FY 2023 California Law Enforcement Transition to NIBRS—Rapid Deployment Model Project | O BJS 2023 171814

Opportunity Information: Apply for O BJS 2023 171814

The FY 2023 California Law Enforcement Transition to NIBRS - Rapid Deployment Model Project is a continuation grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), offered under the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The core purpose is to keep California moving toward modern, incident-based crime reporting that meets the FBI National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) standard. In practical terms, the solicitation is designed to fund additional, targeted support to help large California law enforcement agencies complete or advance their transition away from older summary-style reporting and into NIBRS-compliant reporting that captures more detailed information about criminal incidents.

This opportunity is structured as continuation funding, meaning it builds directly on prior work funded in FY 2022 rather than starting a new, open competition. BJS is specifically seeking an application from the California Department of Justice (CA DOJ) to continue the existing Rapid Deployment Model project. The continuation scope explicitly includes extending program support to three major agencies: the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office (LASO). These agencies are among the largest in the state, and their successful conversion to NIBRS can substantially improve the completeness and comparability of California crime data in national systems.

The broader policy framing is tied to OJP priorities: advancing civil rights and racial equity, increasing access to justice, supporting crime victims and people impacted by the justice system, strengthening community safety, protecting the public from evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and the community. While the grant is fundamentally a data and reporting modernization effort, OJP is emphasizing that better, more consistent incident-based data can support fairer decision-making, more transparent public reporting, stronger analysis of crime trends, and improved understanding of victimization and enforcement patterns across communities.

The award is offered as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant. That typically signals a higher level of federal involvement in project execution, such as closer coordination, defined deliverables, and ongoing collaboration with BJS (and potentially the FBI in supporting roles) to ensure the work aligns with national data standards and program goals. The funding activity category is Information and Statistics, and the listing is associated with CFDA number 16.734, which corresponds to BJS statistical programs.

Key administrative details in the source listing include the funding opportunity number O-BJS-2023-171814, a posting date of July 10, 2023, and an original closing date of July 20, 2023, indicating a short submission window consistent with continuation awards. The expected number of awards is one, further reinforcing that this is aimed at a single applicant (CA DOJ) to carry forward an existing statewide transition effort. The listed award ceiling is $3,500,000, which represents the maximum anticipated funding level under this solicitation.

Eligibility is effectively limited by design. Although the eligibility field is summarized as “Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification),” the solicitation description makes clear that BJS is seeking an application from CA DOJ specifically. That is consistent with a continuation project where the state agency serves as the central coordinator and administrator, supporting local agency implementation and ensuring alignment with FBI NIBRS technical requirements and reporting rules.

The legal authority cited for the program explains why BJS can fund this kind of work and how the FBI can support it. Under Section 302 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, BJS has authority to make grants and enter into agreements to collect and analyze criminal justice statistics. Under 34 U.S.C. 10132(c)(19), BJS is authorized to support development and enhancement of national information systems, including NIBRS. The solicitation also cites 28 U.S.C. 530C as authority for the FBI to provide funds to BJS for grants under this program, and 28 U.S.C. 534 along with 28 CFR 0.85 as authority supporting FBI activities related to the transfer and sharing of criminal justice information across agencies. Together, these authorities reflect the joint federal interest in both the statistical integrity of crime data (BJS) and the operational information-sharing infrastructure and standards (FBI) that make national reporting systems function.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a targeted investment to finish or accelerate the “last mile” of NIBRS implementation for major California agencies through a state-led model. By continuing the Rapid Deployment Model project, BJS aims to strengthen the quality, detail, and timeliness of incident-based reporting from SFPD, LAPD, and LASO, which in turn supports more accurate statewide and national crime statistics, better analytical capability for policy and prevention strategies, and improved transparency for communities relying on public safety data.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics in the information and statistics sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2023 California Law Enforcement Transition to NIBRS—Rapid Deployment Model Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.734.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 10, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 20, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for O BJS 2023 171814

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