Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2015 4116
Apply for BJA 2015 4116
- The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 15 The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative National Training and Technical Assistance" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.833 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 9, 2015 and posted on Mar 9, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 7, 2015. (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 $6,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Eligible applicants are for profit organizations, nonprofit organizations (including tribal nonprofit or for profit organizations), faith based and community organizations, institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education), and consortiums with demonstrated experience providing national and local level training and technical assistance. For profit organizations must agree to waive any profit or fees for services. BJA welcomes applications that involve two or more entities however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program. Only one application per lead applicant will be considered however, subrecipients may be part of multiple proposals
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Opportunity Summary:
The BJA FY 15 Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) National Training and Technical Assistance opportunity is a Bureau of Justice Assistance discretionary grant aimed at strengthening the national response to sexual assault cases connected to previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs). The core purpose is not to fund local jurisdictions to run their own SAKI projects, but to select a national training and technical assistance (TTA) provider that can help build capacity across the field, especially for jurisdictions that receive SAKI site-based awards and for other communities facing similar challenges. The initiative is grounded in a victim-centered, multidisciplinary approach that treats sexual assault cases as complex investigations requiring coordination among law enforcement, prosecutors, crime laboratories, victim advocates, and other community partners.
A key point in this opportunity is the distinction between "unsubmitted" and "untested" kits. SAKI is focused specifically on unsubmitted kits, meaning kits that have never been sent to a crime laboratory for testing and are often sitting in police custody or other storage locations. This is different from untested kits, which have been submitted to a lab but are awaiting analysis due to backlogs or capacity constraints. By emphasizing unsubmitted kits, BJA is targeting a set of systemic problems that often happen upstream of laboratory processing, such as failures in evidence tracking, inconsistent submission practices, outdated investigative approaches, confusion about lab submission policies, and gaps in understanding the investigative value of testing kits even when cases may appear difficult or unlikely to proceed.
The broader goal of SAKI is to help jurisdictions create a coordinated community response that can bring cases to a just resolution whenever possible, while also preventing the future accumulation of large numbers of unsubmitted kits. The work associated with SAKI goes far beyond simply increasing laboratory testing. Jurisdictions need support to inventory, test, and track kits; develop and report performance metrics; and strengthen policies and practices related to investigation and prosecution. Just as importantly, SAKI emphasizes improving victim engagement, advocacy, and access to services, recognizing that reopening or advancing cases can have serious emotional and practical impacts on survivors and requires trauma-informed communication and coordinated support.
The opportunity reflects lessons from National Institute of Justice research and pilot efforts, including work in Detroit, Michigan and Houston, Texas, which showed that testing previously unsubmitted kits can generate valuable investigative leads and help solve cases. At the same time, that research underscored how complicated the issue is once testing begins: an influx of DNA hits and investigative leads can quickly overwhelm agencies that do not have enough trained investigators, prosecutors, or victim service resources. SAKI is designed with those downstream demands in mind, encouraging jurisdictions to build the operational and collaborative infrastructure needed to handle increased caseloads responsibly and effectively.
Another challenge the program highlights is that there is no reliable national estimate of how many unsubmitted kits exist. Assessing the scope is difficult because evidence tracking and retention practices vary widely, and some agencies may have weak or outdated systems. Unsubmitted kits may also be stored outside traditional police evidence rooms, including hospitals, clinics, rape crisis centers, or informal storage locations. Many agencies lack electronic evidence tracking systems, and even when systems exist, data sharing barriers often prevent seamless, real-time communication about DNA hits and case status among law enforcement, prosecutors, and laboratories. The national TTA provider funded under this solicitation is expected to help jurisdictions navigate these practical barriers by offering guidance, tools, training, and implementation support.
Funding details from the announcement show this is a grant (not a contract) in the Law, Justice and Legal Services category, under CFDA 16.833 (National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative). The funding opportunity number is BJA-2015-4116. BJA anticipated making up to 2 awards, with an award ceiling of $6,000,000 and no required cost sharing or matching. The solicitation opened March 9, 2015 and closed May 7, 2015, with an archive date of June 6, 2015.
Eligibility is geared toward organizations capable of delivering training and technical assistance at national and local levels. Eligible applicants include for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations (including tribal nonprofit or for-profit entities), faith-based and community organizations, institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions), and consortiums with relevant experience. A notable restriction is that for-profit applicants must agree to waive any profit or fees for services. Partnerships are encouraged, and applications may include subrecipients, but one lead applicant must take primary responsibility for administering the award and managing the program. Only one application per lead applicant is allowed, though subrecipients may participate in multiple proposals.
In practical terms, this opportunity is about creating a single (or limited number of) national capacity-building resource(s) to help the field respond consistently and effectively to the hidden backlog of unsubmitted sexual assault kits. The funded provider is expected to help jurisdictions adopt better evidence management, strengthen multidisciplinary coordination, improve investigative and prosecutorial practices, and ensure survivors are treated with respect and connected to support throughout the process, all while promoting long-term reforms that prevent the problem from recurring.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BJA FY 15 Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) National Training and Technical Assistance opportunity?
It is a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) discretionary grant opportunity to fund a national training and technical assistance (TTA) provider (or a limited number of providers) to strengthen the national response to sexual assault cases connected to previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs).
Is this opportunity meant to fund local jurisdictions to run their own SAKI projects?
No. The core purpose is not to fund local jurisdictions to operate their own site-based SAKI projects. The purpose is to select a national TTA provider that helps build capacity across the field, especially for jurisdictions that receive SAKI site-based awards and other communities facing similar challenges.
What is the main focus of SAKI in this solicitation: unsubmitted kits or untested kits?
This solicitation focuses specifically on unsubmitted sexual assault kits. These are kits that have never been sent to a crime laboratory for testing and may be stored in police custody or other locations.
What is the difference between "unsubmitted" and "untested" sexual assault kits?
Unsubmitted kits have never been submitted to a crime laboratory for testing. Untested kits have been submitted to a laboratory but are awaiting analysis due to backlogs or capacity constraints. SAKI, as described here, emphasizes unsubmitted kits.
Why does the solicitation emphasize unsubmitted kits?
By emphasizing unsubmitted kits, BJA is targeting systemic issues that can occur before laboratory processing, such as inconsistent submission practices, weak evidence tracking, outdated investigative approaches, confusion about lab submission policies, and gaps in understanding the investigative value of testing kits.
What overall approach does SAKI promote?
SAKI is grounded in a victim-centered, multidisciplinary approach that treats sexual assault cases as complex investigations requiring coordination among law enforcement, prosecutors, crime laboratories, victim advocates, and other community partners.
Who is the intended audience for the national TTA provider's support?
The national TTA provider is expected to support jurisdictions that receive SAKI site-based awards and also other communities facing similar challenges related to unsubmitted sexual assault kits and related casework.
What kinds of challenges is SAKI trying to address beyond laboratory testing?
The work goes beyond increasing testing. Jurisdictions may need support to inventory, test, and track kits; develop and report performance metrics; strengthen investigation and prosecution policies and practices; and improve victim engagement, advocacy, and access to services.
How does SAKI address victim engagement and survivor needs?
SAKI emphasizes improving victim engagement, advocacy, and access to services. It recognizes that reopening or advancing cases can have serious emotional and practical impacts on survivors and requires trauma-informed communication and coordinated support.
Why is multidisciplinary coordination highlighted as important?
Testing previously unsubmitted kits can generate DNA hits and investigative leads, which can quickly increase demands on agencies. Coordination among investigators, prosecutors, laboratories, and victim service partners is framed as essential to handling increased caseloads responsibly and effectively.
What research or prior efforts informed this initiative?
The solicitation reflects lessons from National Institute of Justice research and pilot efforts, including work in Detroit, Michigan and Houston, Texas, showing that testing previously unsubmitted kits can produce valuable investigative leads and help solve cases, while also creating downstream workload challenges.
What downstream impacts can occur once testing begins?
An influx of DNA hits and investigative leads can overwhelm agencies that lack enough trained investigators, prosecutors, or victim service resources. The initiative encourages jurisdictions to build the operational and collaborative infrastructure needed to manage those demands.
Is there a reliable national estimate of how many unsubmitted kits exist?
No. The solicitation notes there is no reliable national estimate, in part because evidence tracking and retention practices vary widely and some agencies have weak or outdated systems.
Where might unsubmitted kits be stored?
Unsubmitted kits may be stored in police custody or other storage locations. The solicitation also notes kits may be stored outside traditional police evidence rooms, including hospitals, clinics, rape crisis centers, or informal storage locations.
What practical barriers do jurisdictions face in addressing unsubmitted kits?
Examples described include lack of electronic evidence tracking systems, inconsistent practices, and data sharing barriers that prevent seamless, real-time communication about DNA hits and case status among law enforcement, prosecutors, and laboratories.
What is the role of the national TTA provider under this solicitation?
The funded provider is expected to help jurisdictions navigate practical barriers by offering guidance, tools, training, and implementation support, with the goal of strengthening evidence management, multidisciplinary coordination, investigative and prosecutorial practices, and victim-centered responses.
What long-term outcomes is SAKI trying to promote?
Beyond resolving cases when possible, SAKI aims to prevent the future accumulation of large numbers of unsubmitted kits by promoting long-term reforms in policies, practices, and coordinated community response.
Is this funding a grant or a contract?
This opportunity is a grant (not a contract), in the Law, Justice and Legal Services category.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 16.833 (National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is BJA-2015-4116.
How many awards did BJA anticipate making?
BJA anticipated making up to 2 awards.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $6,000,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement indicates there is no required cost sharing or matching.
What were the solicitation open and close dates?
The solicitation opened March 9, 2015 and closed May 7, 2015.
What is the archive date listed for the solicitation?
The archive date is June 6, 2015.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include for-profit organizations, nonprofit organizations (including tribal nonprofit or for-profit entities), faith-based and community organizations, institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions), and consortiums with relevant experience in delivering national and local training and technical assistance.
Are for-profit organizations eligible, and are there special conditions for them?
Yes, for-profit organizations are eligible. A notable restriction is that for-profit applicants must agree to waive any profit or fees for services.
Are partnerships or subrecipients allowed in applications?
Yes. Partnerships are encouraged, and applications may include subrecipients. However, one lead applicant must take primary responsibility for administering the award and managing the program.
Can an organization submit more than one application as the lead applicant?
No. Only one application per lead applicant is allowed.
Can a subrecipient participate in more than one proposal?
Yes. The restriction is on the lead applicant; subrecipients may participate in multiple proposals.
In plain terms, what is this opportunity trying to build?
It is designed to create a single (or limited number of) national capacity-building resource(s) to help the field respond consistently and effectively to the hidden backlog of unsubmitted sexual assault kits, while improving coordination, evidence management, and victim-centered practices and preventing the problem from recurring.
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