With this solicitation, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) seeks a data collection agent for administering the 2025 and 2026 annual Census of Jails (COJ) to approximately 2,900 jails.
The selected applicant will be responsible for developing a web version of the survey instruments; updating
jail status and contact information; and collecting, processing, and delivering the annual COJ data.
From 1970 to 2024, BJS conducted the COJ every 5 to 6 years to gather information on jail populations and facility characteristics.
Starting in 2025, BJS plans to conduct the COJ annually, generating county-level and state-level statistics on a yearly basis.
This award covers data collection for the 2025 and 2026 COJ.
Additional funding may be provided for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 COJ, contingent on funding availability and project performance.