Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2020 17272
The BJA FY 20 Intellectual Property Enforcement Program (IPEP) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BJA 2020 17272) is a discretionary Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance initiative aimed at strengthening how state, local, and tribal criminal justice systems investigate and prosecute intellectual property (IP) crimes. The program is framed around protecting public health and safety, as well as the broader economy, from the harms tied to counterfeit goods and product piracy. In practical terms, the grant is meant to help jurisdictions treat IP crimes not as minor, isolated offenses, but as organized criminal activity that can involve unsafe consumer products, supply chain infiltration, fraud, and links to other illicit conduct.
A central purpose of IPEP is capacity building: helping agencies improve their ability to conduct IP enforcement through prosecution support, prevention efforts, training, and technical assistance. Rather than funding stand-alone activities, BJA emphasizes coordinated, task-force-based work that aligns with the mission and priorities of the DOJ IP Task Force. The solicitation highlights that improved coordination among federal, state, and local authorities is a primary DOJ objective, meaning applicants are expected to show a clear plan for partnership and joint operations, not just internal agency improvements.
Funding is targeted to law enforcement agencies working through IP enforcement task forces, with the expectation that these task forces will coordinate goals, objectives, and operational activities in close collaboration with relevant partners. A notable requirement is meaningful engagement with federal counterparts and the local U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO). The solicitation also anticipates participation, where appropriate, from federal investigative agencies such as the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), alongside other relevant state, local, tribal, and federal entities. In other words, proposals need to demonstrate how the applicant will function as part of a broader enforcement ecosystem that can move cases from investigation to prosecution, share intelligence, and synchronize efforts across jurisdictions.
Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, with an additional eligibility category for other entities as clarified in the full solicitation. The grant is cataloged under CFDA 16.752, and it is associated with multiple policy activity areas, including consumer protection and law, justice, and legal services, reflecting the program's dual focus on protecting the public from dangerous counterfeit products while also strengthening criminal justice responses.
For FY 2020, the opportunity was posted February 12, 2020, with an original application deadline of April 14, 2020. BJA anticipated making about 6 awards, with an award ceiling of $400,000 per grant. The program design suggests competitive selection based on how well an applicant can demonstrate an established or developing IP task force structure, clear interagency coordination (especially with the USAO and relevant federal agencies), and a credible strategy to enhance enforcement outcomes through training, prevention, investigative support, and prosecution-oriented collaboration.
Overall, IPEP is built to help jurisdictions formalize or upgrade IP enforcement task forces, improve multi-agency coordination, and increase the effectiveness of criminal justice responses to counterfeit goods and piracy, particularly where those crimes pose real risks to consumer safety and cause measurable economic harm. The strongest applicants under this framework are those that can show active partnerships, shared operational planning, and a realistic path from investigations to prosecutable cases, supported by targeted training and technical assistance that fills specific local capability gaps.Apply for BJA 2020 17272
- The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the consumer protection, education, employment, labor and training, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), information and statistics, law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 20 The Intellectual Property Enforcement Program: Protecting Public Health, Safety, and the Economy from Counterfeit Goods and Product Piracy" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.752.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 12, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 14, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): BJA FY 20 Intellectual Property Enforcement Program (IPEP)
What is the BJA FY 20 Intellectual Property Enforcement Program (IPEP)?
The Intellectual Property Enforcement Program (IPEP) is a discretionary U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grant initiative designed to strengthen how state, local, and tribal criminal justice systems investigate and prosecute intellectual property (IP) crimes, including counterfeit goods and product piracy.
What is the funding opportunity number for this solicitation?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is BJA 2020 17272.
What types of crimes is IPEP focused on?
IPEP focuses on intellectual property crimes, particularly those involving counterfeit goods and product piracy. The program frames these offenses as potentially organized criminal activity that can include unsafe consumer products, supply chain infiltration, fraud, and links to other illicit conduct.
Why does the program emphasize public health and safety?
The solicitation highlights that counterfeit goods and piracy can create real risks to consumer safety and public health, especially when counterfeits involve unsafe or substandard products. The program is positioned not only as an economic protection effort, but also as a public safety initiative.
What is the main goal of IPEP?
A central goal is capacity building: helping agencies improve their ability to conduct IP enforcement through prosecution support, prevention efforts, training, and technical assistance, with an emphasis on coordinated approaches.
Does BJA expect applicants to work through a task force?
Yes. The program emphasizes coordinated, task-force-based work rather than stand-alone activities. Applicants are expected to show how they will operate through an IP enforcement task force structure and how that structure will align goals, objectives, and operations among partners.
How important is coordination with federal partners?
Coordination with federal partners is described as a primary DOJ objective. The solicitation expects meaningful engagement with federal counterparts and the local U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO), and anticipates participation, where appropriate, from federal investigative agencies such as the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI).
Is coordination with the local U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) required?
The opportunity explicitly calls for meaningful engagement with the local USAO. Proposals are expected to show a clear plan for partnership and joint operations, including how cases can move from investigation to prosecution.
What kinds of activities does IPEP support?
Based on the description provided, supported activities include improving investigative and prosecution capacity through prosecution support, prevention efforts, training, and technical assistance, within a coordinated task force framework.
Is the program intended to fund internal agency upgrades only?
No. BJA emphasizes coordinated, task-force-based work and improved multi-agency coordination. Applicants are expected to present a partnership-driven approach, not just internal improvements within a single agency.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as broad and includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The solicitation also references an additional eligibility category for other entities as clarified in the full solicitation.
What is the CFDA number for this grant?
The grant is cataloged under CFDA 16.752.
How many awards did BJA anticipate making?
BJA anticipated making about 6 awards for FY 2020.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed is $400,000 per grant.
When was the opportunity posted and what was the application deadline?
The opportunity was posted on February 12, 2020. The original application deadline was April 14, 2020.
What makes an application competitive under this program?
The description suggests competitive applications will demonstrate an established or developing IP task force structure, clear interagency coordination (especially with the USAO and relevant federal agencies), and a credible strategy to improve enforcement outcomes through training, prevention, investigative support, and prosecution-oriented collaboration.
What does the solicitation mean by treating IP crimes as organized criminal activity?
The program framing indicates that IP crimes can be more than isolated incidents. Counterfeiting and piracy may involve coordinated networks, infiltration of legitimate supply chains, fraud schemes, and connections to other illegal conduct, which is why the grant emphasizes coordinated enforcement and prosecution pathways.
Does the program prioritize moving cases from investigation to prosecution?
Yes. The opportunity highlights the need for an enforcement ecosystem that can move cases from investigation to prosecution, supported by intelligence sharing and synchronized operations across jurisdictions.
What policy areas are associated with this grant?
The opportunity is associated with multiple policy activity areas, including consumer protection and law, justice, and legal services, reflecting both public safety and criminal justice system strengthening goals.
What is the role of training and technical assistance in IPEP?
Training and technical assistance are identified as key tools for capacity building and for filling specific local capability gaps, supporting better investigative work, prevention efforts, and prosecution-oriented coordination.
What is the overall purpose of the program in practical terms?
In practical terms, IPEP is intended to help jurisdictions formalize or upgrade IP enforcement task forces, improve multi-agency coordination, and increase the effectiveness of criminal justice responses to counterfeit goods and piracy, especially when those crimes create consumer safety risks and measurable economic harm.
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