BJA FY 20 Academic-based Drug Field Testing and Training Initiative

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Description

Currently, crime and forensics labs across the country are overwhelmed. This backup can often lead to delays in forensic lab testing and analysis, leading to a ripple effect of delayed prosecution and adjudication throughout the system. While some forensic analysis must be conducted in a laboratory environment, other methods are emerging, like rapid drug testing, that can be performed in the field. Currently, a lack of training and technical assistance related to the development and implementation of these technologies and techniques at the local level exists. This program seeks to fill that void. Under this program, BJA will select an applicant to establish a pilot program to develop a nationwide training model, led by an accredited institution of higher learning, pertaining to available rapid identification technology and scientifically sound field collection and testing methods which can be used when drugs are discovered in the field. The training should support evidence collection and testing technologies and methods that are reliable within State and Local court system.

Who can apply

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education

Contact

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800–518–4726 or 606–545–5035, at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, or at support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays. <br/>An applicant that experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond its control that prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline must email the contact identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline to request approval to submit its application after the deadline. Additional information on reporting technical issues appears under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How To Apply (Grants.gov) section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. <br/>For assistance with any unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond an applicant’s control that prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline, or any other requirement of this solicitation, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Response Center: toll-free at 800–851–3420; via TTY at 301–240–6310 (hearing impaired only); email grants@ncjrs.gov; fax to 301–240–5830; or web chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp. The NCJRS Response Center hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time on the solicitation close date. <br/><br/>support@grants.gov
support@grants.gov