Firearm Inquiry Statistics (FIST) Program, 2018-21

(Solicitation)
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) seeks applications for the administration of the
Firearm Inquiry Statistics (FIST) Program, which will cover 2018-21 calendar
years as reference years. Consistent with the Attorney General’s stated commitment to
reducing violent crime and promoting public safety, the FIST program provides national
estimates of the total number of firearm purchase applications received and denied
pursuant to the Brady Act and state laws. FIST collects counts of firearm transfer
applications and permit checks conducted by state and local agencies and combines them
with FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) transaction data. The
program also collects information on reasons for denials, appeals of these denials, and
law enforcement actions the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives (ATF) take against denied persons.

FIST is an annual data collection. This award will be based on a 52-month project
period and will initially collect data, in separate collection cycles, for 2018, 2019,
2020, and 2021 reference years. The project tasks outlined in this solicitation are
designed to support the core activities BJS would expect the recipient of funds to
conduct as part of an annual data collection. BJS anticipates that it will make one
award of up to $1,600,000, in the form of a cooperative agreement, for a 52-month
project period, beginning October 2018.
All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on July 9, 2018.