COPS-CAMP-APPLICATION-2018 | COPS CAMP APPLICATION 2018

FAQs: COPS-CAMP-APPLICATION-2018 (CFDA 16.710)

What is the COPS-CAMP-APPLICATION-2018 grant opportunity?

COPS-CAMP-APPLICATION-2018 is a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), under CFDA 16.710. It is described as an open, highly competitive competition with limited funding, focused on strengthening statewide responses to methamphetamine-related crime through coordinated enforcement and community policing approaches.

Who is the sponsoring agency for this program?

The sponsoring agency is the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).

What is the CFDA number for this solicitation?

The CFDA number listed is 16.710.

When was the opportunity released?

The opportunity was released on April 27, 2018.

What is the application deadline?

The application closing date is June 27, 2018.

Is this a formula grant or a competitive grant?

This is a discretionary grant and is framed as an open, highly competitive competition with limited funding.

What is the main purpose of the grant?

The overall purpose is to expand and improve efforts to locate, investigate, and disrupt illicit methamphetamine activity on a statewide basis, using coordinated enforcement and community policing approaches.

What types of methamphetamine-related activities does the program target?

The program targets investigations and disruption efforts involving precursor chemical diversion, clandestine laboratories, trafficking organizations, and related criminal networks, including the identification and seizure of clandestine labs and lab dump sites.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to state law enforcement agencies that are legally authorized (either directly by law or through a state agency designation) to conduct or supervise anti-methamphetamine investigative activities.

Are local or municipal law enforcement agencies eligible?

Based on the solicitation description provided, this is not a general local law enforcement solicitation. It is aimed at state-level entities with a mandate to lead or oversee methamphetamine investigations.

Does the program emphasize statewide efforts or local projects?

The program is designed to strengthen statewide responses and indicates that applicants should present statewide strategies rather than isolated projects.

Can there be more than one award per state?

The COPS Office notes it may cap awards at one per state when awards are announced. This suggests applicants should assume the competition could be limited to a single award per state.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling listed for this solicitation is $2,000,000 per award.

How many awards will be made?

The number of expected awards is not specified in the information provided. The solicitation is described as highly competitive with limited funding, and it may be limited to one award per state.

What kinds of approaches are expected to be competitive?

Competitive proposals are expected to emphasize multijurisdictional and interdisciplinary task force models, broad geographic reach, clear coordination structures, and evidence of need and impact (including statewide seizure data). The program favors integrated efforts rather than single-agency approaches.

What does "multijurisdictional" mean in this context?

It means proposals should show how multiple agencies will work together across city, county, regional, and potentially state boundaries to address methamphetamine-related crime.

What does "interdisciplinary" mean for this solicitation?

Interdisciplinary participation typically implies coordination among law enforcement and other key partners such as prosecutors, forensic and laboratory resources, child welfare partners where applicable, public health or treatment providers, and other stakeholders involved in prevention and intervention.

Is the grant focused only on enforcement and arrests?

No. While the goals are practical and enforcement-oriented (including seizures and disruption of illicit activity), the solicitation also emphasizes community policing principles, including problem solving, partnerships, and organizational changes intended to reduce methamphetamine manufacture, distribution, and use over time.

What community policing elements are emphasized?

The solicitation highlights strategies that go beyond arrests alone, incorporating problem solving, partnerships, and organizational changes to produce longer-term reductions in methamphetamine-related harm.

What outcomes does the solicitation specifically point to?

The solicitation calls for tangible results such as seizures of precursor chemicals, finished methamphetamine, clandestine labs, and lab dump sites, along with broader outcomes tied to reduced methamphetamine manufacture, distribution, and use over time.

What partners are encouraged for collaboration?

The program encourages stronger collaboration with federal, state, local, and tribal partners, including partners working in prevention, intervention and treatment, identification and protection of drug-endangered children, and enforcement operations.

Does existing participation in a task force matter?

Yes. Additional consideration is explicitly mentioned for agencies already participating in anti-methamphetamine task forces with multijurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary team structures.

What data or evidence is suggested to strengthen an application?

The COPS Office signals that stronger applications will include multiyear statewide methamphetamine seizure data to justify need, demonstrate trends, and support the proposed approach.

What should applicants highlight about governance and coordination?

Applicants are positioned to be more competitive if they clearly explain governance, partner roles, coordination structures, operational plans, and how outcomes will be measured and sustained as part of a statewide initiative.

Is the funding described as limited?

Yes. The competition is described as highly competitive with limited funding.

What is the core strategy the program is trying to build?

The solicitation is designed to support coordinated statewide enforcement and community policing approaches, commonly implemented through multijurisdictional, interdisciplinary task force models aimed at disrupting methamphetamine supply chains and related criminal networks.