Grant Consulting Services

The vendor is required to provide professional services in developing grant applications and managing grant awards for both the Paul Coverdell forensic science improvement program (Coverdell), and the DNA capacity enhancement, and backlog reduction program (CEBR).
- Coverdell forensic science improvement program:
• Review the federal funding solicitation in detail to evaluate program scope and allowability changes from year to year.  advise on how new restrictions and requirements can be handled.
• Seek clarification and guidance from agency grants and community services division staff as needed. 
• Discuss funding priorities with office command and chief financial officer to determine the best use of funds.
• Ensure that the laboratory’s strategic plan is current and addresses the objective(s) to be included in each Coverdell application.
• Write application abstracts and narratives with input from office lab discipline subject matter experts.
• Build comprehensive application budgets, including payroll projections, with input from the office administrative services division.
• Ensure that all required attachments, supporting documentation, and certifications were completed and signed by the appropriate parties.
• Compile a comprehensive application package to be forwarded for county review and board of commissioners’ approval.
• Modify the application’s narrative and budget if notification is received that the dollar amount of the award is different than what was anticipated at the time of application.
• Review the grant agreement between county and agency to ensure that the laboratory is aware of and able to comply with programmatic requirements before forwarding on for county grant review. 
• Work with office administrative services division to ensure the grant application is submitted to the board of commissioners for grant approval to comply with agency established submission deadline.
• Ensure that the application package is submitted to agency by the established deadline.
- Grant administration requirements:
• Obtain performance metric data from lab unit staff to compile and submit the required progress reports by the deadline. 
• Monitor reported progress against expected results to ensure that specified grant objectives can be met within the award period.
• Engage the agency grants and community services division, as needed, when scope or budgetary changes become necessary; compile and submit grant adjustments accordingly.
• Routinely communicate with the laboratory and administrative services division regarding questions, concerns, and organizational changes that could have a programmatic, financial, or compliance-related impact on the county’s award.
• Successfully complete and maintain the required “OJP financial management and grant administration training.” 
• Develop and maintain comprehensive grant files for existing and future awards.
- DNA capacity enhancement and backlog reduction program:
• The DNA capacity backlog reduction (CEBR) program awards grants to eligible DNA laboratories on an annual basis through a formula method that allocates funding to states to increase the capacity of DNA laboratories to process samples for entry into the federal bureau of investigation’s (FBI’S) combined DNA index system (CODIS).  
• Office and agency are eligible for funding under the CEBR program but apply separately to assistance.  
• CEBR awards have a two-year spending period as a result of the two-year spending period, office will have multiple CEBR grant awards active at one time.  
- Grant application requirements:
• Review the assistance funding solicitation and evaluate program scope and allowable changes from year to year.
• Seek clarification and guidance on solicitation components and federal formula used to allocate CEBR funding from assistance.
• Design and recommend an in-state distribution formula for allocating capacity enhancement and backlog reduction program (CEBR) funding between office and the agency forensic science division.
• Work with office and agency on creating a multi-year agreement for formula distribution to streamline the application process for both agencies in the federal fy2025 funding cycle and beyond.
• Write application narratives and abstracts with input from the DNA technical leader to ensure compliance with solicitation requirements.
• Build comprehensive application budgets, including payroll projections, with input from the office administrative services division.
• Ensure that all required attachments, appendices, and supporting documentation are accounted for and any declarations or certifications are signed by the appropriate parties.
• Compile a comprehensive application package to be forwarded for county review and board of commissioners. 
• Work with office to compile the grant application in grants.gov by the initial deadline and complete the comprehensive grant application in the just grants system for submission by the county’s authorized representative or designee prior to the established deadline.  
• Review the grant award package received from assistance to ensure that the laboratory is aware of and able to comply with programmatic requirements before forwarding on for county grant review
• Modify the application’s narrative and budget to address any post-award direction received from assistance and compile other requested information to satisfy any withholding conditions placed on office awards.
• Renew and validate registration with the system for award management (SAM) every 12 months and 30 days prior to any deadline.
- Grant administration: 
• Seek status updates and performance metric data from the DNA technical leader, and laboratory information management system (LIMS) administrator to compile and submit the required performance measures and progress reports by the deadline.
• Monitor reported progress against expected results to ensure that specified grant objectives can be met within the award period.
• Consult with the DNA technical leader and administrative services division when changes in project scope or budget modification become necessary. prepare and submit grant amendments as needed. 
• Routinely communicate with assistance, the laboratory and administrative services division regarding questions, concerns, and organizational changes that could have a programmatic, financial, or compliance-related impact on the county’s awards. 
• Successfully complete and maintain the required “OJP financial management and grant administration training.” 
• Develop and maintain comprehensive grant files for existing and future awards.
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: June 30, 2025