Opportunity Information: Apply for BJS 2017 11621
The FY 2017 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), designed to strengthen public safety by improving the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history records nationwide. The core idea behind the program is that better records and better-connected systems lead to more reliable criminal justice and noncriminal justice background checks, which in turn supports informed decisions for law enforcement, courts, corrections, licensing, employment, and other authorized screening purposes. NCHIP is positioned as a nationwide records improvement effort, with a strong emphasis on making sure criminal history information is not only accurate and complete, but also available when and where it is legally needed, including through FBI systems.
The program is built around four main objectives that applicants are expected to advance through their proposed projects. First, NCHIP provides direct financial and technical assistance to states and tribes to improve criminal records systems and related information systems that feed into background check processes. This can include efforts to modernize data capture, reduce missing or delayed dispositions, and strengthen the end-to-end workflow from arrest to final court outcome so the record reflects what actually happened in the case. Second, the program prioritizes building and strengthening the infrastructure required to connect criminal history record systems to the appropriate state repository or federal record system, and to ensure that records are accessible through FBI record systems. In practice, this objective focuses on interoperability and connectivity, so that the right entities can contribute data consistently and retrieve it through established national channels.
Third, NCHIP emphasizes training and technical assistance to make sure records systems are developed and managed in line with FBI standards and appropriate technologies, while also reinforcing strong privacy and confidentiality practices. This reflects the reality that improving record availability cannot come at the expense of legal compliance, data security, or responsible handling of sensitive personal information. The program expects contributing agencies to follow high standards for privacy protection and confidentiality, and it supports the technical and procedural guidance needed to reach and maintain those standards. Fourth, NCHIP calls for systematic evaluation supported by standardized performance measurement and statistics, so progress can be tracked over time and improvements can be demonstrated in a consistent way. This objective pushes jurisdictions to measure what is changing, whether gaps in records are shrinking, and how background check systems are becoming more complete and effective.
A key feature of NCHIP is that it acts as an umbrella for multiple record improvement activities and funding streams, each with its own goals and objectives, but intended to function in an integrated way. BJS explicitly encourages states and tribes to coordinate their various record improvement initiatives so they work together rather than operating as separate, disconnected projects. The program also encourages applicants to match or leverage federal dollars with other resources to the greatest extent possible, signaling a preference for proposals that build long-term capacity and align NCHIP funding with broader investments in justice information systems.
Administratively, this opportunity was offered as a cooperative agreement (rather than a simple grant), indicating an expectation of more active federal involvement or collaboration during implementation. It falls under the Information and Statistics funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 16.554. The funding opportunity number is BJS-2017-11621, with a posting (creation) date of January 18, 2017 and an original application closing date of April 5, 2017. The award ceiling listed is $5,000,000, and the expected number of awards is 43. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the eligibility text of the full announcement, but the program description makes clear that states and tribes are central intended recipients for assistance aimed at criminal records and background check system improvements.Apply for BJS 2017 11621
- The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics in the information and statistics sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2017 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.554.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 18, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 05, 2017. (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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 43 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FY 2017 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) FAQs
What is the FY 2017 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP)?
The FY 2017 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). It is intended to strengthen public safety by improving the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history records nationwide, particularly as those records support criminal justice and authorized noncriminal justice background checks.
What problem is NCHIP trying to solve?
NCHIP focuses on the idea that better criminal history records and better-connected record systems lead to more reliable background checks. The program is designed to reduce gaps such as missing information, incomplete records, and delayed dispositions, and to improve how records are made available when and where they are legally needed, including via FBI systems.
Who is the funding agency for this opportunity?
The funding agency is the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS).
Is this a grant or something else?
This opportunity was offered as a cooperative agreement. That signals an expectation of more active federal involvement or collaboration during the period of performance than would typically be associated with a standard grant.
What is the main purpose of NCHIP?
The main purpose is to improve criminal history record systems so that background checks used by law enforcement, courts, corrections, licensing, employment, and other authorized screening purposes are informed by more accurate, complete, and accessible records.
What are the four main objectives applicants are expected to advance?
NCHIP is organized around four main objectives:
- Provide direct financial and technical assistance to states and tribes to improve criminal records systems and related information systems that feed background check processes.
- Build and strengthen infrastructure to connect criminal history record systems to state repositories or federal record systems, and ensure records are accessible through FBI record systems (interoperability/connectivity).
- Support training and technical assistance so systems align with FBI standards and appropriate technologies, while reinforcing privacy and confidentiality practices.
- Require systematic evaluation using standardized performance measurement and statistics so progress can be tracked and demonstrated consistently over time.
What kinds of projects does NCHIP support?
Based on the program description, NCHIP supports record improvement and system improvement work, including modernization of data capture, efforts to reduce missing or delayed dispositions, and improvements to end-to-end workflows from arrest through final court outcomes so that records accurately reflect case results.
How does NCHIP relate to FBI record systems?
A stated emphasis of the program is ensuring criminal history information is available when and where it is legally needed, including through FBI systems. One objective specifically focuses on infrastructure and interoperability so records can be accessible through FBI record systems.
Does NCHIP require or encourage interoperability between systems?
Yes. NCHIP prioritizes building and strengthening the infrastructure required to connect contributing systems to appropriate state repositories or federal record systems. The description highlights interoperability and connectivity so entities can contribute data consistently and retrieve it through established national channels.
What does NCHIP say about privacy and confidentiality?
NCHIP emphasizes that improved availability of records must be balanced with strong privacy and confidentiality protections. The program supports training and technical assistance to help ensure systems are developed and managed in line with FBI standards and appropriate technologies while also reinforcing privacy, confidentiality, and responsible handling of sensitive personal information.
Are training and technical assistance part of the program?
Yes. Training and technical assistance are a stated emphasis, especially to support alignment with FBI standards and appropriate technologies and to reinforce privacy and confidentiality practices.
How does NCHIP measure success or progress?
NCHIP calls for systematic evaluation supported by standardized performance measurement and statistics. The intent is to track progress over time and demonstrate improvements in a consistent way, such as whether record gaps are shrinking and whether background check systems are becoming more complete and effective.
Is NCHIP a single-purpose program or an umbrella program?
NCHIP is described as an umbrella for multiple record improvement activities and funding streams. Each may have its own goals and objectives, but BJS intends them to function in an integrated way as part of a broader records improvement effort.
Does the program encourage coordination across initiatives?
Yes. BJS explicitly encourages states and tribes to coordinate their various record improvement initiatives so they work together rather than operating as separate, disconnected projects.
Does NCHIP require matching funds?
The description provided does not state a requirement for matching funds. However, it does say the program encourages applicants to match or leverage federal dollars with other resources to the greatest extent possible.
What does it mean that applicants are encouraged to leverage federal dollars?
As described, this means BJS prefers proposals that align NCHIP funding with other resources and broader investments, building long-term capacity and integrating NCHIP work into wider justice information system improvements.
What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The opportunity falls under the Information and Statistics funding activity category.
What is the CFDA number associated with NCHIP FY 2017?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 16.554.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is BJS-2017-11621.
When was the opportunity posted and when was it originally due?
The posting (creation) date was January 18, 2017. The original application closing date was April 5, 2017.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $5,000,000.
How many awards were expected?
The expected number of awards is 43.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the eligibility text of the full announcement. From the program description provided, states and tribes are central intended recipients for assistance aimed at criminal records and background check system improvements.
What types of decision-making does NCHIP support through better records?
The program description notes that improved records support informed decisions for law enforcement, courts, corrections, licensing, employment, and other authorized screening purposes.
What is meant by improving the "end-to-end workflow" of criminal history records?
In the context provided, it refers to improving the process from arrest through the final court outcome so the criminal history record reflects what actually happened in the case, including reducing missing or delayed dispositions.
What is the geographic scope of NCHIP?
NCHIP is positioned as a nationwide records improvement effort, focused on improving criminal history records and access to those records across jurisdictions.
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