NIJ FY 09 Biometric Technologies Mobile Fingerprint Capture | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NIJ FY 09 Biometric Technologies Mobile Fingerprint Capture opportunity?

It is a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) discretionary research-and-development solicitation focused on developing and demonstrating a field-ready, mobile wireless fingerprint capture device intended for law enforcement use.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this solicitation?

The Funding Opportunity Number is NIJ 2009 1940.

Which agency offered this grant opportunity?

The opportunity was offered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), a component of the U.S. Department of Justice.

What was NIJ trying to fund through this solicitation?

NIJ sought proposals that moved beyond basic concept work and instead supported the development and demonstration of a field-ready, operational mobile wireless fingerprint device for law enforcement.

What is the core technical objective of the project?

The core technical objective was to create a device capable of capturing four fingerprints at the same time, designed to align with relevant portions of the draft Mobile ID Device Best Practices Recommendations and Specifications dated May 5, 2008.

How many fingerprints must the device capture simultaneously?

The device was expected to capture four fingerprints at the same time.

What standards or guidance were referenced for device performance and design?

The solicitation referenced the relevant portions of the draft Mobile ID Device Best Practices Recommendations and Specifications dated May 5, 2008.

Was secure data handling required?

Yes. The description highlighted secure handling of data, including the use of encryption, reflecting expectations that biometric data collected in the field would be protected during transmission and potentially during storage.

What is the intended operational use case for the device?

The device was intended to support rapid identity identification or verification away from a fixed station, such as during patrol, investigative stops, or other real-world field encounters.

Does the solicitation focus only on the fingerprint sensor, or also on workflows and field usability?

NIJ expressed interest in research and development supporting field identification or verification, implying attention not only to the capture mechanism but also to supporting workflows such as quality control, usability under varied environmental conditions, and compatibility with broader mobile identification practices described in the referenced best-practices draft.

Was the device required to be wireless?

Yes. The solicitation described a mobile wireless fingerprint device suitable for operational law enforcement contexts.

What design and operational considerations would proposals likely need to address based on the description?

Based on the description, proposals would reasonably have needed to address durability, mobility constraints, user interface considerations, secure communications, and demonstration of compliance with the referenced best-practice guidance for mobile ID devices.

What type of award mechanism was used?

The award mechanism was a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award was a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement indicates NIJ anticipated substantial involvement during the project period, such as collaboration on technical direction, milestones, demonstrations, or evaluation.

What activity categories were associated with this opportunity?

The activity categories listed included Law, Justice and Legal Services as well as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

Was this opportunity a routine procurement?

No. The description characterized it as an innovation-oriented, research-and-development focused effort rather than a routine procurement.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The solicitation did not require cost sharing or matching funds.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to applicants (for example, private firms, universities, nonprofits, or government entities), subject to any additional clarifications contained in the full solicitation document.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on December 5, 2008.

What was the application deadline?

The application deadline was January 21, 2009.

When was the opportunity archived?

The listing indicated it was archived on April 21, 2009.

How many awards were expected?

The listing indicated an expected number of awards as 100.

What were the listed award floor and award ceiling amounts?

The award floor and award ceiling were both shown as 0, indicating applicants would need to consult the full solicitation for actual funding amounts, budget guidance, and project scope expectations.

What CFDA number was associated with this program?

The program fell under CFDA 16.560 (National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants).

How were applications required to be submitted?

Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov.

Where could applicants get technical help with Grants.gov submission?

The listing noted that technical submission support was available via the Grants.gov hotline and email.

Who was the program contact for solicitation-specific questions?

The program contact listed was William Ford, Program Manager at NIJ, with phone and email provided in the announcement.

What was NIJ's broader purpose in offering this type of solicitation?

NIJ described its role as generating evidence-based knowledge and practical tools that strengthen justice administration and public safety, and this solicitation was positioned as supporting that mission through R&D for field-deployable biometric identification technology.