16.813: NICS Act Record Improvement Program

16.813

Active

Office of Justice Programs (OJP) [DOJ]

Aug. 18, 2022

Aug. 18, 2022

GOAL(S): To improve the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) by providing assistance to states to improve the completeness, automation and transmittal to state and federal systems the records utilized by the NICS. OBJECTIVE(S): Address the gap in information available to NICS about such prohibiting mental health adjudications and commitments and other prohibiting backgrounds. Keep guns out of the hands of persons prohibited by federal or state law from receiving or possessing firearms.

B - Cooperative Agreements

Applications must be submitted by (a) the agency designated by the Governor to administer the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP); (b) the state or territory central administrative office or similar entity designated by statute or regulation to administer federal grant funds on behalf of the jurisdiction's court system; or (c) a federally recognized Indian tribal government.

In accordance with the NICS Improvement Amendments Act (see 18 U.S.C. § 922 note), there are two specific conditions that each state must satisfy before being eligible to receive grants: 1. First, “each State shall provide the Attorney General with a reasonable estimate, as calculated by a method determined by the Attorney General… of the number of the records” subject to the NIAA completeness requirements. (Id.) 2. Second, “to be eligible for a grant under this [program], a State shall certify, to the satisfaction of the Attorney General, that the State has implemented a relief from disabilities program.” (Id.) For the purpose of this solicitation, a “relief from disabilities program” is a program that permits persons who have been adjudicated a mental defective or committed to a mental institution to obtain relief from the firearms disabilities imposed by law as a result of such adjudication or commitment. This relief must be based on a finding, in accordance with principles of due process, by a state court, board, commission, or other lawful authority, that the circumstances of the disability and the person’s record and reputation are such that the person will not be likely to act in a manner dangerous to the public safety and that the granting of relief would not be contrary to the public interest. The certification form is available on the ATF website at www.atf.gov/forms/download/atf-f-3210-12.pdf. For further information, please visit NICS Improvement Act Questions and Answers on the BJS website. Further, applications submitted on behalf of state court systems must specifically assure that: (1) the court system has the capability to contribute and will transmit pertinent information to the NICS established under section 103(b) of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (18 U.S.C. 922 note), and (2) that it will coordinate the programs proposed for NARIP funding with other federally funded information technology programs, including directly funded local programs.

16.554 - National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP)

https://sam.gov/fal/03cc9988f28f4a78be0d32a9f02d6bcf/view