Fourth Annual DNA Grantees' Workshop
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
AFTERNOON SESSION
Convicted Offender DNA Backlog Reduction Program
Thurston Bryant
MR. BRYANT: Good afternoon. My name is Thurston Bryant. I assist Dr. Forman with the Convicted Offender DNA Backlog Reduction Program, a convicted offender sample outsourcing program. Bryant: Slide 1
I'm going to give you a brief history of the program and then talk about what has transpired since it started with NIJ, how the program's funding vehicle has evolved from year to year, and what is taking place during fiscal year (FY) 2003 and beyond. Bryant: Slide 2
In FY 2000, NIJ awarded grants to 21 States. As a requirement for these grants, there was a 1 percent no-suspect casework match. As a result of the funding, approximately 349,000 convicted offender samples and approximately 9,300 no-suspect cases were analyzed, and States reported approximately 940 hits. Bryant: Slide 3
In FY 2001, NIJ awarded cooperative agreements to six private vendor laboratories. Through these cooperative agreements, 25 States were provided with funding assistance that resulted in approximately 189,000 convicted offender samples and 9,200 no-suspect cases being analyzed and approximately 1,100 hits.
In FY 2003, NIJ changed the format to incorporate the General Services Administration (GSA). With that, private vendor laboratories had to get on the GSA's schedule. The GSA schedule format gives the Federal Government the opportunity to receive procurement from private vendor laboratory services.
In FY 2000, when NIJ provided State funding through grants, we discovered a little problem. The State procurement average time for contracts was about 14 months. So in FY 2001, NIJ provided cooperative agreements to the vendors, and from the vendors, 25 States were able to receive funding. During this time, we discovered that cooperative agreements were okay for States but they were bad for funding. Touched upon earlier by Lois [Tully], there was an issue with one of the special conditions. So in FY 2002, NIJ did not actually have funding. Instead, we restructured the program to use GSA, which is what we have in place in FY 2003. Bryant: Slide 4
To date in FY 2003, 36 States have contacted NIJ about outsourcing their convicted offender samples. Seven States have applied for in-house analysis. In-house analysis refers to States that have high-throughput capabilities and are able to analyze their own samples in their own crime laboratories. Sixteen of the States are in the pipeline. When we say "in the pipeline," we mean that NIJ specialists have actually contacted and visited those States and are assisting them in completing a draft of their request for quotation (RFQ). Of these 16, we have already issued one delivery order. Bryant: Slide 5
Six of the 16 states have submitted their RFQs to the contracting officer in the Office of Justice Programs; three are on the street or recently went to close, and the other three are awaiting review. The other nine States are currently reviewing their RFQs, and once that has taken place, they will submit them to NIJ for review. Also, nine private vendor laboratories are participating in the program. Bryant: Slide 6
We are hoping for approximately $15 million in future appropriations for the convicted offender sample program. States will be eligible to reapply for up to 1 year of funding, and all 50 states and U.S. territories are eligible for funding. In addition, even if States have not contacted NIJ to have their samples outsourced, they still can contact us about participating in the program. Bryant: Slide 7
New private vendor laboratories will also be able to participate once they're on the GSA schedule and have been awarded a blanket purchasing agreement by our contracting office. This can be accomplished by responding to NIJ's statement of work, which will be modified from this year's edition and reopened once we complete this year's batch of States.
If you have any other general questions, like about our division, you can also contact me. I'll be happy to find that information for you. Thanks. Bryant: Slide 8
DR. FORMAN: We'll take all questions at the end.