B-4 P17AC01184 Notice of Intent to Award.docx

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 without competition.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The Service is the Federal agency assigned the principal responsibility of managing the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program preserve the special places and stories of the historic automobile route.

The Route 66: The Road Ahead Partnership (66TRA) was established as a 501(c3) in 2016 to revitalize and sustain Route 66 as a national icon and international destination, for the benefit of all Route 66 communities, travelers, and businesses/attractions, through collaborative partnerships focused on promotion, preservation, research and education, and economic development.

The roles of the two organizations are complementary in their vision and responsibility to promote a greater awareness and understanding of the need to preserve and promote Route 66 and to encourage appropriate multi-state collaboration in the process, and in carrying out these roles the two entities have complimentary expertise and experience.

The purpose of this Agreement is fulfillment of Public Law No. 106-45, Section 2.3 which states “The Secretary shall assist the States in determining the appropriate form of and establishing and supporting a non-Federal entity or entities to perform the functions of the Cultural Resource Programs after those programs are terminated.” From 2013-2016 NPS worked with the States to determine and establish this nonprofit entity known as the Route 66: The Road Ahead Partnership. This agreement takes the next step to support the development of the entity. Through this agreement the NPS and 66TRA will work together to develop participation and collaboration across the states for the purpose of preserving, promoting, researching/educating, and revitalizing the historic Route 66 corridor. This work will benefit business owners, communities, educators, tribes, and government agencies involved with preserving and promoting the historic corridor, as well as the general public who travels and experiences the road, by providing a collaborative organizing unit to coordinate national preservation, promotion, research/education and revitalization efforts along the route.

STATEMENT OF WORK

The purpose of this agreement is to support development of a national framework for collaboration among all eight Route 66 states in the areas of research, education, preservation, promotion, and economic development. Activities will include quarterly conference calls, an annual face-to-face board meeting, and operating costs for the development and operations of the Route 66: The Road Ahead Partnership, which is comprised of representatives from the states.

RECIPIENT AGREES TO:

The Recipient agrees to:

1. Designate a representative who shall act as technical liaison for the 66TRA to represent the interests of its organization and work collaboratively within the scope of this agreement.

2. Work collaboratively with the NPS to promote preservation, promotion, research/education, and economic revitalization along historic Route 66. This may include but is not limited to planning and implementing projects, activities, initiatives, meetings, and conferences.

3. Develop/maintain capacity of the organization to ensure collaboration and representation across the eight states through which Route 66 passes including nonprofits, professionals and other stakeholders. This may include but is not limited to office space/supplies, conference lines, website development/maintenance, newsletters and other publicity/forms of communication, board meetings, committee meetings and community meetings.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AGREES TO:

1. Designate a representative who shall act as technical liaison for the NPS to represent the interests of NPS and work collaboratively within the scope of this agreement.

2. Work collaboratively with 66TRA to develop and support mutually beneficial projects and initiatives.

3. Provide technical and financial support to 66TRA to support mutually beneficial activities including organizational development, projects, and other initiatives that advance the mission and goals of NPS. .

SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) and National Park Service Policy FAP&P 1443-2015-06 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, for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity. A single source on the basis of continuation must demonstrate that competition would result in a substantial duplicate cost to the government that cannot be recovered through competition.;

(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.

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

Public Law 106-45, Section 2.3 states “The Secretary shall assist the States in determining the appropriate form of and establishing and supporting a non-Federal entity or entities to perform the functions of the Cultural Resource Programs after those programs are terminated.” From 2013-2016 NPS worked with the States to determine and establish this nonprofit entity known as the Route 66: The Road Ahead Partnership. This agreement takes the next step to support the development of the entity. Through this agreement the NPS and 66TRA will work together to develop participation and collaboration across the states for the purpose of preserving, promoting, researching/educating, and revitalizing the historic Route 66 corridor. This work will benefit business owners, communities, educators, tribes, and government agencies involved with preserving and promoting the historic corridor, as well as the general public who travels and experiences the road, by providing a collaborative organizing unit to coordinate national preservation, promotion, research/education and revitalization efforts along the route.

The purpose of this agreement is to support development of a national framework for collaboration among all eight Route 66 states in the areas of research, education, preservation, promotion, and economic development. Activities will include quarterly conference calls, an annual face-to-face board meeting, and operating costs for the development and operations of the Route 66: The Road Ahead Partnership, which is comprised of representatives from the states.