Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33322-33323]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15787]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

National Institute of Corrections


Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement

SUMMARY: The Department of Justice (DOJ), National Institute of 
Corrections (NIC), announces the availability of funds in FY 1999 for a 
cooperative agreement to fund the ``Classification of Women Offenders'' 
project.
    A cooperative agreement is a form of assistance relationship where 
the National Institute of Corrections is substantially involved during 
the performance of the award. An award is made to an organization that 
will, in concert with the Institute, provide assistance to correctional 
agencies making enhancements in their classification systems to develop 
classification instruments and procedures that are valid and 
appropriate for women offenders. The project will entail an assessment 
of the current status of classification of women offenders nationally 
by determining which state systems have initiated the development of 
classification instruments and operational procedures to address the 
requirements of this offender population.
    Assistance will be provided under this cooperative agreement to at 
least three agencies requesting technical assistance in assessing 
current practices and operational procedures and the impact of their 
classification systems on women offenders. The recipient of the 
cooperative agreement will conduct onsite assessments of the 
classification systems at participating agencies; provide assistance 
and oversight in revising the instruments and procedures, as necessary; 
and provide technical assistance and training. Prison systems selected 
for participation will have the resources necessary to make 
enhancements, to provide data for analysis, and the capacity to measure 
outcomes and impact of the classification systems implemented. A 
steering committee will be appointed by each agency to coordinate 
activities related to the project. No funds are transferred to state or 
local governments.
    Background: It is assumed that because women offenders represent a 
small percentage of the total inmate population, and present a lower 
level of institutional and public risk, many correctional agencies have 
not addressed the gender-specific and validation concerns related to 
differences in risks and program needs of women offenders. An 
evaluation of the procedures and instrument for intake assessment, 
initial classification and reclassification is required to determine if 
the objective classification criteria developed for an offender 
population which is predominately male results in over-classification 
and inadequate service delivery with the female population.
    Classification systems should to be monitored and periodically 
evaluated to ensure the system is working as designed. Classification 
systems should also be validated on both the male and female offender 
population to determine what impact the system has on inmate operations 
and assessing risks and needs. This cooperative agreement will 
concentrate on the female population.
    NIC has announced the availability of technical assistance through 
the annual Program Plan and will send letters to agency directors 
advising them that their agencies can apply for assistance through this 
project. A selection of states will be made by NIC and the cooperative 
agreement awardee. The selections will be based on criteria that will 
be established to find correctional agencies with the interest, need 
and resources for this type of assistance.
    Purpose: The National Institute of Corrections is seeking 
applications for a cooperative agreement to do the project management 
to assist correctional agencies to plan and evaluate their 
classification systems to address the

[[Page 33323]]

gender-specific issues; develop classification instruments that are 
valid and appropriate for women offenders to assess risks and needs; 
guide the agencies in the development of a plan for implementation of 
changes that may result from this work; and develop detailed reports on 
each state project and the national assessment. It is anticipated that 
subject to satisfactory completion of the first phase of work, the 
recipient of the FY 1999 cooperative agreement will be awarded the 
cooperative agreement for the continuation of work through a second 
year in FY 2000, to assist additional correctional agencies and produce 
a publication.

    Authority: Public Law 93-415.

    Funds Available: The award will be limited to a maximum total of 
$100,000 (direct and indirect costs) and project activity must be 
completed within 12 months of the date of the award. Funds may only be 
used for the activities that are linked to the desired outcomes of the 
project. This project will be a collaborative venture with the NIC 
Prisons Division.
    All products from this funding effort will be in public domain and 
available to interested agencies through the National Institute of 
Corrections.
    Deadline for Receipt of Applications: Applications must be received 
by 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 30, 1999. They should be addressed to: 
National Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street, NW, Room 5007, 
Washington, D.C. 20534, Attention: Administrative Officer. Hand 
delivered applications can be brought to 500 First Street, NW, 
Washington, D.C. 20534. The front desk will call Bobbi Tinsley at (202) 
307-3106, extension 0 for pickup.
    Addresses and Further Information: Requests for the application 
kit, which consists of a copy of this announcement and copies of the 
required forms, should be directed to Judy Evens, Cooperative Agreement 
Control Office, National Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street, 
N.W., Room 5007, Washington, D.C. 20534 or by calling (800) 995-6423, 
extension 159 or (202) 307-3106, extension 159. She can also be 
contacted by E-mail via jevens@bop.gov. All technical and/or 
programmatic questions concerning this announcement should be directed 
to Sammie D. Brown at the above address or by calling (800) 995-6423, 
or (202) 307-3106, extension 126, or by E-mail via sbrown@bop.gov. 
Application forms may also be obtained through the NIC website: 
www.nicic.org.
    Eligible Applicants: An eligible applicant is any private or non-
profit organization, institution, individual, or team with expertise in 
both prison classification and women offender issues.
    Review Considerations: Applications received under this 
announcement will be subjected to an NIC three to five member Peer 
Review Process.
    Number of Awards: One (1).
    NIC Application Number: 99P03. This number should appear as a 
reference line in the cover letter and also in box 11 of Standard Form 
424.
    Executive Order 12372: This program is subject to the provisions of 
Executive Order 12372. Executive Order 12372 allows States the option 
of setting up a system for reviewing applications from within their 
States for assistance under certain Federal programs. Applicants (other 
than Federally-recognized Indian tribal governments) should contact 
their State Single Point of Contact (SPOC), a list of which is included 
in the application kit, along with further instructions on proposed 
projects serving more than one State.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is: 16.603.
Morris L. Thigpen,
Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. 99-15787 Filed 6-21-99; 8:45 am]
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