The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), operating under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), has released a continuation funding opportunity titled "Invited to Apply - Criminal Justice Technology Testing and Evaluation Center." This opportunity is intended for the Research Triangle Institute to continue its operation of the Criminal Justice Technology Testing and Evaluation Center (CJTTEC), a centralized hub for rigorous testing, evaluation, and dissemination of criminal justice technologies. The CJTTEC is a key resource for criminal justice and juvenile justice agencies, offering services to help evaluate and improve technologies designed for public safety, law enforcement, and justice system operations.
This initiative is central to NIJ's broader mission to ensure that criminal justice technologies are safe, effective, and responsive to field needs. The Center supports secondary research on existing and emerging technologies, experimental testing to assess performance, and evaluation of implementation processes within agencies. It also operates the NIJ Compliance Testing Program (CTP), which establishes and upholds voluntary equipment standards. The Center’s findings inform NIJ’s non-forensic R&D activities and guide decision-making among practitioners, policymakers, federal partners, and private industry.
Awardees will be expected to produce a variety of deliverables. These include individual study reports, scholarly products such as peer-reviewed journal articles or book chapters, and practitioner-focused dissemination materials. Required datasets must be archived with the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), and performance data will be reported through quarterly financial reports and semi-annual performance reviews. Additional responsibilities involve the development of a plan for the archival management of body armor samples and coordination around the Testing Information Management System (TIMS).
Applications must be submitted in a two-step process. The SF-424 must first be submitted via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on February 23, 2026. The full application, including all attachments and required components, is due in JustGrants by 8:59 p.m. ET on March 2, 2026. Required documents include a proposal abstract and narrative, budget detail form, curriculum vitae of key personnel, letters of support, a data archiving plan, and—if applicable—human subjects protection materials. Registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov is required before submission.
This is a continuation grant, and the anticipated award amount is up to $3,450,000 for a 12-month performance period beginning April 1, 2026. The award will be issued as a cooperative agreement, allowing for active involvement by NIJ in project implementation. The program does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Given its scope and importance, the initiative reflects OJP’s commitment to supporting innovation and best practices in law enforcement, public safety, and technology standards nationwide.
The eligible applicant is specifically the Research Triangle Institute. For inquiries, applicants can contact Steven Schuetz, Senior Physical Scientist, at [email protected] or call (202) 598-9388. Additional assistance for registration and application submission is available via the SAM.gov Help Desk, Grants.gov Customer Support, and the JustGrants Service Desk. Given its recurring nature, applicants should note the annual release cycle and anticipate future iterations aligned with federal fiscal planning.
