Revised CCMEO FY19 DNA Backlog Formula via GAM #5

The Cuyahoga County, Ohio Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (CCRFSL) is the primary accredited DNA Analysis Laboratory for Cuyahoga County and the Northeast Ohio region. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office Forensic Laboratories accreditations include the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) while also complying with the requirements of the FBI Quality Assurance Standards (QAS). These accreditations verify the reliability of the CCRFSL equipment, the qualifications of laboratory staff, the soundness of testing methods and its forensic science operational procedures. Under this Award, the coalesced project continues to address capacity enhancement and backlog reduction. This is being accomplished through the procurement of previously approved sole sourced Supplies and procurement of the sole sourced TrueAllele® Casework System Capacity Expansion Module. Based on the present increased needs and demands placed on the CCRFSL to process and increase throughput of backlogged DNA casework, it herein, submits for Federal approval Grant Adjustment Modification (GAM) No. 5 - “Change in Scope”. GAM No. 5 will provide the means to procure critically needed instrumentation and equipment for use by its forensic scientists to enhance the crime lab’s capabilities to help in criminal investigations for the region’s law enforcement and judicial communities. To pertinently address the increased demand, GAM No. 5 proposes to re-allocate “Supplies” budget category funding under Award No. 2019-DN-BX-0046 to the “Equipment” budget category to immediately procure much needed critical equipment to process forensic DNA samples and store the samples at the correct ambient temperature to prevent sample degradation. The GAM No. 5 – Change in Scope requests Federal approval to procure three (3 count) specific Centrifuges and one (1 count) General Purpose (GP) Series Combination Lab Refrigerator/Freezer for the CCRFSL DNA Laboratory a total cost of approximately $18,602 for the instrumentation equipment. The above proposed actions will align to supplement changes in the award’s goals and objectives. The proposed new revised goals and objectives under Award No. 2019-DN-BX-0046 are as follows: 1. Goal 1: Reduce forensic DNA sample turnaround time by 11%; 1.1. Objective A: Purchase supplies for backlogged cases. 1.2. Objective B: Use supplies in casework analysis. 1.3. Objective C: Purchase of the sole sourced TrueAllele® Casework System Capacity Expansion Module (16 interpreter model). 1.4. Objective D: Competitively procure three (3 count) of the sole sourced Eppendorf™ Centrifuge Model No. 5425. 1.5. Objective E: Competitively procure One (1 count) General Purpose (GP) Series Combination Lab Refrigerator/Freezer. 2. Goal 2: Increase capacity and reduce DNA Backlog by 11%. 2.1. Objective A: Purchase supplies for backlogged cases. 2.2. Objective B: Use supplies in casework analysis. 2.3. Objective C: Implement production use of the TrueAllele® Casework System Capacity Expansion Module (16 interpreter model). 2.4. Objective D: Implement production use of the three (3 count) sole source Eppendorf™ Centrifuge Model No. 5425. 2.5. Objective E: Implement production use of the one (1 count) General Purpose (GP) Series Combination Lab Refrigerator/Freezer. 3. Goal 3: Enhance the CCRFSL crime lab’s capabilities in resolution and interpretation of complex DNA mixtures. 3.1. Objective A: Procure and implement production use of the TrueAllele® Casework System Capacity Expansion Module (16 interpreter model). 3.2. Objective B: Procure and implement production use of the three (3 count) of the sole sourced Eppendorf™ Centrifuge Model No. 5425. 3.3. Objective C: Procure and implement production use of the one (1 count) General Purpose (GP) Series Combination Lab Refrigerator/Freezer. The proposed GAM No. 5 “Change in Scope” will be accomplished based on the CCMEO/CCRFSL receipt of Federal approval under this Award to procure select “Equipment” budget category items for the timely, critical and required processing of mounting casework by the CCRFSL DNA Laboratory Unit.