BJA FY 23 Intellectual Property Enforcement Program: Protecting Public Health, Safety, and the Economy from Counterfeit Goods and Product Piracy | O BJA 2023 171686

FAQs: FY 2023 Intellectual Property Enforcement Program (BJA/OJP)

What is this grant opportunity?

This is the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY 2023 Intellectual Property Enforcement Program: Protecting Public Health, Safety, and the Economy from Counterfeit Goods and Product Piracy (Funding Opportunity Number: O-BJA-2023-171686). It is a discretionary grant under CFDA 16.752 offered through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

What is the main purpose of the program?

The program is designed to help law enforcement agencies strengthen their ability to prevent, investigate, and disrupt intellectual property (IP) crimes, especially the trafficking of counterfeit goods and product piracy. The goal is to reduce harms to consumers, legitimate businesses, and local and national economies.

What types of IP crimes are emphasized in this solicitation?

The solicitation emphasizes counterfeit goods trafficking and product piracy, particularly when those activities threaten public health and safety, undermine legitimate commerce, and support criminal enterprises.

Does this program focus on individual agencies working alone, or coordinated task forces?

The focus is on coordinated, multi-agency task force models rather than isolated, single-agency efforts. BJA is specifically supporting the formation, expansion, or enhancement of IP enforcement task forces.

Do applicants need to already have an IP enforcement task force?

BJA is specifically looking for applications from agencies that already operate an IP enforcement task force or that have a clear plan to create one. In other words, either an existing task force or a well-defined plan to stand one up is expected.

What does BJA expect an IP enforcement task force to do?

Task forces are expected to work across jurisdictions and disciplines and build practical partnerships that improve case development, intelligence-sharing, and operational effectiveness in identifying and stopping counterfeit and pirated products.

What kind of collaboration is expected from applicants?

Strong collaboration with governmental partners at the state, local, territorial, tribal, and federal levels is a major expectation. The solicitation highlights the value of coordinated enforcement models and multi-agency partnerships.

Is coordination with the local U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) required or encouraged?

Coordination with the local U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) is explicitly highlighted in the opportunity. Applicants should be prepared to align investigative and enforcement efforts with prosecutorial priorities and federal resources where appropriate.

Why is USAO coordination important for this program?

The structure is intended to help task forces move complex cases forward more effectively, especially when counterfeit networks cross multiple jurisdictions or rely on sophisticated supply chains and online distribution.

How does this solicitation connect to broader OJP priorities?

Although the program is focused on IP enforcement, it sits within OJP's broader public safety and justice priorities. OJP emphasizes advancing civil rights and racial equity, increasing access to justice, supporting crime victims and people impacted by the justice system, strengthening community safety, protecting the public from evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and the community.

What does it mean to "reflect OJP values" in an IP enforcement program?

Applicants are expected to understand and reflect OJP's department-wide values in the way they design and carry out enforcement strategies, partnerships, and community-facing activities, even though the operational focus is IP crime.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations (including those that are not federally recognized tribal governments).

Can tribal organizations that are not federally recognized apply?

Yes. Eligibility includes Native American tribal organizations, including those that are not federally recognized tribal governments.

Can public colleges or universities apply?

Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education are eligible. The solicitation notes that this broad eligibility supports different regional models, including collaborations anchored by public universities when they have a relevant operational role and capacity.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $375,000 per award.

What is the application deadline?

The original application closing date was May 23, 2023.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on March 30, 2023.

Which agency is making the award?

The awarding agency is the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), under the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

What is the program trying to achieve in practical terms?

The program is intended to invest targeted resources into organized enforcement efforts that reduce the availability of counterfeit and pirated goods, protect consumers from unsafe products, and support fair economic activity by disrupting criminal enterprises that profit from infringement and counterfeit distribution.

What kinds of cases is this program well-suited for?

Based on the solicitation description, it is well-suited for coordinated investigations and enforcement efforts where counterfeit and pirated goods move through complex distribution channels, span multiple jurisdictions, or involve online sales and broader supply chains.