[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 3, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45667-45670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-18962]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
National Institute Of Corrections
Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement: Strategies for Women
Executives in Corrections
AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice.
ACTION: Solicitation for a cooperative agreement.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is soliciting
proposals from organizations, groups, or individuals to enter into an
18-month cooperative agreement to update its 36-hour Executive
Leadership for Women in Corrections program, newly titled Strategic
Development of the Executive Woman. The award recipient will update the
current training and ensure it supports the learning process,
leadership styles, and required competencies for executive women in
corrections. The award includes responsibility for the updated
Instructional Theory into Practice (ITIP) formatted curriculum, the
contracting and training of NIC-approved faculty, and the
administration of participant expenses, including the dispersal of
program acceptance letters, coordination of registration, lodging,
meals, and transportation. The recipient will also be responsible for
conducting, in collaboration with the NIC Research and Evaluation
Division, an evaluation of the initial program delivery using the NIC
training evaluation protocol. This should represent a minimal cost to
the award recipient. The project will also address strategies for
additional learning and networking upon training completion. The
training is anticipated to begin no later than August 2011.
The pilot will be held at the National Center for Educational
Development in Norman, OK. This has proven to be a favorable site in
the past and represents the accommodations and amenities expected for
future programming.
DATES: Applications must be received by 2 p.m. EDT on Friday, August
20, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be sent to: Director, National
Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street, NW., Room 5007, Washington,
DC 20534. Applicants are encouraged to use Federal Express, UPS, or
similar service to ensure delivery by the due date.
Hand delivered applications should be brought to 500 First Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20534. At the front desk, dial 7-3106, extension 0
for pickup.
Faxed applications will NOT be accepted. Electronic applications
can be submitted only via http://www.grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this announcement can be
downloaded from the NIC web page at http://www.nicic.gov.
All technical or programmatic questions concerning this
announcement should be directed to Evelyn Bush, Correctional Program
Specialist, National Institute of Corrections. She can be reached at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview: NIC's Executive Leadership for Women in Corrections
program
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provides executive women leaders with critical competencies, self-
awareness, and the confidence necessary to seek higher levels in an
organization and perform their leadership responsibilities effectively.
The program addresses three main objectives: Correctional leadership,
barriers and promotional strategies, and career and life planning.
Three assessment instruments (LSI, MBTI, and Change Style Indicator)
with individual feedback, classroom presentations, and tabletop and
outdoor activities center around the core set of developmental
competencies. The developmental competencies were based on a gap
analysis comparing the boss/peer/subordinate scores on each competency
of the LEADERSHIP 360, a set of eight leadership abilities commonly
found among most outstanding leaders. These scores were compared
against the midrange point of a future leadership competency set. The
result of this analysis provided the basis for three major
competencies--strategy, communication, and consent--which are to be
incorporated into NIC's new ``Strategies for Women Executives in
Corrections.''
Additionally, over the last five years, NIC's Executive Leadership
for Women in Corrections program has kept current with recent trends
such as those that appear in the multigenerational workforce and that
are noted in the NIC Correctional Competencies publication.
Background: The National Institute of Corrections Prisons Division
offered the first Executive Training for Women program in 1994. The
program was designed to address both the personal and professional
aspects of women's correctional leadership in a nontraditional
profession. Through a two-part series, NIC has sought to close the gap
for women executives in their knowledge, recognition of their value to
the organization, and self and observer perception.
Although the past three decades have witnessed a tremendous
increase in the number of women working in corrections, increasing
numbers of women in the workforce have not been matched by
corresponding advancement in executive and senior level leadership
positions. Women are underrepresented in senior level (CEO) leadership
positions across all professions, but they are significantly
underrepresented in the corrections field. To further complicate the
issue, studies have found that few women have had the same quantity and
quality of leadership development opportunities and experiences as men,
thus thwarting their ability to compete adequately for higher level
positions.
By 2012, women will comprise 47.5% of the workforce. With the
anticipated rise of women in the ranks of senior level positions, NIC
continues to build upon the success of its programming for a women's-
only environment, where gender barriers are eliminated and acceleration
of learning is possible.
The occurrence of strategic partnerships within and between
organizations is on the rise. In a time of a changing workforce,
security issues, technology advances and new government regulations, it
is imperative that organizations and individuals learn to adapt.
Getting individuals to do things differently is the measure of success
or failure. Approaching leadership strategically is a learned skill.
Forward-looking organizations proactively seek ways to advance the
leadership capacities of the women they promote, or intend to promote,
to senior and executive administration.
Target Audience: Women who are senior, upper-level correctional
managers serving in jails, prisons, and community corrections,
functioning administratively at the level of warden or superintendent
and above, and who wish to enter the ranks of chief executives of state
departments of corrections.
Intended Program Results: This program will assist women leaders in
understanding their value to, and involvement with, moving themselves
and an organization forward. It is an acknowledgement for their way of
learning and thinking, without judgment. It is to provide the tools
necessary to become more self aware, more strategic in assessing and
isolating critical problems, more mission driven, politically savvy,
and adept at teaming with others for success. The program also takes
into account the best learning environment, the best setting for the
greatest outcome, and a way to close the gap for women executives in
their knowledge, self-awareness, and observer's perception of their
value to an organization.
Learning Outcomes: It is intended that leaders will: Acknowledge
the need for, and rely upon, the support system of other professionals
who can offer feedback and advice; develop appreciation for teams,
teamwork and the application of strategic teaming; extend their
abilities to evaluate themselves and address their needs for developing
mastery of the skills required in executive leadership; and grow in
their understanding of self.
Products and Deliverables: A training curriculum designed with ITIP
model instruction, which will contain an instructor/facilitator's guide
with associated tools, materials, and resources with a final, agreed
upon curriculum delivered to NIC no later than December 31, 2011; a
participant resource guide to be used in conjunction with all training
activities; instructional aides and materials, including presentation
slide shows, CDs, charts, handouts, case studies, assessments, etc. to
support instruction and facilitation; and training delivery and
facilitation of a 36-hour classroom training for 20 participants with
blended learning tools.
Training Program Description: The training program will be
announced on NIC's website with its list of other training courses. A
description follows but may be downloaded online at http://nicic.gov/Library/023761.
Scope of Project: The recipient of this cooperative agreement award
must, at a minimum, do the following within the scope of this project:
(1) In collaboration with the NIC Research and Evaluation Division,
conduct a survey to query senior executives regarding critical
leadership competencies or sets that organizations should be
developing, (2) In collaboration with the NIC Research and evaluation
Division, conduct a survey to capture barriers that women and
minorities face when seeking promotion to senior executive positions in
corrections, and (3) Use the NIC publication ``Correctional Leadership
Competencies for the 21st Century'' as a resource to build upon.
The narrative portion of the cooperative agreement application
should include, at a minimum, (1) a clear description of women's
learning orientations and the methodology that will be used to take
these into consideration as part of the newly revised curriculum, (2) a
brief summary that indicates the applicant's understanding of the
purpose of this cooperative agreement, (3) two to three paragraphs that
detail the applicant's understanding of the need for this program, (4)
a brief paragraph that summarizes the project goals and objectives, (5)
a clear description of the methodology that will be used to complete
the project and achieve its goals, (6) a clearly developed work plan
with measurable project milestones and timelines for the completion of
each milestone, (7) a description of the qualifications of the
applicant and each project staff, (8) a description of the staffing
plan, including the role and time commitment for each project staff
member and a statement from individual staff that he/she will be
available to work on this project, and (9) a budget that details all
costs for the project, shows consideration for all
[[Page 45669]]
contingencies, and notes a commitment to work within the proposed
budget. The application must also include a budget narrative that
explains how all costs were determined.
Specific Requirements: The applicant will provide an example of
several topics/modules that may be considered and their accompanying
learning activity. The applicant must also demonstrate a recent working
knowledge of leadership development programming specific to women.
Experienced correctional professional(s) are expected to be on the
project team. These person(s) can be project staff or consultants. The
correctional experience cited as qualifications must be at the level of
warden or above. Continuous consultation with the NIC Correctional
Program Specialist (CPS) on both proposed curriculum content and
training program strategies is necessary. The CPS will have final
approval of both. The selected applicant will conduct a face-to-face
training/planning meeting with the CPS and NIC-selected and approved
trainers and/or faculty to deliver the program at least 60 days before
the program start date and provide a climate of inclusion and support
in which women can concentrate on the learning process. The awardee
will be responsible for the preparation of all program training
materials, negotiation, timely completion of faculty contracts, and
coordination of all program site logistics. Participant/faculty
lodging, meals, travel, and administration of the associated logistics
are to be funded within this agreement, based on the complete meal
package. Knowledge and previous use of level one and two evaluation
methods is necessary. The use of blended learning tools, such as a live
Web-based training environment or supplemental online information
transfer, is expected.
Curriculum Specifications: The curriculum must be designed and
developed, adhering to the following standards and specifications: (1)
The curriculum and training design must be consistent with, and embrace
the Instructional Theory into Practice (ITIP) model. A reference to
this model can be found at http://nicic.gov/Library/010714;
(2) Written products are developed to support the training;
(3) The curriculum facilitation guide is written using a standard
curriculum document format to include, at a minimum, module/sections
and titles, performance objectives/expectations, a learning activities
guide, practice/application activities, evaluation method and resources
needed to conduct training activities; (4) Cited references support
curriculum content and concepts; (5) Copyright permissions are secured
for the use of copyright protected publications and materials with a
minimum usage of three years; (6) All documents must be delivered
electronically in both MS Word 2003 or higher and hard copy; (7) NIC
will have final approval of the format, design, and organization of the
curriculum documents.
Required Expertise: The successful applicant and/or project staff
will possess knowledge, skills, and experience in the following areas:
Program design, strategic processes, correctional organizational
culture team dynamics, and change management. Demonstrated knowledge
and experience with the dynamics affecting women in corrections is
necessary. The applicant will provide an example of recent involvement
in leadership development programming specific to women and possess
knowledge and experience in curriculum development based on adult
learning theory and the Instructional Theory into Practice (ITIP)
format. Knowledge and expertise in a variety of instructional delivery
strategies should utilize, but are not limited to, instructor led e-
learning, including asynchronous computer/Web-based instructor led,
synchronous Web-based, and social learning networks, etc. Skill in
designing training curriculum linked to training objectives, knowledge
of available training evaluation methods, and effective written and
oral communication skills are necessary.
Review Considerations: Applications received under this
announcement will be subject to the NIC Review Process. The criteria
for the evaluation of each application will be as follows,
Programmatic (40%)
Are all the tasks adequately discussed? Is there a clear statement
of how each of the tasks will be accomplished, including the staffing,
resources, and strategies to be employed? Are there any innovative
approaches, techniques, or design aspects proposed that will enhance
the project?
Organizational (30%)
Do the skills, knowledge, and expertise of the organization and the
proposed project staff demonstrate a high level of competency to carry
out the tasks? Does the applicant organization have the necessary
experience and organizational capacity to carry out all five goals of
the project? Are the proposed project management and staffing plans
realistic and sufficient to complete the project within the time frame?
Project Management/Administration (20%)
Does the applicant identify reasonable objectives, milestones, and
measures to track progress? If consultants and/or partnerships are
proposed, is there a reasonable justification for their inclusion in
the project and a clear structure to insure effective coordination?
Fiscal (10%)
Is the proposed budget realistic, provide sufficient cost detail/
narrative, and represent good value relative to the anticipated
results?
Application Requirements: Applications should be concisely written,
typed double spaced and reference the ``NIC Funding Opportunity
Number'' and Title provided in this announcement. The application
package must include: OMB Standard Form 424, Application for Federal
Assistance; a cover letter that identifies the audit agency responsible
for the applicant's financial accounts as well as the audit period or
fiscal year that the applicant operates under (e.g., July 1 through
June 30), an outline of projected costs, and the following forms: OMB
Standard Form 424A, Budget Information--Non Construction Programs, OMB
Standard Form 424B, Assurances--Non Construction Programs (available at
http://www.grants.gov), and DOJ/NIC Certification Regarding Lobbying;
Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free
Workplace Requirements (available at http://www.nicic.gov/Downloads/PDF/certif-frm.pdf.)
Applications may be submitted in hard copy, or electronically via
http://www.grants.gov. If submitted in hard copy, there needs to be an
original and three copies of the full proposal (program and budget
narratives, application forms and assurances). The original should have
the applicant's signature in blue ink. The program narrative text must
be limited to 15 double-spaced pages, exclusive of resumes and
summaries of experience. Please do not submit full curriculum vitae.
Authority: Public law 93-415.
Funds Available: NIC is seeking the applicant's best ideas
regarding accomplishment of the scope of work and the related costs for
achieving the goals of this solicitation. Funds (up to $100,000) may be
used only for the activities that are linked to the desired outcome of
the project.
This project will be a collaborative venture with the NIC Prisons
Division.
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Eligibility of Applicants: An eligible applicant is any private
agency, educational institution, organization, individual or team with
expertise in the areas described.
Review Considerations: Applications received under this
announcement will be subjected to a 3- to 5-person NIC Peer Review
Process.
Note: NIC will not award a cooperative agreement to an applicant
who does not have a Dun and Bradstreet Database Universal Number
(DUNS) and is not registered in the Central Contractor Registry.
A DUNS number can be received at no cost by calling the dedicated
toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-800-333-0505 (if you are a sole
proprietor, you would dial 1-866-705-5711 and select option 1).
Number of Awards: One.
NIC Funding Opportunity Number: 10P12. This number should appear as
a reference line in the cover letter, where indicated on Standard Form
424, and outside of the envelope in which the application is sent.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 16.601.
Executive Order 12372: This project is not subject to the
provisions of Executive Order 12372.
Morris L. Thigpen,
Director, National Institute of Corrections.
[FR Doc. 2010-18962 Filed 8-2-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-36-P