U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Image of United States Department of Justice seal Community Oriented Policing Services logo Making Officer Redeployment Effective MORE 2001 Grant Owner’s Manual A step-by-step guide to assist law enforcement agencies in carrying out and reporting on the MORE 2001 grant program www.cops.usdoj.gov COPS MORE 2001 Grant Owner's Manual The following Manual was created to assist COPS MORE (Making Officer Redeployment Effective) 2001 grantees with administrative and financial matters associated with the grant. For more information about your MORE 2001 grant, contact your COPS Grant Program Specialist. If you do not know the name or telephone number of your Grant Program Specialist, please contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 1100 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530 (For overnight delivery, please use 20005 as the zip code.) COPS Office Internet web site: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov August 2001 Table of Contents Section Page Getting Started……………………………………………………………………..iii Glossary of Terms………………………………………………………………….v I. Grant Acceptance, Terms and Conditions ..................................................................1 The Award Page ...............................................................................................................1 What is a modified award? Grant Terms and Conditions ..............................................................................................2 Reasons for grant conditions Review of each condition How to Accept the Award ................................................................................................12 Who should sign the award for my agency? When do grant materials need to be returned? What are the specific rules regarding grant violations? Modifications to Your Grant .............................................................................................14 Extending Your Grant ........................................................................................................15 Questions About Accepting the Grant .............................................................................15 COPS-sponsored Information Technology Conferences ...................................................15 II. Procurement Procedures ...............................................................................................17 III. Accessing Grant Funds ..................................................................................................19 Payment Methods..............................................................................................................19 A. PAPRS - Phone Activated Paperless Request System How do we set up a PAPRS account? B. LOCES - Letter Of Credit Electronic Certification System Setting Up Your Account ................................................................................................... 20 How do I fill out the payment enrollment forms? Do I need a Financial Status Report (SF-269) to open my account? Additional Payment Questions ..........................................................................................22 Can we receive advances? How often do we request reimbursement of costs? Can we earn interest on our grant funds? IV. Meeting the Local Match...............................................................................................23 Payment Sources for Matching Funds ............................................................................23 Should I maintain records of the match? Waivers.............................................................................................................................23 Can the matching requirement be waived? How are waivers granted? How are we notified whether a waiver was granted? How do we appeal a waiver denial? V. Financial Record Maintenance .....................................................................................25 Accounting Systems ..........................................................................................................25 What accounting systems are needed? What records should be kept? How long should documents be kept? What if we have more than one grant? Who may access our records? VI. Federal Audit Requirements .........................................................................................27 Audit Requirements...........................................................................................................27 VII. Reports.............................................................................................................................29 Program Progress Reports .................................................................................................29 How often will progress reports be requested? What kind of information will be requested? How and when will these forms be sent? Financial Status Reports....................................................................................................29 How will grant funds be monitored? How do I file Financial Status Reports? Telephone Calls about Redeployment .............................................................................30 How often will calls be made? What will be asked during the telephone contact? How To Report Violations (Fraud, Waste, and Abuse)......................................................31 VIII. When The Grant Period Ends ......................................................................................33 Grant "Close Out"...............................................................................................................33 Final Financial Status Report.............................................................................................33 When should all the grant monies be spent? Final Progress Report.........................................................................................................33 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................34 Appendices .............................................................................................................................35 A. List of Source Documents B. Assurance and Certifications C. Redeployment Examples Getting Started Congratulations on receiving a grant from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Your COPS MORE 2001 grant provides funding directly to local, state and tribal jurisdictions for the purchase of technology and equipment. COPS MORE 2001 was designed to expand the implementation of community policing through the redeployment of existing officers as a direct result of time savings achieved from technological initiatives, rather than by hiring or rehiring additional law enforcement officers. The COPS MORE 2001 Grant Owner's Manual will assist you with the administrative and financial matters associated with your grant. It was developed by the COPS Office in conjunction with program and financial staff to ensure that all COPS MORE 2001 grantees are able to clearly understand and meet the requirements of their grant. Please do not hesitate to call the COPS Office through the Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770 if you need assistance with the implementation of your grant. Thank you for providing us with the opportunity to work in partnership with your community. For assistance, call the COPS Office at 1-800-421-6770 or visit www.cops.usdoj.gov Glossary of Terms Allowable Costs Allowable costs are costs that will be paid for by this grant program. COPS MORE 2001 provides for the funding of technology and equipment purchased on or after the award start date specifically for the MORE 2001 project. Upon review of your submitted budget, any unallowable costs were removed and your total budget amount was revised accordingly. A copy of the budget clearance memorandum from COPS Finance identifying these revisions is included in your award package. Authorized Official The authorized official is the individual in your organization who has final responsibility for all programmatic and financial decisions regarding this grant award. Award Start Date This is the date on or after which your agency is authorized to spend funds to purchase equipment. This date is found on your original award document. Grantees may not expend funds prior to this date or expend funds on items purchased prior to this date. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) The CFDA is a government-wide publication coordinated by the General Services Administration (GSA). The CFDA contains a description and index of all forms of Federal assistance available from the Federal government. Each program is assigned a CFDA number, which is used by auditors in tracking grant revenues under the Single Audit Act. It is also used in participating states by the Single Points of Contact for intergovernmental reviews under Executive Order 12372. The CFDA number for COPS MORE 2001 is 16.710. Cognizant Federal Agency Your Cognizant Federal Agency (CFA) is generally the Federal agency that provides you with the most Federal money. Your CFA may have already been assigned to you by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). If this is the first Federal grant that your organization has received, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is your Cognizant Federal Agency. Your Single Audit Act reports should be sent to the U.S. Department of Justice's Clearinghouse at: Single Audit Clearinghouse Bureau of Census 1201 E. 10th Street Jeffersonville, IN 47132 COPS Office The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is the division of the U.S. Department of Justice that is your grantor agency for your COPS MORE 2001 grant. The COPS Office is responsible for administering your grant for the entire grant period. You can reach the COPS Office at 1-800-421-6770. COPS Finance Staff Accountants COPS Finance Staff Accountants handle your financial and budgetary needs related to the COPS MORE 2001 grant. There is a Staff Accountant assigned to your state who is available to answer any questions that you may have concerning the financial aspects of your COPS MORE 2001 grant. To identify your staff accountant, refer to the COPS web site at www.cops.usdoj.gov or call the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. FTE (Full-time Equivalent) The COPS Office uses a full-time equivalent standard of 1824 hours (228 shifts) per year to calculate redeployment. Grant Number For grants awarded in Fiscal Year 2001, this number is in the following format: 2001-CL-WX-0000 or 2001-CM-WX-0000. This number can be found in the upper right-hand corner of your Award Page. It is assigned by COPS Finance, and should be used when corresponding with that department. This will aid the accounting staff in determining to which grant you are referring. Matching Funds Under the COPS MORE 2001 program, unless a waiver has been granted because of severe fiscal distress, the COPS Office provides up to 75 percent of the cost of technology and equipment for one year. COPS MORE 2001 grantees are responsible for a cash match of at least 25 percent of the total cost of allowable items. The source of your agency's local match cannot be from any funds previously budgeted for law enforcement purposes. See "Meeting the Local Match," Section IV of this manual, for more information. Obligation of Funds The COPS Office "obligates" federal funds when the grant award document is signed by the COPS Director or his/her designated official. Funds are reserved against the grant and made available to a grantee for draw down to cover allowable costs incurred during the period of the grant. For the grantee, grant funds are "obligated" when monies are spent or orders are placed for purchasing approved items under the MORE 2001 program after the award start date. The term encumbrance is often times used at the local and state levels to describe this type of transaction. Liquidated obligations are considered cash outlays or monies actually spent. Unliquidated obligations are obligations incurred but not yet paid (cash basis of accounting) or not yet recorded (accrual basis of accounting). OJP EIN Number / Vendor Number This number is your agency's nine-digit Federal tax identification number assigned to you by the IRS. Your accounting/bookkeeping department should have this number. In some cases, the EIN has been previously assigned to another agency within your jurisdiction. In this instance, a new vendor number will be assigned to your department by the COPS Office. The new assigned number is to be used for administrative purposes only and should not be used for IRS purposes. ORI Number (Originating Agency Identifier) This number is your agency's identifier and is assigned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The first two letters are your state abbreviation, the next three numbers represent your county code, and the final two numbers identify your jurisdiction within the county. The ORI number can be located in the upper right-hand of your grant award document. When you contact the COPS Office with a question, you can provide the ORI number or your grant number and we will be able to assist you. The Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994 The COPS Office is charged with fulfilling the mandates of this law. The purpose of the law is to: • Substantially increase the number of law enforcement officers interacting with members of the community; • Provide additional and more effective training to law enforcement officers to enhance their problem solving, service, and other skills needed in interacting with members of the community; • Encourage the development and implementation of innovative programs to permit members of the community to assist law enforcement agencies in the prevention of crime; and • Encourage the development of new technologies to assist law enforcement agencies in reorienting the emphasis of their activities from reacting to crime to preventing crime. Redeployment Redeployment refers to sworn officers currently employed by the grantee who will be able to initiate or enhance community policing as a direct result of time savings generated by the purchase of technology and equipment. For a more detailed definition and other redeployment resources, you may refer to Appendix C or visit www.cops.usdoj.gov Supplanting For the purpose of your COPS MORE 2001 grant, supplanting means replacing state, local or Bureau of Indian Affairs funds which otherwise would have been spent on law enforcement purposes with Federal COPS funds. Your department is prohibited from supplanting throughout the grant period. This means that you may not use COPS funds to pay for any technology and/or equipment that otherwise would have been purchased with state, local or Bureau of Indian Affairs funds regardless of the COPS program. COPS funds must instead be used to supplement your law enforcement budget. I. Grant Acceptance, Terms, and Conditions In order to officially begin your grant, you will need to review the Award Page and grant conditions, sign the Award Page or Modified Award Page, and return the original to: COPS MORE 2001 Control Desk Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) 1100 Vermont Avenue NW, 7th Floor Washington, DC 20530 The Award Page The Award Page is the one-page, double-sided document indicating your official grant funding amount, the award number, the award date, the grant time period, and the required level of redeployment (FTE). The award date for your COPS MORE 2001 grant can be found on the Award Page. The Federal share of any allowable costs you incur on or after the award date will be reimbursed. The duration of your COPS MORE 2001 grant is one year. Your grant award number is in the following format: 2001-CL-WX0000 or 2001-CM-WX-0000. If you have any questions regarding your grant, please refer to your grant award number or your agency's ORI number when calling for assistance. Both numbers can be found on your Award Page. The Award Page is preprinted with your law enforcement and government officials' names and addresses. If this information is incorrect or has changed, please correct it on the enclosed change of information (COI) page and mail it to your Grant Program Specialist. What is a Modified Award? In a small number of cases, a Modified Award Page may be included in the award mailing. The final grant amount on this document may differ from the estimated amount on your original Award Page, because the final grant amount is based upon your approved budget. If you receive a Modified Award, take careful note of the change between your estimated award amount on the original document and the actual amount on the Modified Award Page. If you have any questions about the modification, refer to your budget clearance memorandum. If you still have questions, please contact your COPS Finance Staff Accountant. After you review and understand the award document, please sign and mail the original with your payment selection sheet to the COPS Office. The COPS Office strongly recommends that you make a copy of this award (back and front) for your own department reference. Grant Terms and Conditions The grant conditions are the terms listed on the back of your Award Page. By accepting this grant, you are entering into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). As part of that agreement, you agree to those grant conditions (and possibly additional conditions specific to your agency). The section that follows describes in detail the award conditions, and their rationale and implications. It also addresses many commonly asked questions. In some cases, your agency may receive a special grant condition. You will be unable to access your grant funds until you have satisfied this condition. After reviewing your Award Page and other grant documents, it should be clear to you which grant conditions, if any, would prevent drawdowns from being made until those conditions have been satisfied. If you have any questions about these conditions, please call your Grant Program Specialist. Reasons for Grant Conditions The requirements of your COPS MORE 2001 grant are established within: • The Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994, under which the COPS Office was established; and • Applicable rules, regulations and policies issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the General Accounting Office (GAO), and the United States Treasury. A list of source documents for this booklet is provided in Appendix A. You may request a copy of any of these materials from the COPS Office or the: Office of Administration, Publication Unit New Executive Office Building, Room G 236 Washington, D.C. 20503 Review of Grant Conditions 1. ALLOWABLE COSTS The funding under this project is for the purchase of technology or equipment approved by the COPS Office. Rationale: As the program materials state, COPS MORE 2001 is a program that funds the purchase of technology and equipment that directly contribute to an increased community policing presence through sworn officer redeployment. Action: To be eligible for payment under this grant, the purchase of technology and equipment must meet the guidelines described in Section II, Procurement Procedures, of this manual. Section V of this manual outlines the types of records you must keep to document that you followed this grant condition. As long as you spend the funds on the technology and equipment that you documented in your budget summary and that were approved by your Staff Accountant, this grant condition will be satisfied. Please be advised that, "to the greatest extent practicable," all equipment and products purchased with MORE 2001 funds should be American-made according to Section 607(b) of the 2001 Appropriations Act. 2. SUPPLEMENTING, NOT SUPPLANTING COPS MORE 2001 grant funds must be used to purchase technology or equipment beyond what the department has already obligated or funded or would obligate or fund to purchase in their local budget. Rationale: The Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994 specifically states that Federal funds under the COPS programs are not to be used to supplant, or replace, existing local or state funds. Action: To meet this grant condition, you will need to ensure that technology or equipment purchased with this COPS award is in addition to purchases that the grantee is obligated or funded or would be obligated or funded to pay in their budget. MORE 2001 funded technology or equipment therefore must be purchased on or after the award start date specifically for the MORE 2001 project. Funds currently allocated to purchase technology or equipment may not be reallocated to other purposes or refunded upon award of a COPS MORE 2001 grant. 3. RETENTION Your agency is expected to implement the retention plan submitted with your application regarding technology and equipment funded by the COPS MORE 2001 program as well as maintain the resulting level of redeployment by sworn officers. The COPS Office will monitor retention for one full locally funded budget cycle after you have achieved the required level of redeployment, which can be found on your grant award document. Rationale: The Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994 envisions that newly purchased technology and associated redeployment should be maintained by localities beyond the Federal funding period. Action: Your retention plan should focus on maintaining the technology and equipment purchased and resulting officer redeployment levels beyond the life of the grant for at least one full locally funded budget cycle. If, for any reason, technology and equipment funded by the COPS MORE 2001 grant malfunctions, it is anticipated that you will maintain or replace the equipment and the continue the resulting officer redeployment. 4. REDEPLOYMENT The goal of the COPS MORE 2001 program is to reduce the amount of paperwork and administrative tasks performed by veteran trained officers so that they can spend more time on the street and in America's neighborhoods. Grants awarded under MORE 2001 are restricted to the purchase of technology and equipment that will redeploy officers, or full-time equivalents (FTEs), and enhance community policing activities within the agency's jurisdiction. The grantee agrees to monitor, track, and maintain the required level of redeployment of current sworn officers that results from the COPS MORE 2001 funding. Rationale: As the program materials state, COPS MORE 2001 is designed to expand the time available for community policing by current law enforcement officers. Under COPS MORE 2001, the expansion of community policing is through redeployment, rather than by hiring or rehiring additional law enforcement officers. The time saved through MORE 2001 must result in an increase in the number of officer FTEs redeployed. Redeployment of officer FTEs applies to sworn officers currently employed by the grantee who will be able to enhance community policing activities as a direct result of purchasing technology and equipment. Any awarded MORE 2001 grant requires that the number of officer FTEs redeployed will be equal to or greater than the number of officers that would result from a COPS grant for hiring officers. Action: To meet the redeployment grant condition, applicants must ensure that the time savings for redeployment that results from COPS MORE 2001 funding enhances community policing activities. Agencies must plan and track time savings and assure the COPS Office that, as a result of the grant award, community policing is being enhanced; however, there is no requirement to devote every hour of time saved to a specific hour of community policing activity. The FTE requirement is located on the Award Page that was signed by the Director of the COPS Office and accepted by the grantee's law enforcement and government executives. Agencies granted an award under the MORE 2001 program are required to plan and track the time savings and officer redeployment realized from the purchase of technology and equipment. Once the technology is purchased and realizing maximum time savings, grantees must develop a tracking plan, which describes the methodology for measuring the time savings, and implement actual tracking pursuant to the independent systems purchased. Tracking must continue for at least one full year from the date that the technology and equipment were declared fully operational. This time is necessary for the agency to achieve the total time savings benefit which was identified at the time of application. If necessary, the COPS Office will work with your agency to ensure that this condition is met. For assistance in developing your agency's tracking plan you may contact your Grant Program Specialist, or visit the MORE web site at www.cops.usdoj.gov It was stated in the MORE 2001 solicitation that the COPS Office would be sponsoring a series of Information Technology Conferences and as an additional award condition for the MORE 2001 grant that all recipients would be required to attend one session. Rather than mandate this training as a program requirement, the COPS Office strongly encourages two individuals from each agency awarded under MORE 2001 to attend a COPS-sponsored Information Technology conference, which will provide useful information and resources to satisfy important MORE 2001 grant conditions. Each conference will focus on project management, implementation of information technology, developing redeployment tracking plans, and actual measurement of time savings through the use of grant-funded technology. Registration will be free and reimbursement of actual travel expenses (such as airfare, lodging and meals) to attend the conference will be provided (not to exceed $1,000 per individual). The COPS Office will provide subsidized travel expenses for no more than two individuals from each agency funded under MORE 2001. The reimbursement will be made directly by the selected conference provider, rather than being an expenditure of Federal funds under your MORE 2001 grant. Important details regarding the COPS-sponsored Information Technology Conferences will be forthcoming once the conference provider has been selected and logistics are finalized. 5. COMMUNITY POLICING The COPS Office is responsible for determining the applicability of grant awards to the community policing activities that are identified in grant applications. Community policing activities to be executed by your law enforcement agency will be identified in your COPS MORE 2001 grant application and will be approved by the COPS Office before the grant is awarded. Rationale: Community policing is a policing philosophy that promotes and supports organizational strategies to address the causes and reduce the fear of crime and social disorder. This is achieved through problem-solving approaches and community-police partnerships. It enhances police professionalism by providing officers with the skills, technology, and motivation to act in innovative ways to solve community crime-related problems. Action: The COPS Office is responsible for determining the applicability of grant awards by the community policing activities that are identified in grant applications. Community policing activities that will be executed by local law enforcement agencies are identified in grant applications and approved by the COPS Office before grants are awarded. Subsequent changes to community policing activities should be included in programmatic progress reports. Significant changes to the community policing activities identified in a grant application must receive prior written approval from the COPS Office. Changes are "significant" if they deviate from the range of possible community policing activities identified and approved in your grant application. 6. CONTRACTS WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS Technology and equipment funded under this grant may only be involved in activities or perform services that exclusively benefit your agency and the population that it serves. Consortia are not allowed under the COPS MORE 2001 program. Rationale: Occasionally, jurisdictions without their own law enforcement department will contract for law enforcement services from a neighboring law enforcement agency. If your jurisdiction contracts for law enforcement services in this manner, your MORE 2001 technology or equipment must be used by that law enforcement agency exclusively to benefit your jurisdiction and the population that it serves. Your jurisdiction will remain the official COPS grantee and must ensure that the use of technology and equipment is in accordance with the terms and conditions of the MORE 2001 grant. Action: MORE 2001 technology and equipment must be used to benefit the grantee's population exclusively, even if the grantee contracts for its law enforcement services from a neighboring law enforcement agency. 7. ASSURANCES AND PROGRAM GUIDELINES The grantee acknowledges its agreement to comply with the assurances, certifications, and disclosure of lobbying activities submitted with the COPS MORE 2001 application. Rationale: Although the U.S. Department of Justice has made every effort to simplify the process for applying for and receiving grants, provisions of Federal law require us to seek your certification regarding certain matters. Most of these assurances apply to all grants provided by the Federal government. Action: When you submitted your original application, there was a list of assurances that you signed and included with your completed application. This condition merely restates your agreement to comply with the assurances. Another copy of the assurances is contained in Appendix B of this Manual. If you have any questions about them, please contact your Grant Program Specialist. 8. REPORTS In order to assist the COPS Office in the monitoring of your award, your agency will be responsible for submitting progress reports and quarterly Financial Status Reports. As those reports come due, your Grant Program Specialist and Staff Accountant can assist you with these forms and information necessary for compliance. Rationale: The Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994 and other Federal regulations and policies require that financial assistance provided by the Federal government be monitored carefully to ensure the proper use of Federal funds. In addition, the COPS Office seeks to document, on a continuing basis, the progress of our programs and our grantees. Action: To meet the reporting condition, you will be required to complete a baseline survey (the Community Policing Information Worksheet that was included in your application kit). At least one programmatic progress report must be completed during the course of your COPS MORE 2001 grant, as well as quarterly Financial Status Reports. These reports are discussed extensively in Section VII. 9. EXTENSIONS In some instances, an extension of time may be granted to utilize remaining funds, complete implementation of the technology or to include your 12-month redeployment tracking period. Requests for time extensions should be submitted in writing to your Grant Program Specialist approximately 90 days before the end of your grant period. Renewal grant awards (additional Federal funding) will not be available under MORE 2001. Rationale: Under Federal regulations, grant extensions that request additional time require prior approval. Without an approved extension, your funding will be automatically stopped at the end of the grant period. Action: In an effort to reduce the number of unnecessary extensions given during the grant period, the COPS Office asks that you defer any request for an extension until enough time has elapsed that you can realistically determine accurately when you expect all grant conditions and redeployment to be met – including the drawdown of all existing grant funds. When the COPS Office receives and approves your extension request, we will ensure that you have continued access to your grant monies. 10. EVALUATION AND MONITORING The COPS Office may conduct or sponsor national evaluations and conduct monitoring activities of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program and the COPS MORE 2001 program. The grantee agrees to cooperate with evaluators. Rationale: The Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994 states that evaluations of the program may be carried out or commissioned by the Attorney General for the furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The COPS Office plans to conduct evaluations to determine what programs are working, how programs may be improved, and why certain programs are more successful than others. Specifically, the COPS Office may assess the way you implement your community policing program. In some jurisdictions, COPS staff may study the effectiveness of funded programs, projects, and activities. Evaluators may collect information about the programs' effect on crime, victims of crime, and the quality of life in communities. In addition, COPS staff may ask questions about how residents feel about community policing and how police feel about their work. This information will be useful to other communities and police agencies across the country. Action: When evaluations or monitoring activities are undertaken, you may be contacted in writing with specific requests for information. In general, evaluators may need to speak with individuals in your department, observe activities of your department, and obtain written reports about and from your department. You will be asked to facilitate any monitoring site visits and information-gathering activities. In addition, you will be asked to provide accurate and timely information about your grant activities. Grant Monitoring Activities: The COPS Office performs various functions to ensure compliance with grant requirements, assess the implementation of community policing, and provide technical assistance. Among others, the following functions may occur any time during the life of a grant, or up to three years following the end of the grant funding and require the production of grant-related documentation and other materials. You agree to cooperate with any such requests for information. 1. Site Visits: The agency will be notified in writing in advance of any on-site review of your COPS grants. This review is generally performed over a one or two day period and also provides an opportunity for agency representatives to seek assistance on any grant implementation or performance issues. A report is written following the visit and the agency is notified in writing of the results. 2. Office-Based Grant Reviews: Certain grants are selected for a review conducted at the COPS Office. The agency is contacted at the start of this review and monitoring staff attempt to correct any grant problems or deficiencies through telephone, fax, or written correspondence with the agency. This process ensures that the agency grant file is complete and accurate. 3. Allegations of Noncompliance: The COPS Office responds to allegations of noncompliance from citizens, labor associations, media, and other sources. Written complaints or allegations can be mailed to the COPS Office Grant Monitoring and Compliance Division, which may inquire into the allegations to determine compliance with grant conditions or Federal regulations. Grantees are responsible for remedying any grant noncompliance that is identified through these or other monitoring or auditing activities. Remedies for noncompliance may include, but are not limited to, repaying misused grant funds, voluntary withdrawal from or involuntary termination of remaining grant funds, and bars from receiving future COPS grants. To avoid findings of noncompliance, grantees are strongly encouraged to contact the COPS Office at any time during the life of a COPS grant with questions concerning grant requirements and also to produce all relevant documentation which may demonstrate grant compliance during these monitoring or other auditing activities. The Monitoring and Compliance Division can be reached by calling 1-800-421-6770 or 202-514-9202. 11. GRANT OWNER'S MANUAL The grantee agrees to abide by the terms, conditions, and regulations as found in the COPS MORE 2001 Grant Owner's Manual (GOM) and the Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments, 28 C.F.R. Part 66 (or 28 C.F.R. Part 70 for applicable institutions of higher education, hospitals and other non-profit organizations). Rationale: This Manual has been tailored to inform you about the policies, procedures and regulations that apply to your COPS MORE 2001 grant. You will be responsible for the information and rules contained in this Manual. More detailed guidance can be requested through your Grant Program Specialist. Action: Please read the entire COPS MORE 2001 Grant Owner's Manual carefully prior to signing the grant Award Page. If you have any questions, please contact your Grant Program Specialist to discuss them. When you sign the Award Page, you should ensure that the proper reporting and financial systems are in place to satisfy the requirements. 12. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PLAN (EEOP) For grants of $500,000 or more (or $1,000,000 or more in grants over an 18-month period), the grantee acknowledges that failure to submit an acceptable Equal Employment Opportunity Plan is a violation of its assurances and may result in the suspension of the drawdown of funds. [This applies only if the grantee is required to submit a plan under 28 C.F.R. 42.302 that is approved by the Office of Justice Programs, Office of Civil Rights.] For grants under $500,000, the grantee must submit a completed EEOP Certification form and return it to the Office of Justice Programs, Office of Civil Rights, within 120 days of the grant award. Rationale: The purpose of an Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (EEOP) is to ensure full and equal participation of men and women regardless of race or national origin in the workforce of the recipient agency. EEO plans do not impose quotas or hiring requirements. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations regarding the requirements for an EEOP for Federal grant recipients and the required contents of the document are fully explained in 28 C.F.R. 42.301 et seq. Action: U.S. Department of Justice regulations require you to prepare and maintain an EEOP if your organization: • Has 50 or more employees; and • Received a total of $25,000 or more in grants or subgrants; and • Has 3 percent or more minorities in its service population. Even if there is less than 3 percent minorities in the service population, the DOJ regulations require that the EEOP be written to focus on women. If you meet the above criteria and receive over $500,000 (or a total of $1 million in grant funds during an 18-month period), you are required to submit an EEOP to: Office of Civil Rights Office of Justice Programs 810 7th Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20531 If you meet the above criteria, but your grant is for under $500,000, or you have received less than $1 million in grant funds during an 18month period, you need to complete and return the one-page COPS EEOP Certification form within 120 days of your grant award. This will advise the COPS Office whether you have an EEOP in effect or whether you are exempt from this requirement. If you need help preparing an EEOP, please refer to the Seven Step Guide to Preparing an EEOP previously mailed to you or included in this mailing. 13. CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS / 28 C.F.R. PART 23 COMPLIANCE SPECIAL CONDITION The grantee agrees to complete and return a Criminal Intelligence Systems / 28 C.F.R. Part 23 Compliance Certification Special Condition Page to the COPS Office. Rationale: Agencies using MORE 2001 funding to operate an interjurisdictional criminal intelligence system are required to comply with the operating principles set forth in 28 C.F.R. Part 23. The Criminal Intelligence Systems/28 C.F.R. Part 23 Compliance Special Condition requires your agency to confirm whether you will use MORE 2001 funds for this purpose and, if so, to certify that you will operate the criminal intelligence system in compliance with the requirements of 28 C.F.R. Part 23. Action: All MORE 2001 equipment and technology grantees must complete and sign the enclosed Special Condition and return it to the COPS Office with your signed Award Page. How to Accept the Award After you have reviewed the conditions of the award and your agency agrees with those conditions, you are ready to accept the award. At the bottom of the Award Page are two lines for signature. The Director of the COPS Office has signed the Award Page indicating approval of your grant, obligation of Federal funds to your organization, and our commitment to the award. To officially begin the grant and to be able to draw down your funds, your authorized officials (the law enforcement and government executives) must sign the Award Page and return the original copy to: COPS MORE 2001 Control Desk Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) 1100 Vermont Avenue NW, 7th Floor Washington, DC 20530 (For overnight delivery, please use 20005 as the zip code) Faxed copies cannot be accepted. Who should sign the award for my agency? The "authorized officials" are the individuals in the law enforcement and governmental organizations accepting this grant who have final responsibility for all programmatic and financial decisions of the organizations. In some jurisdictions, police chiefs and sheriffs have the authority to accept grant awards. In others, the government representative, mayor or county executive may have this authority. However, COPS grants require that both the law enforcement and government officials with such authority sign the Award Page. Before signing the grant, you should determine which individuals in your jurisdiction have the legal authority to accept the award. If you have any questions as to who should sign the award, please contact your city or county's legal advisor. When do the grant materials need to be returned? Please return the signed Award Page within 90 days of your receipt of it. No funds may be released until the COPS Office has received your signed Award Page, Criminal Intelligence Special Condition Document, and any other relevant grant conditions particular to your agency have been satisfied. If you require an extension for accepting the award beyond the 90-day time frame for any reason, please submit a written request to your Grant Program Specialist. What are the specific rules regarding grant violations? The COPS Office has the right to take enforcement action if you: • Are not substantially complying with the requirements of the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act, COPS guidelines, and/or with other provisions of Federal law; • Are failing to make satisfactory progress toward the goals or strategies in your application, as reflected by agency performance and status reports; • Do not adhere to grant agreement requirements or conditions; • Propose substantial plan changes to the extent that, if originally submitted, would have resulted in the application not being selected for funding; • Do not submit reports in a timely manner; • File false certification in connection with an application, periodic report or other document submitted to the COPS Office and/or to COPS Finance; and/or • Provide other good cause for enforcement action. In these instances, the COPS Office may: • Temporarily withhold payments pending correction of the situation by your agency; • Disallow all or part of the cost of the activity or action not in compliance; • Wholly or partly suspend or terminate your grant; • Require that some or all of the grant amounts be remitted to the U.S. Department of Justice; • Condition a future grant or elect not to provide future grant funds to your agency until appropriate actions are taken to ensure compliance; • Withhold awarding future grants; • Recommend civil or criminal enforcement by other agencies; and • Take other remedies that are legally available. In the event that enforcement action is taken, you will be notified in writing of the COPS Office's decision, and the reason(s) for that decision. Modifications to your Grant You must also receive prior written approval if you plan to make the following grant changes: • Major programmatic changes (including changes in your required level of redeployment); • Significant changes in your community policing plan; and • Major budget changes (for example, if your department was awarded mobile data computers, but now wishes to purchase personal computers) representing a modification valued at greater than $1,000. In order to make one of these changes, you will need to submit your plans in writing to the COPS Office for prior approval. Please include the nature of the modification, your reasons for the proposed changes, new budget detail worksheets (if applicable), a new demonstration of time savings (if applicable), and then submit this request to your Grant Program Specialist. Extending Your Grant No-cost time extensions will be considered, if necessary, to grantees in order to complete grant requirements, draw down all grant funds and to include the 12-month redeployment tracking period. Extensions do not affect the amount of the grant, only the end date of the grant. If extensions to complete grant requirements are necessary, they may be requested 90 days before the end of the grant period. The COPS Office will send information to you regarding the criteria and procedures for an extension before the end of the initial grant period. Renewal funding will not be available under MORE 2001. Questions About Accepting the Grant If for any reason you have questions about accepting this grant, please call your Grant Program Specialist or contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. If you have decided not to accept this grant, please send us a letter advising us of your decision and return all original paperwork to the COPS Office. Is attendance at a COPS-sponsored Information Technology Conference mandatory? No. It was stated in the MORE 2001 solicitation that the COPS Office would be sponsoring a series of Information Technology Conferences and as an additional award condition for the MORE 2001 grant that all recipients would be required to attend one session. Rather than mandate this training as a program requirement, the COPS Office now strongly encourages two individuals from each agency awarded under MORE 2001 to attend a COPS-sponsored Information Technology Conference, which will provide useful resources to satisfy important MORE 2001 grant conditions. Each conference will focus on project management, implementation of information technology, developing redeployment tracking plans, and actual measurement of time savings through the use of grant-funded technology. Registration will be free and reimbursement of actual travel expenses (such as airfare, lodging and meals) to attend the conference will be provided (not to exceed $1,000 per individual). The COPS Office will provide subsidized travel expenses for no more than two individuals from each agency funded under MORE 2001. The reimbursement will be made directly by the selected conference provider, rather than being an expenditure of Federal funds under your MORE 2001 grant. Important details regarding the COPS-sponsored Information Technology Conferences will be forthcoming. II. Procurement Process . Grantees will be required to submit a request for Sole Source Justification (SSJ) if a competitive bidding process will not be possible and the threshold of $100,000 for non-competitive goods or services is met. The COPS Office will review your request and supporting information to determine whether an exception can be granted to the general rule of open competition. All grantees are expected to review and abide by 28 C.F.R. Part 66.36 Procurement (or 28 C.F.R. Part 70.40 - 70.48 for applicable institutions of higher education, hospitals and other non-profit organizations) in determining if an SSJ must be completed. Please contact your Grant Program Specialist at 1-800-421-6770 for further assistance with this Federal regulation. . The initial determination that competition is not feasible can be made if one of the following circumstances exists: 1. The item or service is available only from a single source; 2. A competitive solicitation would create an undesirable delay affecting the grantee's ability to meet program requirements; 3. A number of sources were solicited but were considered inadequate. If your agency is submitting the written request for a Sole Source Justification, the documentation should follow the format provided below. Paragraph 1 – A brief explanation of the program and what requested goods or services will be procured on a non-competitive nature Paragraph 2 – Explanation of why it is necessary to procure non- competitively, including the following items: • Expertise of contractor/consultant/manufacturer • Management • Responsiveness • Knowledge of program • Experience of contractor/consulting/manufacturer personnel • Results of a market survey to determine competition availability, or if one was not conducted, explain why not Paragraph 3 – Time Constraints • When goods or services are required and why • Impact on the program if dates are not met • How long it would take another contractor/consultant/manufacturer to reach the same level of competence (equate to dollars, if desired) Paragraph 4 – Uniqueness Paragraph 5 – Other points that should be covered to "sell the case" Paragraph 6 – A declaration that this action is in the "best interests" of the agency III. Accessing Grant Funds This section provides information about how your department receives funds and gives answers to payment-related questions. If you are a new COPS grantee, you should receive a packet of financial documents shortly after we receive your signed award document. This packet will contain all of the information that you need in order to set up your payment method. A Financial Guide to assist you with financial management and grant administration can be obtained by faxing a request to the Office of Justice Programs, Office of the Comptroller Customer Service at 202-353-9279, by calling the Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770 or you can download a guide at www.opj.usdoj.gov/FinGuide. For first-time grantees, there is currently only one method of payment available to you for accessing your grant Federal funds which is PAPRS (phone activated). Existing grantees who are already using PAPRS for previously awarded grants must also use PAPRS for the MORE 2001 program. Only existing grantees who are currently using LOCES for previously awarded COPS grants can elect to use LOCES for any new grants. Payment Methods A. PAPRS (Phone Activated Paperless Request System) PAPRS enables grantees to use their touch-tone telephone to request funds. Requests for payment that are approved will be automatically scheduled for payment through the U.S. Treasury Department. The system also provides online information to grantees about the status of their requests. If you do not have a touch-tone telephone, please contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770 for further instructions of the payment process. How do we set up a PAPRS account? If you are a new grantee to the COPS Office, you should receive a packet of financial documents shortly after we receive your signed award document. This packet will contain all of the information that you need to set up your payment method. You will receive a PAPRS user's manual under separate cover from the Office of the Comptroller, Accounting Division. Once you receive your OJP Vendor Number (which may or may not be the same as your taxpayer identification number) and PIN number, you can follow the directions in the user's manual to access your funds. B. LOCES (Letter of Credit Electronic Certification System) Only existing grantees who are currently using LOCES for previously awarded COPS grants can elect to use LOCES for any new grants. LOCES is a communication system that allows recipients of COPS funds to electronically request payment from any of their grant funds, and receive direct deposit to their bank accounts within 48 hours. You will need a computer with a dedicated modem in order to use this system. 1. To make requests for payments through LOCES, you must have a personal computer operating DOS 3.1 or higher. We recommend at least a 28.8-baud modem. 2. Complete and return the LOCES Automation Survey Form. Upon receipt, your LOCES software will be customized for your use and forwarded to you. 3. Complete an ACH Vendor / Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (SF-3881) and forward to your bank. If you have any questions about LOCES, contact the U. S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. Setting Up Your Account How do I fill out the payment enrollment forms? In the packet of financial documents you received is an Automated Clearinghouse (ACH) Vendor / Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (SF-3881). The ACH Vendor / Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (SF-3881) needs to be filled out regardless of the payment method. Prior to trying to access your funds, you must mail the original to: Office of Justice Programs Office of the Comptroller 810 7th Street, 5th Floor Washington, DC 20531 The "Agency Information" section has been filled out by COPS. Your agency needs to fill out the "Payee / Company Information" section following the directions on the back of the form. You also need to provide the grant number (printed on the Award Page) on this form. Then you must have your financial institution complete the "Financial Institution Information" section and have the appropriate financial official sign the form. If you are already a COPS grantee, you should already have completed an ACH Vendor / Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form (SF3881). If you have any questions, please call the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. Do I need a Financial Status Report to open my account? After your agency returns the signed award to the COPS Office, you are required to begin submitting quarterly Financial Status Reports (FSRs) using a Standard Form 269A (SF-269A). This report reflects the actual monies spent and unliquidated obligations incurred by the your agency. You will not be able to make draw downs from your grant account if the SF-269A for the most recent reporting quarter ended is not on file with the COPS Office. For your first SF-269A submission, use the chart below to check to see when the most recent SF-269A reporting quarter ended and complete a SF-269A to cover the period from the award start date of your grant to that particular end date. You are required to submit a SF-269A even if you have not spent any money or incurred any costs during a reporting period. SF-269A Reporting Quarter End Date Due Date 3/31/YY 6/30/YY 9/30/YY 12/31/YY No later than 5/15/YY No later than 8/15/YY No later than 11/15/YY No later than 2/15/YY Example: Your award start date is 2/1/01 and your signed award was received and processed at COPS on 4/15/01. If the current date is 4/15/01, your first SF-269A would be due no later than 5/15/01 and would cover the period 2/1/01 (award start date) through 3/31/01 (most recent reporting quarter ended date). This SF-269A must be on file with the COPS Office so that you can successfully request a draw down of funds through PAPRS (or LOCES as applicable). For information as to how to complete and where to submit your quarterly FSRs, see the section of this Grant Owner's Manual entitled "Reports". Additional Payment Questions Can we receive advances? Yes. If you receive funds through electronic transfer, the period allowed is 10 days in advance. In general, the concept of "minimum cash on hand" applies to COPS grants. The minimum cash on hand concept requires that you request funds based upon immediate cash disbursement needs. You should time your request for payment to ensure that Federal cash on hand is the minimum that you need. There should be no excess Federal grant funds on hand, except for approved advances discussed above. The Federal government has four basic rules regarding advances. Advances can be terminated if the grantee: • Is unwilling or unable to attain project goals; • Retains excessive cash on hand; • Does not adhere to the terms and conditions of the grant; or • Fails to submit reliable and timely reports. How often do we request reimbursement of costs? There is no set number of times you should request reimbursements. Only reimbursements for actual technology and equipment purchased can be made. Can we earn interest on our grant funds? You should minimize the time between your drawdown of grant funds and your payment of grant costs. You need to account for interest earned on advances of Federal funds as follows: • You may keep interest earned on all advances of Federal grant funds up to $250 per fiscal year; and • Annually pay back interest earned (over and above $250 per fiscal year) on advances of Federal grant funds to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Payment Management Systems, Rockville, MD 20852. IV. Meeting the Local Match The COPS MORE 2001 program provides up to 75 percent of the cost of allowable items. COPS MORE 2001 grantees are responsible for at least 25 percent of the total cost of allowable items, unless the requirement of a local cash match has been waived in whole or in part. Matching contributions may be applied at any time during the life of your grant provided that the full matching share is obligated by the end of the grant period. Payment Sources for Matching Funds • Program income funds from asset forfeitures; • Funds from state or local government that are committed to matching funds for your program; • Funds from Federal programs which specifically authorize use as matching funds such as the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 or the Equitable Sharing Program; or • Funds contributed by private sources. Matching funds may not be taken from funds otherwise budgeted for law enforcement purposes. In other words, your local match may not be paid through any reallocation of already budgeted law enforcement funds. Should I maintain records of the match? You must maintain records of your local share. These records should clearly show the source of the match, the amount of the match, and when the match was contributed. Waivers Can the matching requirement be waived? In order to maximize the number of communities that can take advantage of COPS grants, only a very small portion of waiver requests are granted. Waiver requests can only be considered when a jurisdiction makes the request at the time of grant application. Applicants that are able to provide satisfactory documentation of severe economic distress may be granted waivers. Except in extreme situations, waiver requests received after an award has been made will not be considered. How are waivers granted? It is the burden of the jurisdiction to demonstrate extreme fiscal distress at the time of application. Waivers fall under two categories: presumptive and case-by-case. If, at the time of application, the applicant is declared bankrupt by a court of law or placed in receivership by the state or Federal government, a presumptive waiver is granted. The following are examples of case-by-case waivers that must be reviewed by the COPS Office and must demonstrate severe fiscal distress: • Budgetary imbalance or expenditure cutbacks resulting in significant reductions in other services provided by the applicant; • Significant lay-offs of personnel within the applicant department; • Significant downgrading of the applicant's bond rating due to fiscal disstress; • Location within an area in which a declaration of major disaster has been made pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; or • Other circumstances demonstrating severe fiscal distress. How are we notified whether a waiver was granted? The cover letter and financial clearance memo in your grant award package will indicate whether your request for a waiver was granted. If you received a waiver and have additional questions, please contact your Grant Program Specialist. Please note that if you did receive a waiver, you are still required to develop and implement a plan for the retention/maintenance of the funded technology plus continuation of time savings and redeployment with state or local funds following the conclusion of Federal assistance. How do we appeal the denial of a waiver? If your waiver request was denied and you would like to appeal the decision, please make your appeal to: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Attn: Waiver Team 1100 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20530 (For overnight delivery, please use 20005 as the zip code) V. Financial Record Maintenance Under your COPS MORE 2001 grant, you are required to establish and maintain accounting systems and financial records to accurately account for funds awarded and disbursed. These records need to include both Federal funds and all matching funds from state, local and private organizations. Accounting Systems What accounting systems are needed? You need to establish and maintain accounting systems and financial records to accurately account for funds awarded to you. These records should include Federal funds and matching funds of state, local, and private organizations. Your accounting system should: • Present and itemize approved costs of the technology and equipment; • Assure responsible use of grant funds; • Assure that all expenditures of funds are in conformance with your grant conditions; and • Be able to provide the necessary information for periodic financial review and audit. What records should be kept? Your fiscal control and accounting systems should enable you to make accurate, current and complete disclosure of the financial activity under your COPS MORE 2001 grant. Your accounting records should contain information of expenditures under the grant, and must be supported by items such as purchase orders, procurement records, cancelled checks, or similar documents. You must adequately safeguard grant funds and make sure that they are used for authorized purposes. You will be responsible for refunding expenditures disallowed by auditors. How long should documents be kept? All financial records, including purchase orders, procurement records, cancelled checks, and similar documents associated with your COPS MORE 2001 grant should be kept for at least three years from the date COPS officially closes the grant. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving these records has been started before the end of the three-year period, the records should be kept until completion of the action. These records should be easily located and should be properly protected against fire or other damage. You should maintain your records so that you can identify them by grant year or by your fiscal year, whichever you find more convenient. What if we have more than one grant? If you have more than one Federal grant, funds received under one project may not be used to support another project without specific written authorization from the awarding agency. Your accounting systems and financial records must reflect expenditures for each project separately. Who may access our records? Authorized Federal representatives, including the representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Comptroller General of the United States, may access these records as long as they exist for the purposes of conducting audits and examinations or obtaining excerpts or transcripts. VI. Federal Audit Requirements Audit Requirements In addition to oversight, guidance, and counsel provided by the COPS office, your grant may be subject to an audit by independent examiners. The two primary types of audits are Single Audit Act (SAA) audits and Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Inspector General (OIG) audits. The Single Audit Act was created in 1984, which established uniform guidelines for state and local governments receiving Federal financial assistance. The 1984 Act was amended in July 1996 to reflect revised audit criteria and reporting requirements. The Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations provides additional guidelines regarding the implementation of SAA requirements. Each non-Federal entity that expends a total amount of Federal awards equal to or in excess of $300,000, in a fiscal year, is required to have a SAA audit for that fiscal year. SAA audits are conducted annually unless a State or local government is required by constitution or statute, in effect on January 1, 1987, to undergo audits less frequently than annually. The primary objective of a SAA audit is to express opinions on the grantee's financial statements, internal controls, major and non-major grant programs, and compliance with government laws and regulations. Single audits may also address specific compliance issues with respect to COPS grant requirements. The OIG is a separate component of the Department of Justice and is independent of the COPS Office. The primary objective of OIG audits is to test compliance with grant conditions. Occasionally, OIG conducts a COPS grant audit in response to a referral that OIG believes warrants further evaluation. OIG also surveys DOJ agencies on an annual basis to solicit input on suggested audit areas for the upcoming fiscal year. In most instances, however, OIG selects grants taking into consideration many factors including, but not limited to, geographical distribution of grants awarded, award amount, population served, and type of grant. As such, the fact that your grant has been selected for an OIG audit is not necessarily indicative of a suspected concern or problem area; but, instead, is typically part of the overall selection process. The Monitoring and Compliance Division serves as the liaison between grantees and auditors in the conduct of OIG audits. The Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) serves at the liaison between grantees and auditors in the conduct of SAA audits. Questions and comments regarding OIG audits and SAA audits may be directed to the Department of Justice Response Center at (800) 421-6770. Questions and comments regarding the administration of your grant(s), not specifically related to an audit, should be referred to your Grant Program Specialist. VII. Reports Periodically, you will be asked to respond to three types of reports: 1) Program Progress Reports; 2) Quarterly Financial Status Reports; and 3) Telephone Surveys about Redeployment. In addition, a baseline survey of current community policing activities and levels of redeployment in community policing will be conducted at the beginning of the grant period, through the Community Policing Information Worksheet. Funds and future awards may be withheld if reports are not returned or are excessively late. Program Progress Reports How often will progress reports be requested? Program progress reports will be requested at least once during the grant period. What kind of information will be requested? These reports will request information about the increased levels of community policing that have resulted from funding under COPS MORE 2001. The information requested will include documentation that demonstrates that the required level of redeployment is being monitored and maintained. How and when will these forms be sent? These reports and instructions will be mailed to you during the course of your grant period. You will also receive periodic phone calls from your Grant Program Specialist regarding the status of reporting on your grant. In addition, a COPS Office representative may also make a site visit to your agency during the grant period. Financial Status Reports How will grant funds be monitored? COPS Finance monitors the financial aspects of your grant through financial reports, meetings, telephone contacts, reports, audits, reviews of grant change requests and special request submissions. In specific cases, information may be requested during an on-site visit by the COPS Office or a designated representative from the Office of the Comptroller, Office of Justice Programs. How do I file Financial Status Reports? Your agency is required to submit quarterly Financial Status Reports (FSRs) using a Standard Form 269A (SF-269). This report reflects the actual Federal monies spent and unliquidated obligations incurred, local matching contributions, and the unobligated balance of federal funds. The FSR is due at the COPS Office no later than 45 days following each calendar quarter. A chart showing the reporting quarter end dates and dues dates is provided in the section of this manual entitled "Setting Up Your Account." A Helpful Hints Guide for Completing FSR's is available at the COPS web site www.cops.usdoj.gov or by calling the U. S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. A blank copy of a SF-269A is included in your award package. Please make copies of the SF-269 form (both sides) and retain these forms for future use. Fax completed forms to: COPS Finance Control Desk: 202-616-9004 Alternative Fax: 202-514-2852 Or mail to: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 1100 Vermont Ave., NW Attention: COPS Finance Control Desk Washington, DC 20530 Telephone Calls about Redeployment How often will calls be made? The COPS Office will contact your agency periodically, up to two times a year, to determine your grant progress and the number of officers redeployed to community policing to date. What will be asked during the telephone contact? The COPS Office will ask for the technology purchase/operational status, number of FTE officers redeployed, and a timetable for when future redeployment may occur, if it has not occurred already. How to Report Violations (Fraud, Waste, and Abuse) Any alleged violations, serious irregularities or acts that may result in the use of public funds in a manner that is inconsistent with the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994 must be reported to the U.S. Department of Justice Inspector General Hotline. Please contact the IG Hotline at 1-800-869-4499. The COPS Office would greatly appreciate your cooperation to help us ensure that these Federal grant funds are spent responsibly. VIII. When the Grant Period Has Ended Grant "Close Out" At the end of your grant period, the COPS Office is responsible for the "close out" of your grant. To fulfill this requirement, we must determine that you, as well as the COPS Office, have completed all of the work required by the grant. Final Financial Status Report The final Financial Status Report for your grant is due to the COPS Office no later than 120 days after the end of the grant period. This final report should reflect the total amount of Federal expenditures, the total amount of matching contributions, and the amount of unobligated funds, if any. Any unspent funds will be de-obligated from the award amount. When should all of the grant monies be spent? Grant funds must be obligated before the end of the grant period. The grantee has up to 90 days after the end of the grant period to request reimbursement for the funds they have obligated. Final Progress Report Within 120 days of the end of your grant award period, the COPS Office will ask you to submit a final program progress report. The final progress report including instructions will be mailed to you. The report will request information similar to previous program progress reports. IX.Conclusion We hope that this Manual has assisted you with your grant questions. We welcome and encourage any comments you have regarding COPS MORE 2001 and the materials that the COPS Office has developed for its administration. If you have specific comments regarding this Manual, please send them to: COPS MORE 2001 GRANT OWNER'S MANUAL 1100 Vermont Avenue NW, 7th Floor Washington, DC 20530 (For overnight delivery, please use 20005 as the zip code.) We will review these comments and make revisions as appropriate. If you have any questions about your grant, please call the Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770 or your Grant Program Specialist. X. Appendices Appendix A – List of Source Documents Primary Sources: Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994, 42 U.S.C. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Financial and Administrative Guide for Grants, OJP M 7100.1D: May 15, 1990 Additional Sources: Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 28 CFR Part 23 Criminal Intelligence Systems Operating Procedures 28 CFR Part 66 Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments 28 CFR Part 67 Government-wide Requirements for Drug- Free Workplaces (Grants) 28 CFR Part 69 Government-wide New Restrictions on Lobbying 28 CFR Part 70 Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non-Profit Organizations 31 CFR Part 205 Treasury Department Regulations Implementing for Cash Management Improvement Act of 1990 OMB Circular A-87 Cost Principles for State and Local Governments OMB Circular A-133 Audits of Educational Institutions Assurances for COPS MORE 2001 (Included) Executive Order 12547 "Non-Procurement Debarments and Suspension" Executive Order 12372, 28 CFR, Part 30 "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs" OMB Circular A-129 Managing Federal Credit Programs 4 CFR Parts 101-105 Department of Justice/General Accounting Office, "Joint Federal Claims Collections Standards" 5 CFR Part 1320 "Controlling the Paperwork Burden on the Public" Executive Order 12291 "Regulations" 5 CFR Part 151 "Political Activities of State and Local Officials or Employees" Appendix B – Assurances Several provisions of Federal law and policy apply to all grant programs. We (the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services) need to secure your assurance that you (the applicant) will comply with these provisions. If you would like further information about any of the matters on which we seek your assurance, please contact us. By your authorized representative’s signature, you assure us and certify to us that you will comply with all legal and administrative requirements that govern the applicant for acceptance and use of Federal grant funds. In particular, you assure us that: 1. You have been legally and officially authorized by the appropriate governing body (for example, mayor or city council) to apply for this grant and that the persons signing the application and these assurances on your behalf are authorized to do so and to act on your behalf with respect to any issues that may arise during processing of this application. 2. You will comply with the provisions of Federal law which limit certain political activities of your employees whose principal employment is in connection with an activity financed in whole or in part with this grant. These restrictions are set forth in 5 U.S.C. § 1501, et seq. 3. You will comply with the minimum wage and maximum hours provisions of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, if they apply to you. 4. You will establish safeguards, if you have not done so already, to prohibit employees from using their positions for a purpose that is, or gives the appearance of being, motivated by a desire for private gain for themselves or others, particularly those with whom they have family, business or other ties. 5. You will give the Department of Justice or the Comptroller General access to and the right to examine records and documents related to the grant. 6. You will comply with all requirements imposed by the Department of Justice as a condition or administrative requirement of the grant; with the program guidelines; with the requirements of OMB Circulars A-87 (governing cost calculations) and A-128 or A-133 (governing audits); with the applicable provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended; with 28 CFR Part 66 (Uniform Administrative Requirements); with the provisions of the current edition of the appropriate COPS grant owner’s manual; and with all other applicable laws, orders, regulations or circulars. 7. You will, to the extent practicable and consistent with applicable law, seek, recruit and hire qualified members of racial and ethnic minority groups and qualified women in order to further effective law enforcement by increasing their ranks within the sworn positions in your agency. 8. You will not, on the ground of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability or age, unlawfully exclude any person from participation in, deny the benefits of or employment to any person, or subject any person to discrimination in connection with any programs or activities funded in whole or in part with Federal funds. These civil rights requirements are found in the nondiscrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 3789(d)); Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 2000d); the Indian Civil Rights Act (25 U.S.C. §§ 1301-1303); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 794); Title II, Subtitle A of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.); the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. § 6101, et seq.); and Department of Justice Non- Discrimination Regulations contained in Title 28, Parts 35 and 42 (subparts C, D, E and G) of the Code of Federal Regulations. A. In the event that any court or administrative agency makes a finding of discrimination on grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability or age against you after a due process hearing, you agree to forward a copy of the finding to the Office of Civil Rights, Office of Justice Programs, 810 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531. B. If you are applying for a grant of $500,000 or more and Department regulations (28 CFR 42.301 et seq.) require you to submit an Equal Opportunity Employment Plan, you will do so at the time of this application, if you have not done so in the past. If you are applying for a grant of less than $500,000 and the regulations require you to maintain a Plan on file in your office, you will do so within 120 days of your grant award. 9. You will insure that the facilities under your ownership, lease or supervision which shall be utilized in the accomplishment of the project are not listed on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) list of Violating Facilities and that you will notify us if you are advised by the EPA indicating that a facility to be used in this grant is under consideration for listing by EPA. 10. If your state has established a review and comment procedure under Executive Order 12372 and has selected this program for review, you have made this application available for review by the state Single Point of Contact. 11. You will devise a plan to retain the increased hiring level with state and local funds after the conclusion of your grant. I hereby certify compliance with the above assurances that govern the application and use of Federal funds. Signature: ________________________________________________________________ Date: ______________________ Appendix B – Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements Coordination with Affected Agencies; Non-Supplanting; and Retention. Although the Department of Justice has made every effort to simplify the application process, other provisions of Federal law require us to seek your certification regarding certain matters. Applicants should read the regulations cited below and the instructions for certification included in the regulations to understand the requirements and whether they apply to a particular applicant. Signature of this form provides for compliance with certification requirements under 28 CFR Part 69, “New Restrictions on Lobbying,” and 28 CFR Part 67, “Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants),” and the coordination and non-supplanting requirements of the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994. The certifications shall be treated as a material representation of fact upon which reliance will be placed when the Department of Justice determines to award the covered grant. 1. Lobbying As required by Section 1352, Title 31 of the U.S. Code, and implemented at 28 CFR Part 69, for persons entering into a grant or cooperative agreement over $100,000, as defined at 28 CFR Part 69, the applicant certifies that: A. No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the making of any Federal grant; the entering into of any cooperative agreement; and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment or modification of any Federal grant or cooperative agreement; B. If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal grant or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form — LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” in accordance with its instructions; C. The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at all tiers (including subgrants, contracts under grants and cooperative agreements, and subcontracts) and that all sub-recipients shall certify and disclose accordingly. 2. Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters (Direct Recipient) As required by Executive Order 12549, Debarment and Suspension, and implemented at 28 CFR Part 67, for prospective participants in primary covered transactions, as defined at 28 CFR Part 67, Section 67.510 — A. The applicant certifies that it and its principals: (i) Are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, sentenced to a denial of Federal benefits by a state or Federal court, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal department or agency; (ii) Have not within a three-year period preceding this application been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing public (Federal, state or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of Federal or state antitrust statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property; (iii) Are not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, state or local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (A)(ii) of this certification; and (iv) Have not within a three-year period preceding this application had one or more public transactions (Federal, state or local) terminated for cause or default; and B. Where the applicant is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, he or she shall attach an explanation to this application. 3. Drug-Free Workplace (Grantees Other Than Individuals) As required by the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, and implemented at 28 CFR Part 67, Subpart F, for grantees, as defined at 28 CFR Part 67, Sections 67.615 and 67.620 — A. The applicant certifies that it will, or will continue to, provide a drug-free workplace by: (i) Publishing a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the grantee's workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violation of such prohibition; (ii) Establishing an on-going drug-free awareness program to inform employees about — (a) The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace; (b) The grantee's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace; (c) Any available drug counseling, rehabilitation and employee assistance programs; and (d) The penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug-abuse violations occurring in the workplace; (iii) Making it a requirement that each employee to be engaged in the performance of the grant be given a copy of the statement required by paragraph (i); (iv) Notifying the employee in the statement required by paragraph (i) that, as a condition of employment under the grant, the employee will — (a) Abide by the terms of the statement; and (b) Notify the employer in writing of his or her conviction for a violation of a criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace no later than five calendar days after such conviction; (v) Notifying the agency, in writing, within 10 calendar days after receiving notice under subparagraph (iv)(b) from an employee or otherwise receiving actual notice of such conviction. Employers of convicted employees must provide notice, including position title, to: COPS Office, 1100 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20530. Notice shall include the identification number(s) of each affected grant; (vi) Taking one of the following actions, within 30 calendar days of receiving notice under subparagraph (iv)(b), with respect to any employee who is so convicted — (a) Taking appropriate personnel action against such an employee, up to and including termination, consistent with the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; or (b) Requiring such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a Federal, state or local health, law enforcement or other appropriate agency; (vii) Making a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug- free workplace through implementation of paragraphs (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi). B. The grantee may insert in the space provided below the site(s) for the performance of work done in connection with the specific grant: Place of performance (street address, city, county, state, zip code) Check • if there are workplaces on file that are not identified here. Section 67.630 of the regulations provides that a grantee that is a state may elect to make one certification in each Federal fiscal year, a copy of which should be included with each application for Department of Justice funding. States and state agencies may elect to use OJP Form 4061/7. Check . • if the state has elected to complete OJP Form 4061/7. 4. Coordination The Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Act of 1994 requires applicants to certify that there has been appropriate coordination with all agencies that may be affected by the applicant's grant proposal if approved. Affected agencies may include, among others, the Office of the United States Attorney, state or local prosecutors, or correctional agencies. The applicant certifies that there has been appropriate coordination with all affected agencies. 5. Non-Supplanting The applicant hereby certifies that Federal funds will not be used to replace or supplant state or local funds, or funds supplied by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, that would, in the absence of Federal aid, be made available to or for law enforcement purposes. 6. Retention There is no retention requirement for the Methamphetamine Initiative. Grantee Name and Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Application No. and/or Project Name: ______________________________ Grantee IRS/ Vendor Number: ________________ Typed Name and Title of Law Enforcement Representative: _________________________________________________________ Signature: __________________________________________________________ Date: _____________________________________ As the duly authorized representative of the governing body, I hereby certify that the I am binding the governing body to the above certifications, including the plan to retain. Elections of new officials will not relieve the governing body of its obligations under this grant. Typed Name and Title of Government Representative: _____________________________________________________________ Signature: _________________________________________________________ Date: _____________________________________ Appendix C – Redeployment Examples COPS MORE: Redeployment by Shift Introduction The Neely County Sheriff's Department applies for a MORE grant to purchase 10 Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs). The department has 20 full-time officers assigned to patrol, each MDT will be used by more than one officer. Currently, each patrol officer runs an average of 20 tag or license checks per shift. Each check takes about five minutes. If the department receives the MORE grant, they estimate that each officer will only need three minutes per check, a savings of two minutes per check. The cost of the 10 MDTs is $100,000. To determine their required level of redeployment, the department would use the following formula which is laid out in the Cost Effectiveness Worksheet portion of the grant application: Required Redeployment Line 1 – Entry level salary of SWORN police officer (as of Jan. 1, 1998) 1. $28,000 Line 2 – Fringe benefits of SWORN police officer (as of Jan. 1, 1998) 2. $ 5,000 Line 3 – Add lines 1 and 2 3. $33,000 Line 4 – Multiply line 3 by .75 4. $24,750 Line 5 – Enter figure on line 4 or $25,000, whichever is less 5. $24,750 Line 6 – Total cost of item, system, or group of like items 6. $100,000 (100%) Line 7 – Federal amount requested 7. $75,000 (75%) Can be no more than 75% of total item cost (line 6) Line 8 – Divide line 7 by line 5 8. 3.03 FTEs Actual Redeployment The formula used to calculate the estimated actual redeployment for this grant would be: 2 min. saved X 20 checks = 40 min. per shift 40 min./shift X 20 officers x 228 shifts = 182,400 min./yr. 182,400 min./60min. = 3,040 hrs. per yr. 3,040 hrs. /1,824 hrs. (COPS standard) = 1.66 FTEs 1.66 FTE saved per year This is less than the required amount in the above calculation, but as demonstrated below, the department plans to use the MDTs for other uses also. The department also states that they will use the laptops for report writing while their patrol officers are in their vehicles. Again the laptops will be used by more than 1 officer. Currently, each of the 20 officers spends two hours per shift writing their reports. With the laptops they believe they can save 1 hour per shift. The reports will have automated formats and can be sent for approval via modem versus driving back to the station. The formula used to calculate the estimated actual redeployment is: 1 hr. per shift X 20 officers X 228 shifts = 4,560 hrs. per yr. 4,560 hrs./ 1824 hrs. (COPS standard)= 2.5 FTEs So by saving 1.66 FTEs with the tag checks and 2.5 FTEs with the reports, the department projects a total redeployment of 4.1 FTE, which is above the minimum required and the department receives the grant. Redeployment Tracking Plan The next task for the Neely County Sheriff's Department is to develop a redeployment tracking plan for its MORE grant. The agency begins its redeployment tracking plan with a short summary of the project and how it will save time for officers within the agency: “The Neely County Sheriff's Department has been awarded a COPS MORE grant for 10 mobile data computers. These mobile data computers will be used as part of a pilot project to assess the effectiveness of automated field reporting in this agency. We believe that this new technology will allow patrol officers to perform quicker records checks and that it will make our reporting process more efficient. Through the assistance of the grant- funded technology, officers will be able to conduct their own records checks without going through dispatch. The field reporting system will reduce the need to enter duplicate information for accident and incident reports and will save officer travel time by allowing patrol officers to electronically transmit their reports to their supervisor.” The next part of the plan explains of the method that the Neely County Sheriff's Department will use to track the time savings from its grant-funded technology: “The Neely County Sheriff's Department will track the time savings from the grant-funded mobile data computers by comparing the survey results of the officers using the new equipment to the survey results (baseline) of the patrol officers writing reports prior to the implementation of the grant technology. For one week during each quarter, the 20 officers using the mobile data computers will track the number of records checks and reports that they write per day and how long these activities take them. Prior to the grant award, the Sheriff's Department completed log sheets which demonstrated the time necessary to complete various checks and reports. The responses will be compared to determine the amount of time savings produced by the new technology.” The final part of the redeployment tracking plan includes an explanation of how the time saved through this grant will allow this agency to enhance its community policing efforts: “The officers using the computers will devote approximately one hour of their time savings per day to problem-solving projects. During this time the officers will contact community residents to identify community concerns and will work with community and city agencies to proactively address the causes of these concerns. The officers will respond to a minimal number of calls for service during this time.” Implementing the Redeployment Tracking Plan The Neely County Sheriff's Department begins to implement its redeployment tracking plan once the grant-funded technology has been purchased and becomes fully operational. For one week during each quarter of the one-year redeployment tracking period the agency requires officers to complete daily logs tracking how many reports and records checks are performed by officers and how long these activities take. These logs are completed by the twenty officers using the mobile data computers and compared to the time survey completed prior to the implementation of the technology. The results from the logs are used to form projections for time savings over a one-year period. Group One: 20 officers prior to technology implementation # shifts Total hours report writing time Average hours writing reports per shift Total hours for records checks Average hours performing records ckecks per shifts Week 1 100 400 4.00 180 1.8 Week 2 110 312 3.12 190 1.7 Week 3 120 450 3.75 220 1.8 Week 4 105 400 3.80 210 2.0 Overall Averages 3.67 hours 1.8 hours Group Two: 20 officers with mobile data computers # shifts Total hours report writing time Average hours writing reports per shift Total hours for records checks Average hours performing records ckecks per shifts Week 1 100 306 3.00 150 1.5 Week 2 110 312 3.12 200 1.8 Week 3 120 400 3.33 180 1.5 Week 4 105 320 3.05 130 1.2 Overall Averages 3.13 hours 1.5 hours Group One: 3.67 hrs. report writing per shift + 1.8 hrs. performing records checks per shifts = 5.47 hrs. Group Two: 3.13 hrs. report writing per shift + 1.5 hrs. performing records checks per shifts = 4.63 hrs. Time Savings = 5.47 hrs. for officers without technology - 4.63 hrs. for officers with technology = 0.84 hrs. saved per shift 0.84 hrs. per shift * 20 officers * 228 shifts (COPS Office standard) = 3,830hrs. 3,830 hrs./ 1824 hrs. (COPS Office standard) = 2.1 FTEs saved In this case, the grantee demonstrated a time savings of 2.1 full-time equivalents. While its actual redeployment fell short of the 3.03 FTE required redeployment for the grant, the grantee could document other unanticipated time savings or other types of benefits which may have occurred as a result of the project to evaluate the project's effectiveness. COPS MORE: Redeployment by Report Introduction The Sunshine Police Department applies for a MORE grant to purchase 12 laptop computers with supporting hardware and report writing software. Currently, all officers hand-write their reports. The department has a sworn force strength of 25 officers with four patrol officers assigned to each shift. Last year, the department generated a total of 28,763 reports. Each officer currently spends about 40 minutes writing each report and averages five reports per shift. If the department receives the MORE grant, they estimate that each officer will save approximately 20 minutes per report, cutting the time it takes to complete the reports in half. The cost of the laptops with supporting hardware/software is $60,000. To determine required level of redeployment, the department uses the following formula which is laid out in the Cost Effectiveness Worksheet portion of the grant application. Required Redeployment Line 1 – Entry level salary of SWORN police officer (as of Jan. 1, 1998) 1. $23,000 Line 2 – Fringe benefits of SWORN police officer (as of Jan. 1, 1998) 2. $ 3,000 Line 3 – Add lines 1 and 2 3. $26,000 Line 4 – Multiply line 3 by .75 4. $19,500 Line 5 – Enter figure on line 4 or $25,000, whichever is less 5. $19,500 Line 6 – Total cost of item, system, or group of like items 6. $60,000 (100%) Line 7 – Federal amount requested 7. $45,000 (75%) Can be no more than 75% of total item cost (line 6) Line 8 – Divide line 7 by line 5 8. 2.3 FTE Actual Redeployment Using the number of reports the department generated in the previous year, the department uses the following formula to calculate the estimated actual redeployment for this grant; 28,763 reports per yr. x 20 min. per report = 575,260 min. 575,260 min./ 60 min. = 9,587 hrs. saved 9,587 hrs. saved / 1824 hrs. (Cops standard) = 5.3 FTE The department exceeds the required redeployment level and is awarded the MORE grant. Redeployment Tracking The Sunshine Police Department must now develop a plan to track redeployment once their system becomes operational. The agency begins its redeployment tracking plan with a short summary of the project and how it will save time for officers within the agency. “The Sunshine Police Department was awarded a grant to purchase 12 laptops with supporting hardware and report writing software to make writing reports more efficient. Prior to the implementation of the grant, the department estimated that each officer spent about 40 minutes writing each report. Through the use of the new laptops and report writing software, we estimate that we will cut this time in half.” The department then goes on to explain what method they will use to track the time savings realized through the use of the laptops and report writing software. “In order to track the time savings that officers will realize under this grant, we have issued log sheets to each officer and asked them to log in the time that is spent entering reports into the laptop and sending them to headquarters through wireless transfer. On a monthly basis we will take a sample of the time logs for 12 officers on varying shifts to determine the average amount of time officers spend writing a report after the awarded equipment becomes operational.” The final part of the redeployment tracking plan includes an explanation of how the time saved through this grant will allow the department to enhance its community policing efforts. “With the time saved through the use of the grant funded equipment, the department will begin a school resource officer program in the high school. Additionally, we hope to begin conducting a citizen survey on crime and institute several neighborhood watch programs.” Implementing the Redeployment Tracking Plan The department implements the grant and each officer submits a time log each shift showing time savings that is achieved as a result of the grant. The log sheets are then totaled for each officer and entered into a spreadsheet tracking the time savings that each officer realizes. Because tracking the time savings for 25 officers can be time consuming, the department uses a sample of 12 officers who work varying shifts to determine time savings for the entire department. Using the log sheets, the department is able to create the following spreadsheet to determine how long it takes officers to do a report on average. A sample of the spreadsheet that they use to track the hours saved follows: Three months after the equipment becomes fully operational, the department is able to tabulate on a daily basis the time savings that accrues over the course of the grant. Based on the sample, the department finds that on average each officer spends an average of 25 minutes per report. This results in a time savings of 15 minutes per report. Officer Reports per Shift Time spent writing reports Dame 8 180 minutes (3 hours) Chapman 5 135 minutes (2.25 hours) Neely 3 60 minutes (1 hour) Mehring 6 150 minutes ( 2.5 hours) Bezdikian 6 150 minutes (2.5 hours) Clark 2 30 minutes (.5 hours) Scrivner 5 120 minutes ( 2 hours) Gorniak 7 225 minutes (3.75 hours) Dodge 6 150 minutes (2.5 hours) Webb 8 180 minutes (3 hours) Phillips 6 150 minutes (2.5 hours) Alford 4 120 minutes (2 hours) Total 66 1,650 minutes (27.5 hours) 1,650 min. / 66 reports = 25 min. per report 40 min. per report (prior to grant) - 25 min. per report (post grant) = 15 min. in savings per report. Over the three month period, the department has generated 7,230 reports. Therefore, their time savings to date can be calculated as follows 7,230 reports x 15 min. per report = 108,450 min. 108,450 min. /60 min. = 1,807 hrs. saved 1,807 hrs. saved / 1824 hrs. (COPS standard) = 1 FTE If the department continues to see this level of time savings for the remainder of the 12 months, they can expect to achieve a total redeployment of 4 FTE. Although this is slightly less time savings than they originally estimated, it still exceeds the required level of redeployment for the grant. After the laptops have been implemented, the department notices that there is additional time savings that occurs as a result of the grant, including: • electronically transferring reports to supervisor instead of driving reports to headquarters, and • electronic revisions after review instead of re-writing reports. Image of United States Department of Justice seal FOR MORE INFORMATION: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 1100 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20530 To obtain details on COPS programs, call the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1.800.421.6770 Visit the COPS internet web site by the address listed below. e08011221 Created Date: August 6, 2001