Coding It Forward Inc

CODING IT FORWARD PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT THE "CODING IT FORWARD FELLOWSHIP." THE PURPOSE IS TO INFUSE TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERTISE INTO THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS (BJS). PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE RECRUITING AND DEPLOYING FIVE SUMMER FELLOWS WITH SPECIALIZED SKILLS IN CODING, WEB DESIGN, AND DATA ANALYSIS TO WORK FULL-TIME AT BJS BETWEEN JUNE 10 AND AUGUST 16, 2024. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE ENHANCED DATA VISUALIZATION, IMPROVED ANALYSIS CAPABILITIES, AND INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY OF JUSTICE-RELATED DATA FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, POLICYMAKERS, RESEARCHERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE SERVICE AREA FOR THIS PROJECT ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS AND ITS STAKEHOLDERS, BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF GOVERNMENT. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROJECT ARE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, POLICYMAKERS, RESEARCHERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO RELY ON ACCURATE AND ACCESSIBLE JUSTICE-RELATED DATA.

THIS AGREEMENT CEMENTS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CODING IT FORWARD TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND HIRE TWO CODING IT FORWARD FELLOWS FOR WORK IN THE USDA AMS LOCAL AND REGIONAL DIVISION. GIVEN AN INCREASED INTEREST IN DATA AND METRICS, THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN BUILDING OUT

THIS AGREEMENT CEMENTS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CODING IT FORWARD TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND HIRE A CIVIC DATA FELLOW FOR WORK IN THE USDA AMS LOCAL AND REGIONAL DIVISION. GIVEN AN INCREASED INTEREST IN DATA AND METRICS, THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN BUILDING OUT ITS RESEARCH TALENT, HIRING NEW INDIVIDUALS WITH DIVERSE SKILLSETS IN QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS. IT IS CURRENTLY UTILIZING COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA, CREATE DATA VISUALIZATIONS, AND HELP THE AGENCY ADDRESSES GAPS IN RESEARCH, ALL WHICH LEAD INTO BETTER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STAKEHOLDERS. MANY DATA ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY, AND USDA AMS SEEKS NEW AND IMPROVED PRACTICES AND METHODS TO ENHANCE DATA STEWARDSHIP AND INCREASE ACCESS AND USABILITY IN A TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE MANNER. THROUGH AN ESTABLISHED FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (CODING IT FORWARD�S CIVIC DATA FELLOWSHIP) THAT STRIVES TO EXPOSE EARLY CAREER TECHNOLOGISTS TO PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AT FEDERAL AGENCIES, USDA AMS SEEKS THE EXPERTISE OF AN ORGANIZATION SPECIALIZING IN AND PARTNERING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE EXPERTS IN STUDENT SUMMER PROGRAMS TO MANAGE THE RECRUITMENT, APPLICATION, REVIEW, AND SELECTION PROCESSES, AND TO FACILITATE MATCHING OUR OFFICE WITH A FELLOW WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN DATA COLLECTION, USING STATISTICAL PROGRAMS TO USING STATISTICAL PROGRAMS TO CLEAN AND ANALYZE DATA (E.G., STATA, R), DEVELOPING DASHBOARDS AND VISUALIZATION (E.G., TABLEAU, ARCGIS), AND WHO UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGES OF DATA EQUITY. WE WOULD EXPECT THAT THE FELLOW WILL ALSO BE COMFORTABLE AND HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DATA MINING, MACHINE LEARNING, AND DATA MANAGEMENT. THE FELLOW WILL PRODUCE PRODUCTS FOR TECHNICAL AND NON-TECHNICAL AUDIENCES. A. THE FEDERAL AGENCY WILL: 1. ADVISE THE COOPERATOR IN DEVELOPING THE PROJECT AND TIMELINE, RECOMMENDING CHANGES TO SCOPE AND CONTENT OF ONGOING REPORTS AND PR OJECTS, AND REVIEWING ALL DELIVERABLES. 2. PROVIDE INPUT AS APPROPRIATE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT. 3. SUPERVISE AND GUIDE THE CIVIC DIGITAL FELLOW. 4. CREATE A DATA-CENTRIC PROJECT THAT CAN BE COMPLETED OVER 10 WEEKS IN SUMMER 2023. 5. PROVIDE ANY RELEVANT HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. 6. ASSIST IN OBTAINING AND PROVIDING DATA AND DISSEMINATING RELEVANT DATA. 7. SUPPORT THE FELLOW THROUGHOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT. 8. SERVE AS CONNECTOR BETWEEN OTHER USDA PARTNERS AND COOPERATOR. 9. PROVIDE THE COOPERATOR WITH A SUM NOT TO EXCEED $16,390.90 TO COVER ALL ALLOWABLE COSTS. B. THE COOPERATOR WILL: 1. WORK WITH USDA-AMS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR INPUT ON THE PROJECT. 2. KEEP USDA-AMS APPRISED OF ALL DEVELOPMENTS. 3. COMPLY WITH ALL REPORTING AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT GUIDELINES. 4. MANAGE AND EXECUTE THIS PROJECT AND ALL ACTIVITIES BELOW. 5. RECRUIT INTERVIEW, VET, AND MANAGE A CIVIC DIGITAL FELLOW AVAILABLE FOR THE PROJECT PERIOD. 6. COORDINATE ALL NECESSARY MEETINGS, BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON. 7. KEEP UP-TO-DATE RECORDS ON THE PROJECT; SUBMIT QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORTS TO THE FEDERAL AGENCY, AND PREPARE A FINAL REPORT DETAILING THE WORK COMPLETED AND THE RESULTS ACCOMPLISHED. 8. SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR ADVANCES OR REIMBURSEMENTS TO THE FEDERAL AGENCY AT LEAST QUARTERLY ON FORM SF-270, REQUEST FOR ADVANCE OR REIMBURSEMENT, VIA EZFEDGRANTS PORTAL. 9. IMMEDIATELY REFUND TO THE FEDERAL AGENCY, AT THE END OF THE AGREEMENT, ANY BALANCE OF UNOBLIGATED FUNDS ADVANCED. THIS AGREEMENT IS ASSESSED AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE AS PROVIDED UNDER THE DEBT COLLECTION ACT OF 1996. LATE PAYMENTS ARE ASSESSED AN INTEREST CHARGE OF 18 PERCENT PER MONTH AFTER 60 DAYS. A PENALTY CHARGE OF 7 PERCENT IS ASSESSED PER MONTH, IN ADDITION TO THE INTEREST CHARGE, AFTER 90 DAYS. 10. KEEP A SEPARATE ACCOUNT OF EXPENDITURES AND PROVIDE THE FEDERAL AGENCY A FINAL FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORT, FORM SF-425, SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN 90 DAYS AFTER THE END OF THE AGREEMENT.

THROUGH AN ESTABLISHED FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (THE CODING IT FORWARD FELLOWSHIP) THAT STRIVES TO EXPOSE EARLY CAREER TECHNOLOGISTS TO PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AT FEDERAL AGENCIES, USDA AMS SEEKS THE EXPERTISE OF AN ORGANIZATION SPECIALIZING IN AND PARTNERING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE EXPERTS IN STUDENT SUMMER PROGRAMS TO MANAGE THE RECRUITMENT, APPLICATION, REVIEW, AND SELECTION PROCESSES, AND TO FACILITATE MATCHING OUR OFFICE WITH FELLOWS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE IN SOME OF THE FOLLOWING: DATA COLLECTION, USING STATISTICAL PROGRAMS TO CLEAN AND ANALYZE DATA (E.G., STATA, R), DEVELOPING DASHBOARDS AND VISUALIZATION (E.G., TABLEAU, ARCGIS), AND WHO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES OF DATA EQUITY. WE WOULD EXPECT THAT THE FELLOWS WILL ALSO BE COMFORTABLE AND HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DATA MINING, MACHINE LEARNING, AND/OR DATA MANAGEMENT. THE FELLOWS WILL PRODUCE PRODUCTS FOR TECHNICAL AND NON-TECHNICAL AUDIENCES.