Design of 2009 National Private Security Survey | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the "Design of 2009 National Private Security Survey" grant opportunity?

It is a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) discretionary, statistics-focused cooperative agreement (Funding Opportunity Number 2009 BJS 2172) to design the 2009 National Private Security Survey (NPSS). The award is intended to produce the technical and operational specifications needed to carry out a new national data collection on private security, rather than funding an immediate full survey rollout.

What is the main purpose of this award?

The purpose is to create the blueprint for the NPSS by developing survey instruments, defining key concepts and terms, laying out how the data collection would be administered and validated, and producing multiple implementation options. The work is meant to position NPSS as a rigorous, repeatable national survey of private security comparable in spirit to BJS's LEMAS program for public law enforcement agencies.

Is this funding for conducting the full national survey?

No. The opportunity focuses on design and planning work that lays the groundwork for a future national survey effort. The deliverables are specifications and plans needed to field the NPSS, not the full survey rollout itself.

How does NPSS relate to the LEMAS program?

BJS describes NPSS as the private-sector counterpart to its Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) program. The long-term goal is a standardized national survey that can produce comparable management, staffing, and operational measures for private security similar to what LEMAS provides for public law enforcement agencies.

What segments of private security will NPSS cover?

The design work covers two major segments: (1) contract security companies that provide guard and related services to clients, and (2) employers that use proprietary (in-house) security officers and investigators across a variety of industries.

What kinds of topics is the NPSS intended to measure?

The NPSS is intended to capture a broad picture of private security operations and personnel, including demographic characteristics of private security officers, the types and volume of work performed, the nature of clients served (for contract security firms), hiring and selection practices, training requirements and delivery, and organizational expenditures related to security functions.

What is the core deliverable under this cooperative agreement?

The core deliverable is the design work for a multi-survey data collection covering both the contract and proprietary components of private security. This includes developing the instruments and the specifications required to implement the NPSS.

What are the "three alternative implementation plans" mentioned in the solicitation?

The awardee must produce three alternative plans for conducting the NPSS that reflect ascending levels of ambition. The plans are expected to vary in sampling approach, sample scope, and the specificity of estimates the survey could generate, with corresponding differences in cost.

How are the three implementation plans expected to differ from each other?

They should range from more streamlined designs (for example, smaller or less granular samples that still support credible national estimates) to more expansive designs (for example, larger samples and more detailed stratification to enable finer breakdowns by industry, organization size, geography, or other characteristics). The intent is to provide BJS with clear tradeoffs between statistical power, subgroup estimates, field burden, and budget.

What sampling approach is anticipated for the NPSS design?

The NPSS is described as drawing from a national sample of contract firms and a stratified national sample of organizations employing in-house security. The design is intended to support more precise national estimates and industry comparisons than typically available from existing sources.

What does it mean that this opportunity is a cooperative agreement?

It means the work is expected to be carried out in close coordination with BJS and relevant experts in the private security field. The federal sponsor is expected to play an active role during development, implying iterative design, expert consultation, and alignment with BJS standards for national statistical collections rather than a hands-off review of a final product.

What instrument development work is expected from the awardee?

The awardee is expected to design the data collection instruments for both survey components (contract and proprietary). This typically includes drafting and refining questionnaires, defining key concepts and terms so they are measured consistently, and specifying how data collection would be administered and validated.

Is there a research component in addition to survey design?

Yes. The project includes an extensive literature review and secondary analysis of existing data sources on the private security field. This research is intended to identify what is already known, highlight gaps and measurement challenges, and inform instrument content and sampling decisions.

Why does the solicitation require a literature review and secondary analysis?

The intent is to ground the NPSS in the best available evidence and prior measurement efforts so that the final survey design is policy-relevant and methodologically sound, not just a set of survey forms.

How many awards does BJS anticipate making?

The solicitation anticipates making one award.

What is the project period for this award?

The initial project period is eight months.

What is the funding category for this opportunity?

The funding instrument is categorized under "Information and Statistics."

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity falls under CFDA 16.734, titled Special Data Collections and Statistical Studies.

Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?

No. The solicitation states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is open to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, with specific fiscal restrictions applying to for-profit applicants under Office of Justice Programs (OJP) rules.

What restriction applies to for-profit applicants?

For-profit applicants may apply, but they cannot earn profit from the award and may not charge a management fee.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is 2009 BJS 2172.

When was the opportunity posted and when were applications due?

Key dates listed are: posted March 31, 2009; created April 8, 2009; originally due April 14, 2009; revised closing date May 14, 2009; archive date June 13, 2009.

Who is the point of contact for access issues?

The listed point of contact for access issues is Lisa Price Grear, Program Analyst, at 202-616-3561.

What is the intended outcome of this funded project?

The intended outcome is a set of specifications that would allow BJS to field a credible, national, repeatable NPSS, including instruments for both industry segments, three scalable implementation designs tied to sampling and budget choices, and a research foundation based on literature review and secondary analysis.

What kinds of comparisons or estimates is NPSS ultimately intended to support?

The NPSS is intended to support national estimates and industry comparisons, with the implementation options designed to clarify what subgroup estimates (such as by industry, organization size, geography, or other characteristics) could be supported under different sampling scopes and budget levels.