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OVC Publishing Guidelines for Print and Multimedia About OVCOJP seal: Innovation . Partnerships . Safer Neighborhoods Message From the DirectorOVC Publishing Guidelines for Print and Multimedia NCJ 229712 / March 2010
Home Submission Deadlines Submission Requirements Publishing Process Product Types Writing Tips Developing an E-Pub Producing a Video Copyright & Policy Requirements
Publishing Process

Once your complete submission package has been received, OVC can begin the publishing process. The OVC Communications Team has oversight of the process and the multiple grantees/contracts that may be involved. Throughout the publishing process, you may hear from members of the OVC Communications Team, in consultation with your grant manager. The publishing process involves the following steps:

Initial Review

You must submit your product to OVC for review either 9 months or 120 days before your grant or contract ends, depending on your grant's special conditions. During this initial review, OVC will determine if the product will be published by OVC or the grantee/contract. OVC may guide the product through an internal and external peer review process after receiving it. If OVC plans to move forward with publishing the product, your OVC grant monitor will return the product—with reviewers' comments—to you for revision. Once OVC has received the revised product, it will be submitted to individuals within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for review and comment. Based on the extent of these comments, OVC may again return the product to you for additional revision.

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Assessment

After OVC receives the product with all comments incorporated, it will complete an editorial and/or technical assessment of the product and estimate the production costs. The OVC Communications Coordinator, in consultation with OVC senior management, will then review and either approve or disapprove the publishing and dissemination process. If the product is disapproved, the publication will not be published by OVC and your grant monitor will contact you regarding alternative options.

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Production

Upon approval from OVC management, the OVC Communications Team will produce the final product. Steps include editing, designing, and formatting the product and conducting quality control. Your product will receive varying levels of edits during this stage, and you may receive questions from your grant monitor or members of the OVC Communications Team. You may be asked to—

  • Clarify the meaning of a statement.
  • Provide the source for a quote.
  • Provide more details to support a claim.

OVC understands that these questions may be an additional burden; your input is necessary for delivering an effective product to the field, and we appreciate your support throughout final production.

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OVC/DOJ Approval

The final formatted version of the product, including all appropriate OVC documentation, will be forwarded through the OVC Deputy Director, the OVC Director, and the Office of the Assistant Attorney General (OAAG) for final review and approval. Once approved, advance notification of the product's anticipated release date is sent to the U.S. Attorney General.

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Printing

When applicable, and unless otherwise directed, the OVC Communications Team, in consultation with OJP's Office of Administration, will coordinate printing of the product through the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). Product specifications, quantities, and, at times, a hard copy mock-up will be prepared by the OVC Communications Team and delivered to GPO for printing cost estimates. Quantities will be determined based on marketing and dissemination efforts and will vary by product. The printing cost estimates will be presented to the OVC Director for final approval.

OVC uses barcoding to maintain and track its inventory of published products. Every item received into inventory will be assigned a product number that will be printed in barcode format on the document.

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Marketing & Dissemination

Once a product is finalized by the appropriate OVC grant monitor and division director in conjunction with the OVC Deputy Director and Director, marketing and dissemination take place. OVC will develop a plan that defines how it will disseminate the product and what content will support each marketing effort. Examples include email and newsletter copy, graphics and language for the OVC website, social media content, and collateral for conferences and events, such as one-pagers, marketing postcards, and brochures. Regular social media promotion via Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube is a key component of OVC's marketing efforts. By using engaging language, graphics, and relevant tags and hashtags, OVC ensures publications reach their intended target audience of professionals and victim service providers. OVC also collaborates with its OJP partners and other key constituents to coordinate promotional opportunities and facilitate deeper community engagement and education. When applicable, OVC will conduct bulk mailings of hard copy products as well.

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