[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 17 (Tuesday, January 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3923-3925]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1864]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Bureau of Justice Statistics
[OJP(BJS)-1151]
Continuation of Federal Justice Statistics Program
AGENCY: Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS),
Justice.
ACTION: Solicitation for award of cooperative agreement.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce a public
solicitation for the continuation of the Bureau of Justice Statistics'
(BJS) Federal Justice Statistics Program (FJSP). The FJSP serves as the
national resource for data describing the processing of criminal cases
in the Federal criminal justice system. Under this program, data
generated by Federal criminal justice agencies are collected,
maintained, analyzed, and archived. Data are also linked across
agencies to permit more complex analyses of Federal criminal justice
issues. Regular annual reports and special topical reports are prepared
that describe the Federal criminal justice system, Federal defendants
and offenses, and other special issues of interest. In addition,
special tabulations are prepared, pursuant to BJS direction, in
response to requests from government officials. The project to be
funded under the proposed cooperative agreement will continue the
program's current activities.
DATES: Proposals must be postmarked on or before March 31, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Proposals should be mailed to: Applications Coordinator,
Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Scalia, Program Manager, Federal
Justice Statistics Program, Bureau of Justice Statistics, (202) 616-
3276.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Bureau of Justice Statistics Federal Justice Statistics Program
(FJSP) was initiated in 1982 to serve as a central resource for
information describing the processing of Federal criminal defendants
and characteristics of those defendants. The program collects data from
different components of the Federal criminal justice system and tracks
the progress of suspects from investigation through prosecution,
adjudication, sentencing, and corrections. The program represents the
primary BJS effort describing the Federal criminal justice system and
responds directly to the legislative authorization that BJS ``collect,
analyze, and disseminate comprehensive Federal justice transaction
statistics (including statistics on issues of Federal justice interest
such as public fraud and high technology crime)'' as set forth in 42
U.S.C. Sec. 3732(c)(15).
In keeping with the original program plan which was designed to
minimize data collection costs, no original data collection is
supported under this program. Data are obtained from operational
Federal agencies including the Executive Office for the United States
Attorneys, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the
Bureau of Prisons, and the United States Sentencing Commission. In
order to trace the flow of cases from one stage to another and to
supplement any individual agency's data, computer matching techniques
have been developed that permit the linking of
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data obtained from different sources. The linking of these data permit
more complex and detailed analysis of particular issues.
Throughout the history of the FJSP, a regular series of reports has
been produced. These reports include the annual Compendium of Federal
Justice Statistics (available on the Internet at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
abstract/cfjs93.htm) which describes transactions in the Federal
criminal justice system for a particular year; and a series of Special
Reports addressing specific aspects of the Federal criminal justice
system, specific offenses, or other special issues of interest. Recent
Special Report include: Prisoner Petitions in the Federal Courts
(available on the Internet at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/
ppfc96.htm), Juvenile Delinquents in the Federal Criminal Justice
System (www.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/jdfcjs.htm), and Noncitizens in the
Federal Criminal Justice System (www.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/
nifcjs.htm). In addition, the program serves as the primary source of
information for other BJS statistical series that describe individuals
in the Federal criminal justice system; program staff have also
responded to ad hoc BJS requests for specific data tabulations and
analyses.
In addition, the FJSP supports the efforts of the Coordinating
Committee on Federal Criminal Case Processing Statistics. This
interagency committee--represented by the Administrative Office of the
U.S. Courts, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Executive Office for
the U.S. Attorneys, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the United
States Sentencing Commission--was established as a forum for discussing
issues related to the collection of data describing the Federal
criminal justice system and the reporting of Federal criminal case
processing statistics. With the support of the Coordinating Committee,
beginning in 1998 BJS will annually publish Federal Criminal Case
Processing Statistics. This report--which will supplement each agency's
annual statistical report--will highlight specific aspects of the
Federal criminal justice system as well as describe significant trends
in Federal criminal case processing. The statistics presented will be
tabulated according to procedures agreed upon by each participating
agency.
Objectives
The purpose of this award is to support the continuation of the
Federal Justice Statistics Program. The recipient of funds will serve
as the Federal Justice Statistics Resource Center whereby the recipient
will continue to collect, maintain, and archive data from Federal
justice agencies, produce annual reports (the Compendium of Federal
Justice Statistics and Federal Criminal Case Processing), and topical
special reports. Any Special Reports prepared by the recipient will be
prepared under the direction of BJS staff. In addition, BJS staff may
also initiate Special Reports. The recipient will be expected to assist
BJS staff with Special Reports by providing the necessary data for
analysis and, when requested, assisting in the preparation of data
tabulations and reviewing the methodology used to analyze the data.
Type of Assistance
Assistance will be made available under a cooperative agreement.
Awards will be made for a period of 12 months with an option for two
additional continuation years conditional upon the availability of
funds and the quality of the initial performance and products. Costs
are estimated at not to exceed $650,000 for the initial 12-month
period. Funding for subsequent years may include reasonable increases
for cost-of-living and changes in scope of work, where applicable.
Statutory Authority
The cooperative agreement to be awarded pursuant to this
solicitation will be funded by the Bureau of Justice Statistics
consistent with its mandate as set forth in 42 U.S.C. 3732.
Eligibility Requirements
Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations may apply for funds.
Consistent with Office of Justice Programs fiscal requirements, no fees
may be charged against this project by profit-making organizations.
Scope of Work
The objective of the proposed program is to continue basic
activities initiated under the ongoing BJS Federal Justice Statistics
Program. Specifically, the recipient of funds will serve as the Federal
Justice Statistics Resource Center. The Resource Center will--
1. Maintain and expand the Federal Justice Statistics Program
Database. This will involve the collection, processing, and maintenance
of data provided by Federal agencies participating in the program. The
agencies currently participating in the program are: the Executive
Office for the United States Attorneys, the Administrative Office of
the United States Courts, the Bureau of Prisons, and the United States
Sentencing Commission. (In addition to providing data describing the
Federal courts' criminal docket, the Administrative Office also
provides data describing the activities of the Federal pretrial
services agencies and the Federal Probation and Supervision Service.
The Federal Judicial Center has provided data describing the Federal
courts' appellate docket.) The recipient should attempt to expand the
program to include other Federal law enforcement agencies. The
recipient will also be responsible for processing data to meet uniform
classification categories and for linking data to permit analysis of
data obtained from different sources.
2. Prepare tapes and related documentation for archiving in the
national archive maintained by BJS. The public use data tapes of the
source data shall conform to BJS standards for submission to the
National Archive of Criminal Justice Data at the University of
Michigan. In addition, the recipient will prepare a set of standard
analysis data files from each agency's source data for each fiscal
year. These standard analysis data files will describe a particular
cohort of defendants and will include all variables included in the
source data and all variables created for the Compendium of Federal
Justice Statistics. These standard analysis files will be included on a
CD-ROM to be produced by BJS. The recipient will document each of the
standard analysis data files and all programs used to create BJS
reports. Such documentation, to the extent possible, will be maintained
in an electronic database from which users can query variables of
interest. This electronic data dictionary will also be included on the
CD-ROM prepared by BJS. In addition, the recipient will document the
methodology used to produce the Compendium of Federal Justice
Statistics--including the production of the standard analysis data
files.
3. Prepare the Compendium of Federal Justice Statistics and the
Federal Criminal Case Processing Statistics report and submit both text
and tables in camera-ready format for each Federal fiscal year.
4. Prepare BJS Special Reports, data tabulations, analyses, data
sets, and other data manipulations in response to BJS requests. Any
Special Reports proposed by the recipient will be designed in
coordination with BJS. BJS will approve all Special Report topics
proposed by the recipient. The recipient will provide tabulations, as
requested, describing Federal offenders to support BJS's National
Correctional Reporting Program and the National Judicial Reporting
Program.
5. Provide BJS with electronic access to the Federal Justice
Statistics Resource
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Center (including all source data, standard analysis data files, and
software used to produce BJS reports) and computing resources, as
necessary. In addition, the recipient must provide BJS staff with daily
access to the standard analysis data files (for the most recent
reporting period available) in a form in which variables name and
values correspond to those included in the FJSP electronic data
dictionary.
6. Provide support to the interagency Coordinating Committee on
Federal Criminal Case Processing Statistics. The recipient will work
with BJS to support the efforts of the Coordinating Committee on
Federal Criminal Case Processing Statistics including the production of
reconciled case processing statistics, matching records across
agencies' databases, identifying differences in data collection and
reporting methods, and other technical assistance, as requested.
7. Provide Internet access to the Federal Justice Statistics
Resource Center. The recipient will provide direct access via the
Internet to all FJSP data files (including those files prepared by
prior recipients of this award) and the electronic data dictionary. In
addition, the recipient will work with BJS to provide a World Wide Web-
accessible query system for the Federal Justice Statistics Resource
Center. The recipient must provide Internet users with the capability
of performing queries of the FJSP data bases in order to extract basic
information describing individuals processed in the Federal criminal
justice system. Users should be able to disaggregate these data by
Federal judicial district.
Award Procedures
Proposals should describe, in appropriate detail, the procedures to
be undertaken in furtherance of each of the activities described under
the Scope of Work. Information provided should focus on activities to
be conducted during the initial 12-month period but should also include
a more general discussion of three-year objectives for the program.
Information on staffing levels and qualifications should be included
for each task and descriptions of experience relevant to the project
should be included. Resumes of the proposed project director and key
staff should be included in the proposal.
Applications will be competitively reviewed by BJS. Final authority
to enter into a cooperative agreement is reserved for the Director,
BJS, or his designee, who may, in his discretion, determine that none
of the applications shall be funded.
Applications will be evaluated on the overall extent to which they
respond to criminal justice priorities, conform to the goals of the
Federal Justice Statistics Program, and appear to be fiscally feasible
and efficient. Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of--
1. Knowledge of, and experience in, working with different
components of the criminal justice system with particular emphasis on
knowledge of operational, management, and statistical data collected
and maintained by various Federal criminal justice components;
2. Statistical expertise in the area of data analysis, data
linkage, and research;
3. Experience in the application of statistical data to the
analysis of criminal justice issues;
4. Demonstrated ability to prepare high quality statistical
reports;
5. Availability of qualified professional and support staff and of
suitable equipment for data processing and data manipulation;
6. Demonstrated fiscal, management, and organizational capability
suitable for providing sound program direction for this multifaced
effort;
7. Demonstrated ability to design and maintain interactive sites on
the World Wide Web; and
8. Reasonableness of estimated costs for the total project and for
individual cost categories.
Application and Award Process
An original and two (2) copies of the full proposal must be
submitted on SF 424 (Rev. 1988), Application for Federal Assistance.
Proposals must be accompanied by a Budget Detail Worksheet (replaced
the SF 424A, Budget Information); OJP Form 4000/3 (Rev.1-93), Program
Narrative and Assurances' OJP Form 4061/6, Certification Regarding
Lobbying; Disbarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters;
Drug-Free Workplace requirements; and OJP Form 7120/1 (Rev. 1-93),
Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (to be
submitted by applicants who have not previously received Federal funds
from the Office of Justice Programs and are not state of local units of
government). If appropriate, applicants must also complete the
certificate regarding lobbying activities. All applicants must sign
Certified Assurances that they are in compliance with the Federal laws
and regulations which prohibit discrimination in program or activity
that receives Federal funds. To obtain appropriate forms, contact Getha
Hilario, BJS Management Assistant, at (202) 616-3500.
Proposals must include both narrative descriptions and a detailed
budget. The program narrative shall describe activities as described in
the previous section. The detailed budget and the budget narrative must
provide estimated costs including salaries of staff involved in the
project and the percentage of time devoted to the project, fringe
benefit rate itemization and costs, travel costs, proposed equipment,
supplied, and other expenses. Contractual services or equipment must be
procured following Office of Justice Programs grant procurement
procedures.
Dated: January 21, 1998.
Jan M. Chaiken,
Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics.
[FR Doc. 98-1864 Filed 1-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P
