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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

16.597:  Motor Vehicle Theft Protection Act Program

Popular Name:  Watch Your Car

Objectives:  The Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act of 1994 (MVTPA) authorizes the Attorney General to develop, in cooperation with the States, a national voluntary motor vehicle theft prevention program. The national "Watch Your Car" program is designed as a cooperative initiative between the States, local governments, and the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). It allows owners of motor vehicles to voluntarily display a decal or device on their vehicles to alert police that their vehicle is not normally driven between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Motorists may also choose to display another decal or device to signify their vehicle is not normally driven across or in the proximity of international land borders or ports.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

16.597 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  A State may apply on behalf of itself and its respective units of local government. If a state's chief motor vehicle theft prevention activities are currently administered by a local agency rather than a state agency, then the local agency may apply on behalf of itself and the other local jurisdictions. Applications are submitted by the point of contact of the State or unit of local government, in writing, and in accordance with established BJA application guidelines.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Eligible beneficiaries include State agencies, county and municipal police departments, crime prevention organizations, and the general public.

Credentials/Documentation:  Applicants should submit the original copy of the Standard Form 424, signed by the project point of contact to the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, NW., Washington, DC 20531. Applicants should submit a complete line item budget and accompanying detailed budget narrative that explains all costs for which Watch Your Car funding is requested and provides sufficient information to document how costs were derived. Finally, applicants should develop an implementation plan to identify the steps they will take to implement the program along with a schedule for the completion of each step.

16.597 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  Notice of the availability of funds under the Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act will be published in the Federal Register. Additionally, all States will receive the Bureau's motor vehicle theft prevention program announcement and application kit containing the notice of the availability of funds and application materials. Applicants also may contact the Department of Justice Response Center in Washington, DC, at (800) 421-6770 or (202) 307-1480 to obtain a copy. The standard application form as furnished by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), in accordance with 28, CFR Part 66 (Common Rule), must be used for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:  Application guidelines and forms are available by contacting the Department of Justice Response Center as noted above.

Award Procedure:  An award is granted by the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance and must be accepted by the applicant agency or institution according to the special conditions of the grant.

Deadlines:  Contact the Department of Justice Response Center for application deadlines. Both the program announcement published in the Federal Register along with the Bureau of Justice Assistance motor vehicle theft prevention program announcement will note the application deadline.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  About 60 days.

Appeals:  Determined by the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Renewals:  Awards will be for periods of up to 24 months.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Criteria are described in the Watch Your Car Program Announcement.

Examples of Funded Projects:  During fiscal year 1998, awards were made to Alabama, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, South Carolina and the Virgin Islands. During fiscal year 1999, awards were made to Colorado, Delaware, Tennessee, and the State of Washington.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Not available.

16.597 RELATED PROGRAMS:

• 16.579 Byrne Formula Grant Program;
• 16.580 Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Discretionary Grants Program.

16.597 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

16.597 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants (Discretionary).

Obligations:  (Grants) FY 99 $700,000; FY 00 est $2,413,730; and FY 01 est $1,254,200.

Budget Account Number:  15-8586-0-1-754.

Authorization:  Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, Title XXII, Public Law 103-322, 42 U.S.C 14171 et. seq.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide.

16.597 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  The Department of Justice Response Center at (800) 421-6770 or (202) 307-1480.

Headquarters Office:  Greg Morris, Program Manager for Watch Your Car, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 810 Seventh Street, NW., Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20531. Phone: (202) 616- 3458.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

16.597 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  Grants will be made for amounts up to 100 percent of the costs of the program or projects contained in the approved application. There is no cash match required of grant recipients.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Varies, generally one fiscal year. Audit requirements from OMB Circular No. A-133 shall apply to audits of institutions for fiscal years that begin on or after January 1, 1990.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Federal grant funds may be used for the printing or purchase and distribution of decals, registration and consent forms, public information materials and awareness campaigns, auto glass etching, training programs for law enforcement personnel, registration campaigns, equipment such as audio/visual aids and exhibits, administrative costs, upgrading of computer databases, additional personnel, travel expenses, and overtime for Watch Your Car activities. No funds shall be used for land acquisition nor may funds be used to supplant State or local funds that would otherwise be made available for such purposes. There is no matching requirement.

16.597 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  "Fiscal Reports" which consist of quarterly budget expenditure reports and "Progress Reports" which consist of semi-annual program progress reports and final financial and progress reports.

Audits:  All organizations that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit for that year in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-133, as amended, unless the audit condition on the award says otherwise. These audits are due to the cognizant Federal agency not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year.

Records:  All grantees are required to establish and maintain accounting systems and financial records in order to account for funds awarded to them.