Intro
General Purpose
The Staffing Analysis program enables agencies to gather and interpret vital data, leading to optimized resource utilization, informed policy adjustments, and substantiated staffing requests.
NIC Funding Priorities / Focus Areas
The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) supports public safety by providing specialized corrections training, information services, and technical assistance to federal, state, local, and tribal justice agencies. The outcomes of NIC's activities contribute significantly to the achievement of the following correctional goals and priorities:
Effectively managed prisons, jails, and community corrections programs and facilities. NIC provides services related to effective planning, management, and operational practice leading to safe and secure prisons, jails, and community services.
Enhanced organizational and professional performance in corrections. NIC provides education and training in management, leadership, and corrections operations based on that enhance organizational and professional performance.
Community, staff, and offender safety. NIC promotes correctional practices and procedures that maximize the safety of the community, staff, and offenders; holds detainees, inmates, and parolees/probationers accountable; and seeks to reduce recidivism.
Improved correctional practices through the exploration of trends and public policy issues. NIC promotes the exploration of critical issues and the shaping of public policies that strengthen and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of corrections.
Enhanced services through improved organizational and staff effectiveness. NIC provides opportunities for organizational and professional growth that enhance the field of corrections.
Goals
This program aims to advance operational safety and security by enhancing correctional staffing practices through innovative training, technical assistance, and e-resources.
Objectives and Deliverables
- Deliver two iterations for Federal and State Prisons in addition to three iterations for local and tribal jails of NIC’s Staffing Analysis Training Program designed for virtual instructor-led training (VILT)
- Collect and analyze post-delivery feedback from participants, instructors, and project team members.
The award will provide jails with opportunities to participate in the VILT version of staffing analysis training. This program will enhance and expand staffing analysis training and technical assistance for federal, state, local and tribal corrections agencies.
1. Conduct an initial virtual meeting with NIC within ten days of the award to review goals and objectives, discuss and develop a timeline of activities, role clarification, overview of the project, and the project concept plan.
2. The awardee will receive the latest NIC Staffing Analysis Implementation Program curriculum. To deliver two iterations for Federal and State Prisons in addition to three iterations for local and tribal jails. The curriculum is designed for virtual instructor-led training (VILT) delivery. Each iteration will be delivered to four facilities, each providing a five-member staffing analysis team, for a total of up to 20 participants.
3. The awardee is responsible for contracting and all costs including compensating technical resource providers (TRPs)/subject matter experts (SMEs) to deliver training and related assistance under the cooperative agreement. All TRP’s/SME’s must be approved by the NIC Program Manager. Resume`s for the TRP/SME must be submitted to the Program Manager, each TRP/SME must have a minimum of three years teaching experience in the field of corrections and practical experience with NIC’s SAIP.
If not performed solely by the awardee, TRP services will include:
- Participation in virtual meetings with the cooperative agreement team.
- Data and information requests. Examples of data and information include floor plans, staff coverage plan, master and daily rosters, organizational chart, and relief factor(s).
- Evaluation of agency data to become familiar with each facility’s unique characteristics, prepare for instructional delivery of the curriculum, and identify any agency challenges concerning data/information collection.
Conducting pre-session tech-checks with all participants. Prior to the first instructional session, schedule at least two sessions to allow participants to join an introduction to Webex and to ensure agency firewalls do not limit functionality or prevent participants from joining. Sessions should be scheduled for an appropriate length to accommodate all participants. - Delivering approximately two hours of program instruction weekly for eight weeks. Awardee should anticipate that the training session host will be required to initiate the session approximately one hour prior to the scheduled start time and that all instructors (minimum of two instructors and one producer per session) be logged into the training session at least 30 minutes prior to the session to conduct technology checks and make final preparations. Awardee should also remain available to after session questions.
- Providing participant agencies up to twelve hours of weekly intersession coaching and guidance, validating intersession work to confirm each process step is understood and accomplished, and reviewing draft staffing analysis reports completed after the final session.
4. The awardee, in collaboration with the NIC program manager, will schedule and complete VILT curriculum rehearsals. Rehearsals will be conducted on NIC’s Webex Training platform.
Awardee is responsible for acting as, or providing, the producer for all rehearsals and instructional sessions throughout the delivery of the VILT curriculum.
5. The awardee will use NIC’s evaluation process to collect user feedback to assess the program’s effectiveness and provide NIC a summary report of the training event within a week of its conclusion.
6. Awardee should anticipate making recommendations for minor revisions to the curriculum throughout the award term based on participant and project team member feedback.
7. The awardee will edit any recordings to remove any agency-specific sensitive information. The finalized recordings are part of the program deliverables and will be used as NIC deems appropriate.
8. The awardee should plan to have participant-developed draft staffing analysis reports reviewed and ready for each agency to finalize no later than two weeks following the final VILT session.
9. The awardee, in collaboration with NIC program managers, will coordinate all training logistics, such as agency point of contact, dates, technical readiness checks with participants, etc.
10. The awardee will meet all financial and reporting requirements for the cooperative agreement.
11. The awardee is responsible for contracting and compensating technical resource providers (TRPs) or subject matter experts (SMEs) who support training, delivery and related technical assistance. TRP responsibilities may include participating in project meetings, requesting and reviewing agency data (such as floor plans, coverage plans, rosters, organizational charts, and relief factors), evaluating agency information to prepare for instruction, and identifying challenges associated with data collection.
12. The awardee will conduct pre-session technology checks with all participants to ensure familiarity with the Webex platform and confirm that agency firewalls do not restrict participation. Training will consist of approximately two hours of weekly instruction over eight weeks. Each session will require advance preparation, including early host access, instructor technology checks, and post-session availability for participant questions. Agencies will also receive approximately twelve hours per week of intersession coaching and feedback to support completion of staffing analysis tasks and draft reports.
13. In collaboration with the NIC program manager, the awardee will conduct curriculum rehearsals, manage Webex production for all sessions, utilize the NIC evaluation, and provide NIC a summary report within one week of each training event. The awardee will coordinate training logistics, recommend minor curriculum improvements, and ensure all reporting and financial requirements are met.
14. Develop and present at least 2 national conference presentations in collaboration with NIC.
15. Meet with NIC Instructional Systems Specialist Staff within 30 days to coordinate any software and product development. Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) (e-courses, videos, audio, VILTs, etc.) must comply with the federal mandate of 508 and WCAG compliance accessibility and as such in accordance with the agency agreement ensuring all visual and audio elements are accessible. In parallel with the statement of work the recipient must provide text alternatives for images, include captions for videos and transcripts for audio, allow for keyboard navigation, and use the authoring tools prescribed by NIC that supports accessibility, editing, and maintenance of the EIT. Use color contrast, clear language, and incorporate user/evaluation testing throughout process of creation where it applies. EIT created/distributed content must be usable by individuals with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairment.
