FY26 COPS Technology and Equipment Program | O COPS 2026 172583

FY26 COPS Technology and Equipment Program (TEP) FAQs

What is the FY26 COPS Technology and Equipment Program (TEP)?

The FY26 COPS Technology and Equipment Program (TEP) is a federal discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). It is intended to help law enforcement agencies and related public entities develop, purchase, and deploy law enforcement equipment, public safety technologies, and interoperable communications systems that improve crime prevention and response while also supporting the expansion of community policing strategies.

Which federal agency runs this grant program?

The program is run by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).

Is this funding opportunity competitive?

No. The FY26 COPS TEP is described as noncompetitive and invitational. It is not open to all applicants in the typical competitive sense.

What does "invitational" mean for applicants?

"Invitational" means only specific entities identified by Congress are eligible to apply. If an agency or jurisdiction is not listed as an intended recipient for this purpose, it should not expect to be eligible for an award under this particular Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to the state, territorial, local, Tribal, and other entities that Congress identified for funding under the heading "Community Oriented Policing Services, Technology and Equipment Community Projects / COPS Law Enforcement Technology and Equipment" in the Congressional Joint Explanatory Statement (JES) incorporated into Public Law 119-74.

If my agency is not named in the JES, can we still apply?

Based on the NOFO description provided, no. The program limits eligibility to the projects and recipients explicitly designated in the JES. If your agency or jurisdiction is not named in the JES list for this purpose, it should not expect to be eligible under this NOFO.

What is the JES and why does it matter?

The Congressional Joint Explanatory Statement (JES) is the document that identifies which recipients and projects Congress designated for this funding under the relevant heading. This program is tied to those congressionally identified recipients, so the JES functions as the controlling eligibility list.

What is the importance of matching our legal name to the JES listing?

A key administrative requirement is that the applicant's legal name (and any "doing business as" name) associated with its Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the System for Award Management (SAM) must exactly match the agency name as it appears in the JES. Because this is a congressionally directed program, naming consistency is treated as a threshold eligibility condition.

What happens if our SAM-registered name does not exactly match the JES name?

Any mismatch between the JES-listed name and the name tied to your UEI in SAM could create delays or lead to disqualification, even if the applicant is otherwise the intended recipient.

What is the UEI and how is it used in this program?

The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is the identifier tied to an entity's registration in the System for Award Management (SAM). For this program, the UEI-linked legal name (and any DBA name) must match the name shown in the JES for the designated recipient.

What is SAM and why is it relevant here?

The System for Award Management (SAM) is the federal registration system that connects an applicant's entity record (including its legal name and UEI) to federal funding processes. The NOFO emphasizes SAM data accuracy because awards are restricted to congressionally designated recipients and require exact name alignment with the JES.

What can grant funds be used for?

Program funds are designed to help develop, purchase, and deploy law enforcement equipment, public safety technologies, and interoperable communications systems. The focus is on improving crime prevention and response while supporting the expansion of community policing strategies.

Does the program emphasize any technical standards for purchased equipment?

Yes. A key expectation is that equipment purchased with program funds should meet applicable standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), specifically through NIST's Office of Law Enforcement Standards when relevant. This signals an emphasis on proven performance, quality, and compatibility.

What is NIST's role in this program?

NIST is referenced as the source of applicable standards that program-funded equipment is expected to meet. When relevant, the NOFO points to NIST's Office of Law Enforcement Standards, underscoring the importance of standards-based purchasing for performance and interoperability.

What types of entities are included as eligible applicant categories (if listed in the JES)?

Eligible applicant types, assuming they are specifically named in the JES, include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, federally recognized Tribal governments, and other designated entities.

Are Tribal governments eligible?

Federally recognized Tribal governments are included among the eligible applicant types, as long as they are specifically named in the JES as designated recipients for this program.

Is there a legal compliance requirement tied to 8 U.S.C. 1373?

Yes. The NOFO highlights a legal compliance condition for state and local government entities related to 8 U.S.C. 1373.

What does 8 U.S.C. 1373 require (as described in the NOFO summary)?

Under 8 U.S.C. 1373, state and local governments may not prohibit or restrict their officials or entities from sending, receiving, maintaining, or exchanging information about an individual's citizenship or immigration status with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or with other federal, state, or local government entities. The NOFO notes that this includes restrictions imposed by state or local government entities or officials.

Does 8 U.S.C. 1373 apply to all applicants?

Based on the provided summary, the NOFO highlights this condition specifically for state and local government entities. (The summary does not specify how it is applied to other types of entities.)

What type of grant is this categorized as?

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the Law, Justice and Legal Services area.

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number is 16.710.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is O-COPS-2026-172583.

What is the application closing date?

The posted application closing date is July 21, 2026.

What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?

The NOFO lists an award ceiling of $20,000,000.

How many awards are anticipated?

The NOFO anticipates approximately 437 awards, indicating funding is expected to be distributed across many designated recipients and projects.

What is the main purpose of this program in practical terms?

In practical terms, this is a congressionally directed, invitation-only technology and equipment investment program intended to modernize public safety capabilities, strengthen interoperability, and support community policing outcomes. It also places strict emphasis on standards compliance (including NIST expectations when relevant), accurate entity registration and naming consistency in SAM versus the JES, and compliance with certain statutory requirements for state and local participants.