FY 2017 NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP)

(Solicitation)
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is publishing this notice to announce the
continuation of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record
Improvement Program (NARIP) in fiscal year (FY) 2017, identify the program priorities,
and provide information on application requirements.

The NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, Pub. L. 110-180 (NIAA or the Act), was
signed into law on January 8, 2008, in the wake of the April 2007 shooting tragedy at
Virginia Tech. The Virginia Tech shooter was able to purchase firearms from a Federal
Firearms Licensee (FFL) because information about his prohibiting mental health history
was not available to the NICS, and the system was therefore unable to deny the transfer
of the firearms used in the shootings. The NIAA seeks to address the gap in information
available to NICS about such prohibiting mental health adjudications and commitments,
and other prohibiting factors. Filling these information gaps will better enable the
system to operate as intended to keep guns out of the hands of persons prohibited by
federal or state law from receiving or possessing firearms. The automation of records
will also reduce delays for law-abiding persons to purchase firearms.
Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 19, 2017.