First Step Act: Review and Revalidation of the Bureau of Prisons Needs Assessment System, Fiscal Year 2022

NIJ anticipates selecting multiple respondents to serve as consultants. The consultants will work as a team to address the FSA mandates. Only successful respondents will receive information about other consultants selected.

The narrative should not exceed 25 double-spaced pages, in 12-point font, with 1-inch margins.

No, each response to the SOW may only include one consultant. The consultant may propose to include and hire support staff, for example a research assistant, as needed.

To be considered timely, a submission must be emailed by the deadline to the following email address: fsaneedsassessment@bixal.com

These items are critical and must be included in a consultant’s formal response:

• Narrative
• Curriculum vitae or resume (consultant and support staff, as needed),
• List of additional support staff,
• List of any previous and current NIJ awards to the consultant, and
• Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity statement.

Respondents will be expected to assist DOJ in completing tasks specified in FSA Section 3631. The BOP’s needs assessment system must be reviewed and revalidated on an annual basis for up to 3 years. Respondents should provide a project plan that includes activities for the timeframe required to meet FSA requirements.

The annual revalidation will be based on the calendar year.

Budgets are not required at the time of application. NIJ will discuss cost factors and budget with the successful respondents.

No. The 25-page limit only applies to the narrative.

Individuals who work for small business are eligible if they are able to establish independence from the business.

Consultants can include support staff in their response. Support staff must be identified by name. A resume must also be included. The narrative should explain how the support staff will be used or the types of activities the consultant plans to assign to support personnel.

Consultants can include support staff in their response. Support staff must be identified by name. A resume must also be included. The narrative should explain how the support staff will be used or the types of activities the consultant plans to assign to support personnel.

U.S. residents are NOT eligible to work on the SOW, only U.S. citizens. The Department of Justice (DOJ) only allows United States citizens to access its data, databases, and IT systems. Contractors and consultants must ensure that no Non-U.S. citizen accesses or assists in the development, operation, management, or maintenance of any DOJ Information System.

Questions about the SOW should be sent to the PATTERN email address: fsaneedsassessment@bixal.com

NIJ will compensate consultants as well as support staff. Financial compensation for consultants and their support staff will be determined after NIJ makes a selection.

First, it is not essential to include NIJ grants if you were not the recipient of those grants. As indicated in the SOW, essential elements include:  Narrative; Curriculum vitae or resume; List of additional support staff; List of any previous and current NIJ awards to the consultant; and Research and evaluation independence and integrity statement.

Second, you can submit a response without grant information if your employer was the grant recipient.  There is no need to document your employer’s grant history with NIJ.  If you played a key role in your employer’s NIJ grant and want to include NIJ grants to your employer, please provide the following information:

• Organization that received the grant
• Grant title or name
• Year awarded (if known)
• Timeframe of grant (if known)
• Grant amount (if known)
• Your role, title or involvement with grant

Yes

No, the consultant tasks are limited to those in the SOW.