BJA FY 19 The Intellectual Property Enforcement Program: Protecting Public Health, Safety, and the Economy from Counterfeit Goods and Product Piracy | BJA 2019 15148

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2019 15148

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY 2019 Intellectual Property Enforcement Program (IPEP) is a Department of Justice grant opportunity aimed at strengthening how state, local, and tribal criminal justice systems combat intellectual property crime, with a particular focus on counterfeit goods and product piracy that threaten public health, public safety, and the broader economy. The program is built around the idea that counterfeiting and piracy are not just marketplace issues; they can involve dangerous products, organized criminal activity, and supply chain abuses that require coordinated criminal enforcement, prosecution strategies, and sustained prevention efforts.

This solicitation (Funding Opportunity Number BJA-2019-15148; CFDA 16.752) is a discretionary grant program, meaning awards are made competitively based on how well applicants meet the program goals and requirements. BJA designed IPEP to provide national support and to expand operational capacity through activities such as investigation and enforcement support, prosecution assistance, training for practitioners, and technical assistance to help jurisdictions build durable intellectual property enforcement capabilities.

A central requirement of the program is coordination. BJA intends to fund law enforcement agencies that can organize and manage the goals, objectives, and daily activities of intellectual property enforcement task forces, while working closely with relevant partners across government. Applicants are expected to demonstrate strong collaboration among state, local, tribal, and federal entities, including active engagement with the local U.S. Attorney's Office. The program reflects DOJ priorities under the DOJ IP Task Force mission, emphasizing that effective IP enforcement depends on aligning strategies and avoiding fragmented efforts across jurisdictions.

Funded projects are expected to establish new or enhance existing state and local IP enforcement task forces. These task forces should include the relevant law enforcement stakeholders and, where appropriate, federal partners such as local offices of the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), and U.S. Attorneys. The emphasis is on operational, real-world enforcement coordination: building relationships, improving case referrals and investigative workflows, sharing intelligence, and aligning investigative and prosecutorial decision-making so that cases involving counterfeit goods and piracy can be identified, investigated, and prosecuted more effectively.

Eligible applicants cover a wide range of public-sector and higher-education entities, including state governments, counties, cities or townships, special district governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and private institutions of higher education. This eligibility structure reflects the program's practical focus on local capacity building and cross-sector expertise, recognizing that effective IP enforcement can involve specialized knowledge, training infrastructure, and regional partnerships that extend beyond a single agency.

The opportunity was created on April 29, 2019, with an original application closing date of July 2, 2019. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) was $400,000, and BJA anticipated making approximately six awards. The funding activity categories associated with the program span law, justice, and legal services as well as consumer protection and related fields, reinforcing the program's goal of protecting communities from harmful counterfeit products while also safeguarding legitimate commerce and economic integrity.

Overall, IPEP is positioned as a capacity-building and coordination grant: it is meant to help jurisdictions organize stronger, more connected IP enforcement task forces that can prevent, investigate, and prosecute counterfeit and piracy crimes more effectively, with clear alignment to DOJ strategy and close collaboration with federal law enforcement and prosecutors.

• 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, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 19 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 Apr 29, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 02, 2019. (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, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for BJA 2019 15148

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