Opportunity Information: Apply for BJS 2016 9016
Apply for BJS 2016 9016
- The USDOJ-OJP-BJS in the information and statistics sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2016 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 Feb 12, 2016 and posted on Feb 12, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 28, 2016. (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 $250,000.00 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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Opportunity Summary:
The FY 2016 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) is a discretionary federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Its core purpose is to strengthen public safety and national security by improving the overall quality of criminal history record information and making those records more complete, accurate, and usable for both criminal justice purposes and authorized noncriminal justice background checks. In practical terms, the program focuses on helping jurisdictions build stronger record systems so that decisions about arrests, prosecutions, sentencing, supervision, firearm eligibility, and employment or licensing checks can rely on records that are timely, consistent, and accessible through the proper channels.
The opportunity targets four major objectives. First, it provides direct financial support and technical assistance to states and tribes to modernize and improve criminal records systems and related information systems that feed into background check processes. This can include addressing gaps in record completeness, reducing delays in reporting, improving data quality controls, and strengthening workflows across agencies that create or maintain criminal justice records. Second, it emphasizes building and upgrading the infrastructure needed to connect criminal history record systems to the state repository or the appropriate federal record system, with the specific goal of ensuring those records can be accessed through FBI record systems when appropriate. That objective is about interoperability and connectivity: records are only useful for nationwide checks if they are properly transmitted, indexed, and retrievable through state and federal systems.
Third, the program prioritizes training and technical assistance so that record systems are developed, maintained, and governed in a way that aligns with FBI standards and best practices, particularly around privacy, confidentiality, and appropriate use. This reflects the reality that expanding access to sensitive criminal history information must be paired with strong protections, clear policy controls, and operational practices that prevent misuse or unauthorized disclosure. Fourth, NCHIP pushes recipients toward systematic evaluation and standardized performance measurement, encouraging states and tribes to track progress using common metrics and statistics. The intent is to make improvements measurable and comparable over time, and to demonstrate how funded activities are increasing the completeness and usability of national records holdings and improving the effectiveness of background check systems.
From an administrative standpoint, the funding opportunity number is BJS 2016 9016 and the assistance listing is CFDA 16.554. Awards are made as cooperative agreements, which generally indicates a closer working relationship with the funding agency than a standard grant, often involving ongoing coordination, guidance, or shared oversight during the project period. The program falls under the Information and Statistics funding activity category, consistent with BJSs role in supporting data quality, measurement, and systems improvement.
Key dates and scale are straightforward. The solicitation was posted and created on February 12, 2016, with an application closing date of April 28, 2016. The expected number of awards is 43, and the stated award ceiling is $250,000 per award. Eligibility is listed as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the solicitation text under an "Additional Information on Eligibility" field, and the program description itself indicates a primary focus on states and tribes as intended recipients of support. Overall, NCHIP is best understood as a systems-improvement program: it funds targeted upgrades, connectivity, standards-based practices, and measurement efforts that collectively make criminal history information more complete and reliable for the background checks and justice decisions that depend on it.
FY 2016 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) FAQs
What is the FY 2016 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP)?
NCHIP is a discretionary federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). It supports efforts to improve the quality, completeness, accuracy, and usability of criminal history record information.
What is the main purpose of NCHIP?
The core purpose is to strengthen public safety and national security by making criminal history records more complete, accurate, timely, and usable for criminal justice decision-making and for authorized noncriminal justice background checks.
Which agency administers this funding opportunity?
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS).
What does NCHIP fund or support in practical terms?
NCHIP focuses on helping jurisdictions strengthen record systems so that decisions about arrests, prosecutions, sentencing, supervision, firearm eligibility, and employment or licensing checks can rely on records that are timely, consistent, and accessible through proper channels.
What are the major objectives of NCHIP?
The opportunity identifies four major objectives: (1) providing financial support and technical assistance to modernize and improve criminal records systems and related systems that feed background check processes; (2) building/upgrading infrastructure to connect record systems to state repositories or appropriate federal record systems so records can be accessed through FBI record systems when appropriate; (3) prioritizing training and technical assistance aligned with FBI standards and best practices, including privacy, confidentiality, and appropriate use; and (4) encouraging systematic evaluation and standardized performance measurement using common metrics and statistics.
What kinds of system improvements are emphasized under the first objective?
The first objective includes efforts such as addressing gaps in record completeness, reducing delays in reporting, improving data quality controls, and strengthening workflows across agencies that create or maintain criminal justice records.
What does “connectivity” or “interoperability” mean in the context of NCHIP?
It refers to building and upgrading the infrastructure needed to connect criminal history record systems to the state repository or appropriate federal record system, with the goal of ensuring records can be transmitted, indexed, and retrieved through state and federal systems, including FBI record systems when appropriate.
Why does NCHIP reference FBI standards and best practices?
The program emphasizes that expanding access to sensitive criminal history information should be paired with standards-based development and governance, including strong privacy and confidentiality protections and clear controls for appropriate use to prevent misuse or unauthorized disclosure.
Does NCHIP include training and technical assistance?
Yes. NCHIP prioritizes training and technical assistance to help ensure record systems are developed, maintained, and governed in alignment with FBI standards and best practices, particularly around privacy, confidentiality, and appropriate use.
Does NCHIP require or encourage performance measurement?
Yes. The program encourages systematic evaluation and standardized performance measurement, including tracking progress using common metrics and statistics. The intent is to make improvements measurable and comparable over time and demonstrate gains in completeness and usability of national records holdings and background check effectiveness.
What type of award is used for this program?
Awards are made as cooperative agreements, which typically involve a closer working relationship with the funding agency than a standard grant and may include ongoing coordination, guidance, or shared oversight during the project period.
What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The program is listed under the Information and Statistics funding activity category, consistent with BJS’s role in supporting data quality, measurement, and systems improvement.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is BJS 2016 9016.
What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number?
The assistance listing (CFDA) number is 16.554.
When was the solicitation posted?
The solicitation was posted and created on February 12, 2016.
What was the application closing date?
The application closing date was April 28, 2016.
How many awards were expected?
The expected number of awards was 43.
What is the maximum award amount?
The stated award ceiling is $250,000 per award.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as “Others,” with additional clarification referenced in the solicitation under an “Additional Information on Eligibility” field. The program description indicates a primary focus on states and tribes as intended recipients of support.
What types of recipients does the program primarily focus on supporting?
Based on the program description, NCHIP primarily focuses on supporting states and tribes with criminal records system improvements and related activities.
What is the overall theme or approach of the NCHIP program?
NCHIP is a systems-improvement program that funds targeted upgrades, improved connectivity, standards-based practices, and measurement efforts so criminal history information becomes more complete and reliable for background checks and criminal justice decisions.
What outcomes is NCHIP trying to improve for background checks and justice decisions?
The program is designed to improve the completeness, accuracy, timeliness, consistency, and usability of criminal history records so authorized users can make better-informed decisions in criminal justice contexts and in authorized noncriminal justice background checks.
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