enticement and/or child pornography
possession, distribution, and manufacturing) that suspects are charged
with.
Information collected from MPRs will provide law enforcement with
crucial baseline data necessary for a future evaluation of the ICAC
Task Force Program after it has been fully established throughout the
country. Obtaining this information will facilitate future program
planning and will allow OJP to provide Congress with measurable program
results of federally funded programs.
Coordination of Federal Efforts
To encourage better coordination among Federal agencies in
addressing State and local needs, the U.S. Department of Justice
requests that applicants provide information on the following: (1)
Active Federal grant award(s) supporting this or related efforts,
including awards from the U.S. Department of Justice; (2) any pending
application(s) for Federal funds for this or related efforts; and (3)
plans for coordinating any funds described in items (1) or (2) with the
funding sought by this application. For each Federal award, applicants
must include the program or project title, the Federal grantor agency,
the amount of the award, and a brief description of its purpose.
``Related efforts'' is defined for these purposes as one of the
following:
Efforts for the same purpose (i.e., the proposed
award would supplement, expand, complement, or continue activities
funded with other Federal grants).
Another phase or component of the same program
or project (e.g., to implement a planning effort funded by other
Federal funds or to provide a substance abuse treatment or education
component within a criminal justice project).
Services of some kind (e.g., technical
assistance, research, or evaluation) rendered to the program or project
described in the application.
Faith-based and community organizations
It is OJP policy that faith-based and community organizations that
statutorily qualify as eligible applicants under OJP programs are
invited and encouraged to apply for assistance awards. Faith-based and
community organizations will be considered for an award on the same
basis as any other eligible applicants and, if they receive assistance
awards, will be treated on an equal basis with non faith-based and
community organization grantees in the administration of such awards.
No eligible applicant or grantee will be discriminated against on the
basis of its religious character or affiliation, religious name, or the
religious composition of its board of directors or persons working in
the organization.
Limited English proficiency
National origin discrimination includes discrimination on the basis
of limited English proficiency (LEP). To ensure compliance with Title
VI and the Safe Streets Act, recipients are required to take reasonable
steps to ensure that LEP persons have meaningful access to their
programs. Meaningful access may entail providing language assistance
services, including oral and written translation when necessary. The
U.S. Department of Justice has issued guidance for grantees to assist
them in complying with Title VI requirements. The guidance document can
be accessed on the Internet at http://www.lep.gov, or by contacting
OJP's Office for Civil Rights at 202-307-0690, or by writing to the
following address: Office for Civil Rights, Office of Justice Programs,
U.S. Department of Justice, 810 7th Street NW., Eighth Floor,
Washington, DC 20531.
Lobbying
The Anti-Lobbying Act, 18 U.S.C. 1913, recently was amended to
expand significantly the restriction on use of appropriated funding for
lobbying. This expansion also makes the anti-lobbying restrictions
enforceable via large civil penalties, with civil fines between $10,000
and $100,000 per each individual occurrence of lobbying activity. These
restrictions are in addition to the anti-lobbying and lobbying
disclosure restrictions imposed by 31 U.S.C. 1352.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is currently in the
process of amending the OMB cost circulars and the common rule
(codified at 28 CFR part 69 for DOJ grantees) to reflect these
modifications. However, in the interest of full disclosure, all
applicants must understand that no federally appropriated funding made
available under this grant program may be used, either directly or
indirectly, to support the enactment, repeal, modification or adoption
of any law, regulation, or policy, at any level of government, without
the express approval by OJP. Any violation of this prohibition is
subject to a minimum $10,000 fine for each occurrence. This prohibition
applies to all activity, even if currently allowed within the
parameters of the existing OMB circulars.
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Dated: January 27, 2004.
J. Robert Flores,
Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-2089 Filed 2-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P