Frequently Asked Questions

Dr. Alexis R. Piquero is the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS).

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• Pass-through Entity’s Oversight Responsibilities for Subrecipients (Powerpoint Size: 717 KB)
• Pass-through Entity’s Responsibilities Checklist (PDF Size: 167.94 KB)
• Subrecipient Financial Monitoring - Site Visit Review Items for Consideration (PDF Size: 113.85 KB)
• Sample Subrecipient Monitoring Risk Assessment Tool (PDF Size: 159.12 KB)
• Sample Subrecipient Monitoring Checklist (PDF Size: 171.71 KB)

This five-part video training series is intended to help tribal grantees fulfill their fiduciary responsibility to safeguard grant funds and ensure funds are used for the purposes for which they were awarded. These online presentations are delivered by William Faith, Staff Account (COPS), Suheyla Lasky, Grants Financial Analyst (OVW) and Michael Williams, Staff Accountant (OJP). The series covers a variety of laws, rules and regulations that affect the financial and administrative management of a grant, from pre-award through post-award to include the closeout process.

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5

In the BVP Program, "uniquely fitted vests" means protective (ballistic or stab-resistant) armor vests that conform to the individual wearer to provide the best possible fit and coverage, through a combination of: 1) correctly-sized panels and carrier, determined through appropriate measurement, and 2) properly adjusted straps, harnesses, fasteners, flaps, or other adjustable features. The requirement that body armor be "uniquely fitted" does not necessarily require body armor that is individually manufactured based on the measurements of an individual wearer. In support of the Office of Justice Programs' efforts to improve officer safety, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International has made available the Standard Practice for Body Armor Wearer Measurement and Fitting of Armor (Active Standard ASTM E3003) available at no cost. The Personal Armor Fit Assessment checklist, is excerpted from ASTM E3003.

In addition, a certification section has been added to the 2019 application (in the BVP system) stating the jurisdictions and law enforcement agency are aware of and will comply with this requirement.

Simple Answer:
No

More Detailed Answer:
Jurisdictions and agencies can fully participate in this program, without regard to supplanting. Technically, this is not a grant program, so supplanting issues do not apply.

Simple Answer:
Yes

More Detailed Answer:
This program does not make a distinction between new hires and trained or certified law enforcement officers, as long as the officers in question meet the Act's definition when the BVP funded vests are purchased. The only relevant restriction applies to positions that are authorized or funded but unfilled; jurisdictions are not permitted to include anticipated vest needs for authorized but unfilled positions in their application.

Vests provided through this program must be tested and found to comply with the applicable NIJ standard. Vests modified for K-9 units have not been tested by NIJ and are therefore not eligible for matching funds.

No. BVP funds may only be used to purchase vests on the latest NIJ standards list that are American-made.

Pursuant to the BVP Program statute, receipt of JAG funding by a unit of local government may impact its eligibility for funding under the BVP Program in the same fiscal year, unless it is a qualifying unit of local government with fewer than 100,000 residents.