NPS-NOIP20AC00303 BUFF Cave and Karst Mgmt-WNS Response - Notice of Intent.pdf

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

This announcement is not a request for applications.

This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service’s intention to award financial assistance for the following project activities. Refer to Section 2. Grants.gov Posting Determination.

ABSTRACT

Grants.gov Opportunity Number Project Title Recipient Anticipated Federal Funding Non-Federal Cost Share Total Anticipated Award Amount

Award Instrument

Anticipated Period of Performance

Legal Authority

CFDA # and Title

Single Source Justification Criteria

National Park Service Point of Contact

PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

STATEMENT OF PUBLIC PURPOSE

Section 1. Project Summary

Task Agreement Cooperative Agreement

Grant Agreement

STATEMENT OF WORK SUMMARY

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARTIES

A. The recipient shall be responsible for the following items under this agreement:

B. The NPS Responsibilities:

A task agreement is proposed;

A cooperative agreement is proposed;

therefore substantial involvement by NPS is anticipated during the period of performance of this agreement. In support of this agreement NPS will:

A grant agreement is proposed, therefore no substantial involvement on the part of the NPS is anticipated for the successful completion of the statement of work. It is anticipated that involvement will be limited to actions related to monitoring project performance and technical assistance at the request of the recipient.

Section 3. Single Source Justification

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS

National Park Service Policy FAP&P 1443-2015-06 requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable. The justification must address one of the following criteria.

In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria:

(1) Unsolicited Proposal – The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives. The unsolicited proposal must demonstrate an innovative capability or concept not currently available to the government, and prepared without Government involvement. ;

(2) Continuation – The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of, an activity presently being funded, for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity;

(3) Legislative intent – The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress’ intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose;

(4) Unique Qualifications – The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications. Successful past performance, familiarity with existing requirements, capabilities that can be obtained or matched by a competitor, or a positive reputation, are not considered to be unique qualifications.

(5) Emergencies – Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed.

NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:

Task Agreement issued under previously competed or single source master cooperative agreement per Section 2 above. Single Source Justification not applicable.

Continuation

Unique Qualifications

Unsolicited Proposal

Legislative Intent

Explanation of the proposed recipient’s qualifications or the criteria of the proposed project which requires use of the single source criteria cited.

Section 2. Grants.gov Posting Determination

Emergency

The National Park Service intends to award a task agreement under a previously competed or single source justified award.

The National Park Service intends to award a single source justified cooperative agreement. Refer to Section 3 Single Source Justification.

The National Park Service intends to award a single source justified grant agreement. Refer to Section 3 Single Source Justification.

Section 4. Department of the Interior Secretary’s Priorities

This award will support the following DOI Secretary priority(ies):

Other Key Initiatives:

Employment of veterans.

Supporting DOI Infrastructure needs.

Creating jobs in the American economy.

Access to outdoor recreation opportunities.

Priority 1: Creating a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt Utilize science to identify best practices to manage land and water resources and adapt to changes in the environment.

Examine land use planning process and land use designations that govern public use and access.

Revise and streamline the environmental and regulatory review process while maintaining environmental standards.

Review DOI water storage, transportation, and distribution systems to identify opportunities to resolve conflicts and expand capacity.

Foster relationships with conservation organizations advocating for balanced stewardship and use of public lands.

Identify and implement initiatives to expand access to DOI lands for hunting and fishing.

Shift the balance towards providing greater public access to public lands over restrictions to access.

Priority 2: Utilizing our natural resources Ensure American energy is available to meet our security and economic needs.

Ensure access to mineral resources, especially the critical and rare earth minerals.

Refocus timber programs to embrace the entire 'healthy forests' lifecycle.

Manage competition for grazing resources.

Priority 3: Restoring trust with local communities Be a better neighbor with those closest to our resources by improving dialogue and relationships with persons and entities bordering our lands.

Expand the lines of communication with Governors, state natural resource offices, Fish and Wildlife offices, water authorities, county commissioners, Tribes, and local communities.

Priority 4: Ensuring sovereignty means something Support tribal self-determination, self-governance, and sovereignty.

Solidify mutual interests between the U.S. and the freely associated states and territories.

Priority 5: Generating additional revenues to support DOI & National interests Ensure that the public receives the full market value for the natural resources produced on Federal lands.

Ensure that fees or costs levied for DOI services are reasonable and targeted to achieve cost recovery.

Consider the impact of DOI decisions on economic development and job creation.

Priority 6: Protecting our people and the border Actively support efforts to secure our southern border.

Ensure DOI law enforcement staffing addresses public safety risks anticipated on DOI land.

Promote a "public service" demeanor within our law enforcement community.

Priority 7: Striking a regulatory balance

Reduce the administrative and regulatory burden imposed on U.S.

industry and the public.

Ensure that Endangered Species Act decisions are based on strong science and thorough analysis.

Priority 8: Modernizing our infrastructure Support the White House Public/Private Partnership Initiative to modernize U.S. infrastructure.

Remove impediments to infrastructure development and facilitate private sector efforts to construct infrastructure projects serving American needs.

Prioritize DOI infrastructure needs to highlight:

1. Construction of infrastructure;

2. Cyclical maintenance;

3. Deferred maintenance.

Senior executives are expected to provide leadership in achieving goals of the President and the Secretary.

The Management Team is expected to:

1. Ensure cost-effective operations and quality service to the public;

2. Facilitate organizational cooperation and conflict resolution;

3. Ensure the workplace environment is conducive to employee productivity and safety;

4. Hold individuals accountable for actions that violate DOI policies and requirements.

Priority 10: Achieving our goals and leading our team forward

The proposed project does not support any of the DOI Secretary priorities, but the project is being funded for the following reasons:

Priority 9: Reorganizing for the next 100 years

Improve alignment and integration of the DOI organizational structure. Redistribute organizational resources (people and funding) to enhance mission achievement and improved public service.

Improve organizational alignment with Executive Branch counterparts with major land management assets or influence.

2. Collaborate at least annually with Recipient to establish annual goals, define target resources to monitor, and provide any updates to decontamination protocols, access constraints, emergency contacts, operating procedures, or any other important changes.

3. Provide access to caves for the purpose of research and/or restoration as authorized by NPS Management Policies 4.8.2.2.

4. Consult with Recipient, as appropriate, to take advantage of its considerable expertise and information in the study, management, and interpretation of cave and karst resources.

5. Provide appropriate housing and office space to serve as a physical repository for information gathered by Recipient researchers.

6. Provide equipment storage, data books, computer and internet access, drafting equipment and supplies, vehicle, canoes, park radios, signs, data loggers, cameras, access to caves and physical assistance as time and budget constraints allow.

7. Provide specific guidance and review via National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historical Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance regarding any proposed habitat modification or cave surface modification that could impact natural or cultural resources (i.e., digging, gating, etc).

8. Provide copying services for maps and other materials to researchers as need to assist with their fieldwork.

9. Provide field-mapping and cave inventory equipment as needed and available (i.e., may include compass, inclinometer, and tape, laser rangefinders, Global Positioning System equipment, etc.).

10. Contact experts within BUFF, as appropriate, to review and comment on karst research proposals and documents submitted by other researchers.

11. Provide necessary containment and decontamination supplies, materials and equipment at the Research Facilities.

12. Provide a technical representative to assist with specifics of projects as needed.

C. The Recipient and NPS, jointly, agree to:

1. Participate and collaborate jointly in carrying out scope of work duties to include but not limited to the following: Cave Monitoring Program: BUFF staff will provide oversight in developing monitoring goals, management plans, research/restoration projects and interpretative material related to cave ecosystems. BUFF staff will provide additional assistance in conducting bat and overall biological inventories of caves and disease monitoring/testing.

2. Conduct research on karst and caves on lands administered by BUFF to advance knowledge through cave monitoring, biological surveys, human disturbance surveys, and cartographic surveys.

3. Provide assistance with karst groundwater water monitoring, cave metrological studies, geologic studies, cultural studies and interpretative efforts as time and budget will allow.

4. Provide updates and maintain the park cave and karst database.

5. Place signs on caves and inspect cave fences and gates to protect cave resources.

6. Provide expertise, information, and workers to assist BUFF in managing and interpreting its cave and karst resources.

7. Provide digital field notes, sketches, and raw data to BUFF; information on threatened and endangered species and cave locations will be protected from unauthorized access during all aspects of data management.

8. Provide copies of all working maps, final maps, publications, reports, photographs, publications and anything supporting documentation to NPS; may be in electronic or paper format.

9. Provide geographic information system (GIS) coverages with metadata in Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) shapelife, coverage, or geodatabase format.

10. Provide monitoring and survey reports on a per-trip basis through database updates.

11. Provide a detailed list of the number of person hours, contributed to NPS by September 1st of each year; to include travel time, data collection time, data analysis time, database time, report development, and cartography time.

12. Procure a research permit from NPS before any collection or natural or cultural materials to include specific projects.

13. Work with other agencies, non-government entities (NGO’s) and education institutions to further the goals of cooperative research and further the public’s knowledge of caves and karst.

14. Comply with the curation guidelines set forth in NPS 28. Maintain confidentiality of the locations of significant caves on public land, locations of paleontological features, and locations of archeological resources as required by the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act, Archeological Resources Protection Act, Paleontological Resources Protection Act, and their implementing regulations.

15. Adhere to decontamination standards as set by the NPS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prevent further spread of White-Nose Syndrome.

16. Aid in the maintenance of the Toney Bend and Steel Creek Research Facilities (i.e., may include such activities as cleaning, minor repairs, etc.).

17. Report any emergencies or violations immediately to NPS.