2017 NCS-X Implementation Assistance Program: Phase IV - Support for State Programs | BJS 2017 11593

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJS 2017 11593

The 2017 NCS-X Implementation Assistance Program: Phase IV - Support for State Programs (BJS-2017-11593) is a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) funding opportunity, run in partnership with the FBI, aimed at helping states modernize how they collect and transmit crime data to the FBI. It sits under the broader National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) Initiative, which is designed to increase the number of law enforcement agencies reporting to the FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). The long-term purpose is to make national crime statistics more accurate and detailed by moving beyond summary-level reporting and ensuring incident-based data are available from a strong national sample, including the largest agencies in the country.

The core problem this grant addresses is that local law enforcement agencies usually do not send NIBRS data straight to the FBI. Instead, most agencies report through a "state pipeline" managed by the state's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. The state UCR Program receives incident-based data from local agencies, validates and processes it, and then submits the combined statewide data to the FBI in a format the FBI can accept. If a state pipeline is not NIBRS-capable, not FBI-certified, or not widely adopted by local agencies, then local departments have a harder time switching to NIBRS and the national data picture remains incomplete. This solicitation therefore focuses on strengthening state capacity so states can reliably receive, process, and forward incident-based data to the FBI.

Funding under this announcement is meant to support work that enhances or builds the state-level infrastructure and operational capacity required for NIBRS reporting. In practical terms, that typically includes improving the technical systems used to accept and validate incident-based data, upgrading interfaces and data processing workflows, supporting certification or expansion of NIBRS-capable pipelines, and addressing the administrative and coordination needs that come with onboarding more local agencies into incident-based reporting. The emphasis is on enabling the state UCR Program to serve as an effective conduit for local agencies transitioning to NIBRS.

Eligibility is limited to four states identified as needing targeted assistance: Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, and Mississippi. In Alaska, Arizona, and New Mexico, the eligible applicant is the agency that oversees the state UCR Program responsible for reporting to the FBI UCR Program. However, the solicitation also allows another state agency in those states to apply and administer funds if there is a mutual agreement with the state UCR Program; that arrangement must be documented in writing, such as through a memorandum of understanding, and included in the application. Mississippi is treated differently because it is described as not currently having a state UCR Program; in Mississippi, the eligible applicant is the state agency authorized by statute or executive order to collect and report crime data from local law enforcement agencies to the FBI.

The solicitation explains why these four states were singled out: they either lack an FBI-certified incident-based reporting component able to submit to NIBRS, have a NIBRS-certified program but incident-based reporting agencies collectively cover less than 80 percent of the state's population, or (in the case of Mississippi) do not have a state UCR Program at the time of the announcement. In other words, the grant is meant to close specific readiness and coverage gaps that prevent statewide NIBRS reporting from reaching a level where it can meaningfully support national statistics.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism, which generally indicates the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement during the project period (for example, coordination, technical guidance, or ongoing collaboration). The program falls under the "Information and Statistics" activity category and CFDA number 16.734. The original application closing date listed is June 30, 2017. The award ceiling is $3,000,000, and the opportunity anticipates up to 10 awards, reflecting an intent to fund multiple efforts that collectively strengthen state pipelines and accelerate NIBRS adoption.

• The Bureau of Justice Statistics in the information and statistics sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2017 NCS-X Implementation Assistance Program: Phase IV - Support for State Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.734.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-05-16.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-06-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for BJS 2017 11593

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