NPS-NOIP20AS00085.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

Current as of 10/29/2018

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.

Dramatic increase in visitation over the last decade at the hydrothermal bathing area in the Gardner River has resulted in non-renewable archaeological resources experiencing increased degradation from visitor impacts through intensified pedestrian traffic, use of unauthorized social trails, and prohibited artifact collection.

This area was heavily used by pre-contact and historic period peoples. Along the western side of Gardner River, near the junction of Boiling River, there are 20 archaeological sites within 3,000 linear riverine meters of the bathing area, including pre-contact stone tipi rings, buried hearths, and resource processing sites; six are identified as potentially NRHP-eligible. The east side of the river, easily accessible to park visitors, has not been inventoried but is expected to yield similar densities and significance of archaeological sites suffering from similar impacts.

B. Project Objectives – The objectives of this project are to 1) complete a Section 110 inventory and create baseline documentation, including site condition assessments, for archaeological sites within 1,000 acres, east of the Gardner River at its junction with the Boiling River area, 2) evaluate cultural resources encountered during inventory for eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), 3) treat impacts found at sites through hands-on actions, such as soil stabilization, etc., 4) develop recommendations for long-term management strategies for cultural resource protection in the study area, and 5) increase our understanding of Traditional Use of the study area by tribes affiliated with the park.

PP: This project provides long-term benefits to the public through developing an increased public understanding of long term use patterns of hydothermal areas within Yellowstone National Park. This research is important to: 1) archaeologists interested in understanding hunter-gatherer behaviors in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and Rocky Mountain region; 2) Native American groups whose cultural heritage is tied to these environments; 3) scientists in allied disciplines, such as ecologists studying plant and animal remains; and 4) the general public as a tangible, local reflection of human use of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

The information developed by this project will be shared through a variety of strategies to increase public awareness, knowledge and support for historic preservation and stewardship of the nation’s cultural and historical heritage. Information developed by the project will also help identify impacts to cultural resources and strategies that the public and other land management entities can undertake regarding the balance between preserving cultural resources and future development to meet the ever-growing number of visitors, using the highest quality science and information available as required in 54 U.S.C. §100702, and it will further the Secretary of the Interior’s priority of modernizing our infrastructure through allowing the National Park Service to fulfill its obligations under Sections 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act to streamline future infrastructure projects. Successful management strategies can be applied to regions throughout the Rocky Mountains.

Through providing and education in the archaeology of the park, youth participants (18-35 years) will receive a firsthand experience with federal agency archaeology and its similarities and differences from academic and private sector contract archaeology. The project allows project participants to gain valuable hands-on experience, and builds resource stewardship ethics in its participants while collecting data for the park.

The NPS receives the indirect benefit of completing cultural resource inventory as required under Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act via this project. Newly acquired site data will aid in ongoing park planning efforts by providing park managers with information critical making informed treatment and management decisions in visitor use planning efforts for the hydrothermal bathing areas, and will streamline regulatory compliance for deferred maintenance and rehabilitation projects, and assist the park with meeting its obligations under the Archeological Resources Protection Act and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Site data will be added to the park-wide monitoring program providing for future protection of these resources.

Overview: All work will be performed in conjunction with the Park Archeologist. The Recipient will inventory a study area within 1,000 acres east of the Gardner River, to identify as of yet unknown cultural resources, including both pre-contact and historic-period artifacts and features within archaeological contexts. The Recipient will perform archaeological site condition assessments for resources identified within the study area, and evaluate identified archaeological sites for their eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Recipient will also recommend monitoring strategies and additional site treatments to minimize threats to identified archaeological resources within project study area. The Recipient will used data collected to develop a summary report that increases our understanding of Traditional Use of the study area by tribes affiliated with the park.

Historic and archeological contexts for geothermal areas have been developed by NPS and will be provided prior to field work. Additional archival research may be required by the Recipient. Documentation and evaluation of cultural resources, and reporting of findings will be conducted to the standards set by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Identification of Historic Properties, the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Officers 2003 Guidelines and Standards Cultural Resource Documentation, and the Guidelines and Procedures for Cultural Resource Review for the Montana State Historic Preservation Office.

Site treatment activities undertaken during fieldwork will consist of addressing minor site impacts through hands-on actions during fieldwork. This will include, placing matting for soil stabilization, repositioning unrooted vegetation (small fallen tree limbs, or unrooted lose plant materials) to protect sensitive site features and artifact clusters, and mitigating modern impacts (e.g. disperse modern fire rings, remove modern refuse piles). All condition information will be incorporated into GIS data and map showing the location and severity of impacts.

2. Ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, §36 CFR, and their implementing regulations.

3. Formal Native American Section 106 Consultation will be conducted solely by the NPS in accordance with the stipulations of the National Historic Preservation Act.

4. Cooperate with and assist Recipient in developing the project design, setting objectives, defining inventory areas and field logistics, safety training, executing field and laboratory studies, and reporting. The study areas will be specified in detail by NPS prior to the start of work.

5. The Park Archaeologist will facilitate access to management and NRHP-determinations for the Gardner River study area, all archaeological site records previously identified in study areas, participate in field work to the extent practical, and provide guidance on report and site form production and curation of archeological materials.

6. The NPS Technical Expert will monitor progress and content of the report writing, the evaluation of the significance of the cultural material recovered, and review results and reports.

7. The NPS Technical Expert will respond to the draft final report with comments, if any, within sixty calendar days of receipt of the drafts.

8. NPS Curatorial staff will assist with the curation process for recovered artifacts and archival materials, and to educate student recipients on federal curation standards outlined in 36CFR79.

2. The Recipient will conduct a Class III cultural resources inventory, site condition assessments, evaluation of sites identified during inventory efforts for NRHP-eligibility, and site treatment activities, for trail segment study areas. The Recipient will also recommend monitoring strategies and treatments to minimize threats to identified archaeological resources within project study areas.