NICS Act Record Improvement Program

 

GOAL(S): To improve the FBIs National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by providing assistance to states to improve the completeness, automation, and transmittal to state and federal systems the records used by the NICS. OBJECTIVE(S): To address the gaps in criminal history, mental health, and related information available to NICS that prohibit a person from purchasing or possessing a firearm under state and federal law. Performance Measure 1: Number of states and tribes participating or making records available to the NICS. Performance Measure 2: Percentage of complete records made available to the NICS. Performance Measure 3: Percentage of applications for firearm transfers rejected due to data made available to the NICS.

Active 16.813 Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2016 See BJS website: http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=49 See BJS website: https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=49#state_by_state
Fiscal Year 2017 See BJS website: http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=49
Fiscal Year 2018 See BJS website: http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=49. The number of applications received in FY 2018 was 20. The number of awards made in 2018 was also 20. The anticipated number of applications in 2019 is 22 with the potential for all applications to be funded.
Fiscal Year 2019 • State-submitted records in the NICS Indices have increased over 752 percent, from just over 1.1 million records in January 2008, to over 9.4 million records at the end of FY 2018. • State submission of mental health records has increased more than 12-fold, from about 405,000 records in the beginning of 2008 to 5.3 million records as of September 2018. • Forty-five states contribute at least 1,000 records to the mental health files in the NICS Indices, compared to only seven states contributing at least 1,000 records in January 2008. As of September 2008, 34 states contribute over 10,000 records. • BJS has funded the development of reports on state progress in record reporting to NICS to include: Mental Health Submissions, Protection Orders, Fingerprint Processing Advances Improve Background Checks, Misdemeanor Crimes of Domestic Violence, Fugitives from Justice, and Unlawful Drug Users.
Fiscal Year 2021 This program continues to support efforts to improve the reporting of criminal history and related records to state and national files to support the NICS. See summaries of previously funded awards here: https://bjs.ojp.gov/programs/nics-improvement-amendments-act/state-profiles
Fiscal Year 2022 This program continues to support efforts to improve the reporting of criminal history and related records to state and national files to support the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). NICS Improvement Amendments Act, Public Law 115-141, U.S.C. 42 U.S.C. §§ 40912
NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, U.S.C. 34 U.S.C. §§ 40913
U.S.C. 34 U.S.C. §§ 10132(c) Applications must be submitted by (a) the agency designated by the Governor to administer the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP); (b) the state or territory central administrative office or similar entity designated by statute or regulation to administer federal grant funds on behalf of the jurisdiction's court system; or (c) a federally recognized Indian tribal government. In accordance with the NICS Improvement Amendments Act (see 18 U.S.C. ? 922 note), there are two specific conditions that each state must satisfy before being eligible to receive grants: 1. First, "each State shall provide the Attorney General with a reasonable estimate, as calculated by a method determined by the Attorney General... of the number of the records" subject to the NIAA completeness requirements. (Id.) 2. Second, "to be eligible for a grant under this [program], a State shall certify, to the satisfaction of the Attorney General, that the State has implemented a relief from disabilities program." (Id.) For the purpose of this solicitation, a "relief from disabilities program" is a program that permits persons who have been adjudicated a mental defective or committed to a mental institution to obtain relief from the firearms disabilities imposed by law as a result of such adjudication or commitment. This relief must be based on a finding, in accordance with principles of due process, by a state court, board, commission, or other lawful authority, that the circumstances of the disability and the person's record and reputation are such that the person will not be likely to act in a manner dangerous to the public safety and that the granting of relief would not be contrary to the public interest. The certification form is available on the ATF website at https://www.atf.gov/file/11731/download. Further, applications submitted on behalf of state court systems must specifically assure that: (1) the court system has the capability to contribute and will transmit pertinent information to the NICS established under section 103(b) of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (18 U.S.C. 922 note), and (2) that it will coordinate the programs proposed for NARIP funding with other federally funded information technology programs, including directly funded local programs. Funds awarded to the state or tribe may be allocated for use in state or local/tribal agencies or the courts, but should have an impact on national record systems. Private organizations may receive funds under contract arrangements with a state/tribal agency or its subgrantees to which NCHIP funds are allocated by the state/tribe. Not applicable. The applicant must furnish, along with the application for an award, all of the requirements of the program solicitation, including details of the program budget composition, goals, impact, methods, evaluation plan, and resources of the project. Preapplication coordination is required. A potential grantee should contact the Headquarters Office, Devon B. Adams, NARIP Program Administrator, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20531; Telephone: (202) 307-0765, or E- mail: askbjs@usdoj.gov, to obtain a copy of the current program announcement. The Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants must submit completed applications via the Office of Justice Programs, Justice Grants System (JustGrants) or through grants.gov following established criteria. The receipt, review, and analysis of applications will follow Office of Justice Programs policies and procedures for the administration of grant applications. Specific application instructions for solicitations are available at the Office of Justice Programs web site (http://www.ojp.gov/funding/solicitations.htm). An award is granted by the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics and must be accepted by the applicant agency or institution according to the special conditions of the grant or cooperative agreement. Successful applicants are notified via OJP's Justice Grants System (JustGrants). The grant award must be accepted electronically by the receiving organizations authorized official in JustGrants. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Approximately 120 days. Deadlines are included with the application instructions, which are posted on the Office of Justice Programs web site (http://www.ojp.gov/funding/solicitations.htm). For statutory formula awards, see 28 C.F.R. Part 18. There are no appeal rights for rejection of a discretionary application, but for discretionary awards, see 28 C.F.R. Part 18. Awards may be for up to 24 months. Criteria are described in the program announcement available at https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/narip21_sol.pdf. Allowable uses of funds are outlined in the annual NARIP solicitations which are posted on the Office of Justice Programs web site https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/overview Performance Reports: To assist in fulfilling the Departments responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, and the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, Public Law 111–352, recipients must provide data that measures the results of their work. See 2 CFR 200 for audit requirements See 2 C.F.R . ? 200.334 for the government-wide requirements for retention requirements for records. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Project duration period will be between 12 to 24 months. See the following information on how assistance is awarded/release: Office of Justice Programs' Financial Guide (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/index/htm) and Post Award Instructions (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/pdfs/post_award_instructions.pdf). Please contact the program office for furhter information. Please contact the program office for more information. None/Not specified. Stephanie L. Burroughs
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics
810 7th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20531 US
AskBJS@usdo.gov
Phone: (202) 307-0765 https://bjs.ojp.gov/programs/nics-improvement-amendments-act 15-0401-0-1-754 (Cooperative Agreements) FY 22$24,405,240.00; FY 23 est $25,000,000.00; FY 24 est $25,000,000.00; FY 21$43,126,667.00; FY 20$20,725,381.00; FY 19$15,960,203.00; FY 18$20,993,105.00; FY 17$11,209,680.00; FY 16$0.00; - See the current fiscal year's solicitation guidelines posted on the Office of Justice Programs web site at https://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/CurrentFundingOpportunities.htm. Department of Justice Grants Financial Guide (http://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm) and OJP Post award Instructions (http://ojp.gov/funding/Implement/Resources/PostAwardInstructions.pdf), applicable OMB Circulars and regulations, and Department of Justice regulations applicable to specific types of grantees. Fiscal Year 2016 See BJS website: http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=49
Fiscal Year 2017 See BJS website: https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?y=tp&tid=49#state_by_state.
Fiscal Year 2021 See summaries of previously funded awards here: https://bjs.ojp.gov/programs/nics-improvement-amendments-act/state-profiles
Fiscal Year 2022 See project summaries on the OJP award information website: https://data.ojp.usdoj.gov/stories/s/O-BJS-2022-171209/r2nm-igke/