Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2014 3793
Apply for NIJ 2014 3793
- The National Institute of Justice in the law, justice and legal services science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIJ FY 14 Online Flight Data and Incident Reporting System for Public Safety Use of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560 National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 17, 2014 and posted on Apr 17, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 16, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $250,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIJ FY 14 Online Flight Data and Incident Reporting System for Public Safety Use of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) opportunity was a National Institute of Justice discretionary solicitation to fund a single project that would create a public-facing, web-based system for collecting and sharing information about how law enforcement and other public safety agencies operate small unmanned aircraft systems, defined here as drones weighing less than 55 pounds. The central idea was to build an online flight operations and incident reporting platform that agencies could use to submit standardized operational data, and then to make that information publicly available so researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders could analyze real-world sUAS usage in the National Airspace System (NAS). NIJ framed the public availability of this data as a way to support independent study and evidence-based improvements in safety practices and operational efficiency for public safety drone programs.
A key feature of the solicitation is its emphasis on transparency balanced against operational and security constraints. NIJ explicitly stated that the system was not intended to collect, store, or disseminate law enforcement sensitive information or classified national security information, because the core purpose of the platform was to publish the data for public access and analysis. In practice, this meant applicants were expected to design the reporting workflows and the data model in a way that filters out or avoids sensitive details, while still capturing enough meaningful operational and incident information to allow credible safety and performance analysis. The system was intended to support broader research into public safety sUAS operations rather than serve as an internal government reporting tool for tactical or investigative details.
From an implementation standpoint, the award was structured as a cooperative agreement, reflecting NIJ’s intent to have substantial program involvement and coordination during the buildout and operation of the system. NIJ anticipated an overall award period of three to five years, with the expectation that initial development and implementation would be completed within the first 12 months. After launch, the recipient would be responsible for hosting and maintaining the platform for the remainder of the award period. Importantly, NIJ specified that the system would be hosted on the applicant’s own servers, not on government infrastructure, and it would not use a .gov domain name. This requirement placed responsibility for uptime, security controls, scalability, and routine operations squarely on the funded organization, and it also signaled that NIJ wanted a durable, externally operated platform rather than a federally hosted site.
The solicitation also laid out an intellectual property approach meant to encourage capable developers to participate while ensuring the federal government could still rely on the tool. To the extent possible, the successful applicant would hold and retain copyright and other intellectual property rights to the system, including the software and source code. NIJ, however, would retain a license to use the system and to authorize others to use the system, software, and source code for federal purposes. Separately, data rights were to be handled through agreements between the applicant and the public safety agencies providing the information, meaning the operator of the platform would need to establish clear terms for data submission, publication, and reuse consistent with the system’s public-access mission.
In terms of who NIJ wanted to lead the work, eligibility was broadly unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to the full announcement), but the solicitation highlighted a preference for stakeholder organizations and academic institutions, especially those planning to conduct and publish research using the data the system would make available. That preference reflects NIJ’s research-and-evaluation mission: the platform was not only an IT deliverable, but also a mechanism to enable ongoing study of public safety drone operations, trends in incidents, and potential best practices for safer integration of sUAS into public safety missions and the wider airspace.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted April 17, 2014, with an application deadline of June 16, 2014, and it was later archived on August 1, 2014. It anticipated a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1) with an estimated total funding amount of $250,000, under CFDA 16.560 (National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants). There was no cost sharing or matching requirement. Applicants were directed to submit through Grants.gov and were provided standard points of contact: Grants.gov support for technical submission issues and an NIJ/OJP email for solicitation requirements and programmatic questions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NIJ FY 14 Online Flight Data and Incident Reporting System for Public Safety Use of sUAS opportunity?
It was a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) discretionary solicitation to fund a single project to create a public-facing, web-based system that collects and shares information about how law enforcement and other public safety agencies operate small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), defined in this opportunity as drones weighing less than 55 pounds.
What problem was the funded project meant to solve?
The project was intended to create a standardized online flight operations and incident reporting platform that public safety agencies could use to submit operational and incident data. The data would then be made publicly available so researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders could analyze real-world public safety sUAS usage in the National Airspace System (NAS) and support evidence-based improvements in safety practices and operational efficiency.
What is the primary purpose of making the data public?
NIJ framed public availability as a way to enable independent study and analysis of public safety sUAS operations, supporting research-driven improvements in safety and operational performance across agencies.
What types of aircraft were in scope for reporting?
The opportunity defined sUAS for this purpose as drones weighing less than 55 pounds.
Who would use the system to submit data?
The system was designed for law enforcement and other public safety agencies to submit standardized flight operations and incident information.
Who was the public audience for the information?
The published information was intended for public access and analysis, including researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders interested in understanding public safety sUAS operations in the NAS.
Was the system intended to be an internal law enforcement reporting tool?
No. NIJ emphasized that the platform was meant to support broader research into public safety sUAS operations and publish data for public access, rather than function as an internal government reporting tool for tactical, investigative, or sensitive operational details.
How did NIJ address transparency versus operational and security constraints?
The solicitation emphasized transparency while avoiding the collection or dissemination of sensitive information. Applicants were expected to design reporting workflows and a data model that filter out or avoid sensitive details, while still capturing meaningful operational and incident information sufficient for credible safety and performance analysis.
What information was the system not intended to collect or publish?
NIJ stated the system was not intended to collect, store, or disseminate law enforcement sensitive information or classified national security information, because the core purpose was to publish the information for public access and analysis.
What kind of award mechanism was used?
The solicitation anticipated a cooperative agreement, reflecting NIJ's intent to have substantial program involvement and coordination during the development and operation of the system.
How long was the expected award period?
NIJ anticipated an overall award period of three to five years.
What was the expected timeline for initial development and launch?
The opportunity expected initial development and implementation to be completed within the first 12 months, followed by hosting and maintenance by the recipient for the remainder of the award period.
Who would host the platform?
The recipient organization was responsible for hosting and maintaining the system for the remainder of the award period after launch.
Was the platform hosted on government infrastructure?
No. NIJ specified the system would be hosted on the applicant's own servers rather than government infrastructure.
Could the platform use a .gov domain name?
No. NIJ specified the system would not use a .gov domain name.
What operational responsibilities did the recipient take on by hosting the system?
Because the system had to run on the applicant's servers and not on government infrastructure, responsibility for uptime, security controls, scalability, and routine operations was placed on the funded organization.
Why did NIJ require external hosting rather than a federally hosted site?
The solicitation signaled that NIJ wanted a durable, externally operated platform rather than a federally hosted site, with ongoing operation maintained by the recipient during the award period.
Who owned the intellectual property for the system?
To the extent possible, the successful applicant would hold and retain copyright and other intellectual property rights to the system, including the software and source code.
Did NIJ retain any rights to use the system?
Yes. NIJ would retain a license to use the system and to authorize others to use the system, software, and source code for federal purposes.
How were data rights supposed to be handled?
Data rights were to be addressed through agreements between the applicant and the public safety agencies providing the information. The platform operator would need clear terms for data submission, publication, and reuse consistent with the system's public-access mission.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broadly unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to the full announcement).
Did NIJ express a preference for certain types of applicants?
Yes. The solicitation highlighted a preference for stakeholder organizations and academic institutions, especially those planning to conduct and publish research using the data made available through the system.
How many awards were expected?
The opportunity anticipated a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1).
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount was $250,000.
What CFDA program was this opportunity under?
The opportunity was under CFDA 16.560, National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants.
Was there a cost sharing or matching requirement?
No. The solicitation stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted and when were applications due?
The opportunity was posted on April 17, 2014, with an application deadline of June 16, 2014.
When was the opportunity archived?
It was later archived on August 1, 2014.
How were applications submitted?
Applicants were directed to submit through Grants.gov.
Who could applicants contact for help with submission or solicitation questions?
The solicitation provided standard points of contact: Grants.gov support for technical submission issues and an NIJ/OJP email address for solicitation requirements and programmatic questions.
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