NFSTC has been providing grant progress assessments as part of a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs since 2006. 

The elements of the program are in line with the recommendations of the OIG Audit Report and are applicable to laboratories receiving NIJ DNA grants and to NIJ DNA contract vendors for Convicted Offender DNA Backlog Reduction, DNA Casework Backlog Reduction, DNA Capacity Enhancement grants as well as the Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Act and Solving Cold Cases with DNA programs.

GPA Objectives:

• To assess grantee progress in meeting program goals and objectives
• To review the status of administrative documentation
• To identify challenges faced by the grantee in achieving program objectives
• To identify successful or “model programs”
• To assess the impact of the grant funding
• To strengthen NIJ program management and oversight

GPA Program Features

• Provided at no cost to NIJ grantees, including DNA , Coverdell, and Using DNA to Solve Cold Cases
• Provided as an expansion of the free DNA audit program
• Scheduled as part of the NIJ-NFSTC assessment program
• Occur on a biennial basis
• Conducted concurrently for all grantees within a given state