NOI_USGS-20-FA-0121.pdf

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the U.S. Geological Survey’s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition.

ABSTRACT

Funding Announcement USGS-20-FA-0121

Project Title Best Practices for Project Design: Effectively Addressing Natural Resource Management Needs

Recipient North Carolina State University Anticipated Federal Amount $168,231

Cost Share $0 Total Anticipated Award Amount $168,231

New Award or Continuation? NEW

Anticipated Period of Performance 05/01/2020 through 03/31/2022

Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement CFDA # and Title 15.820 National Climate Adaptation Science Center USGS Point of Contact

Project Officer: Ryan Boyles, Deputy Director, Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, rboyles@usgs.gov

Grant Specialist: Maylily Son Le, Office of Acquisition and Grants, mle@usgs.gov

OVERVIEW

This project will develop quantitative and scalable approaches to evaluate applied science projects based both on how they innovate and how well they address natural resource managers' information needs. Research will focus on projects that aim to help federal and state natural resource managers, as well as resource users, adapt to changing environmental conditions. The project will draw on existing information and new survey data to evaluate a set of science projects aimed at informing adaptation strategies of stakeholders such as the National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service in the Southeast region. Research will identify project design characteristics associated with success both in innovating and informing natural resource management practice. These analyses will ensure that public funding for science is more mailto:mle@usgs.gov effectively invested by improving future project designs to maximize the chance for project success.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The recipient will be responsible for the following:

• Collect, manage, and analyze project data; summarize identified relationships between project design characteristics and metrics that evaluate project outcomes and outputs.

• Summarize results in a technical publication.

• Oversee distribution of resulting products

• Assist USGS CASC staff by providing guidance to inform future science project reporting and proposal development.

USGS INVOLVEMENT

Substantial involvement on the part USGS is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. USGS will be responsible for the following:

• Serve as a co-investigator.

• Contribute technical guidance, assist in designing data collection, assist in analysis of data, and assist in development of models that explain relationships between data variables.

• Serve on a technical advisory committee to ensure products are useful and usable for CASC mission and partners.

SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable.

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;

(2) Continuation – The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and 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, cost-sharing ability if applicable, technical expertise, or other such 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.

(6) Cooperative Agreements - USGS Unique Authority cited at 43 U.S.C. 36d (Federal, State, and academic partners) or DOI Authority cited at 43 U.S.C. 1457b (not-for-profit organizations).

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

(4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

(6) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS - USGS Unique Authority cited at 43 U.S.C. 36d.

Single Source Justification Description:

(4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS - Recipient has extensive experience with working with natural resource managers and understand the decision-making context in which manager operate. Recipient has expertise in research evaluation and discipline-based education research.

This team of researchers is uniquely qualified to appropriately collect and analyze the needed data and produce products and applications that effectively inform future science and research project design.

(6) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS- USGS Unique Authority cited at 43 U.S.C. 36d.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008, Div. F, Title I, P.L. 110-161 USGS Unique Authority cited at 43 U.S.C. 36d (Federal, State and academic partners).

§ 36d. Cooperative agreements: Notwithstanding the provisions of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (31 U.S.C. 6301–6308), the United States

Geological Survey is authorized to continue existing, and on and after November 10, 2003, to enter into new cooperative agreements directed towards a particular cooperator, in support of joint research and data collection activities with Federal, State, and academic partners funded by appropriations herein, including those that provide for space in cooperator facilities.