NOI_USGS-20-FA-0123.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-0123

Project Title Detecting Emergent Trends in Ecologically-Relevant Climate Variables to Understand Biodiversity Exposure to Changing Environments

Recipient North Carolina State University Anticipated Federal Amount $191,519

Cost Share $0 Total Anticipated Award Amount $191,519

New Award or Continuation? NEW

Anticipated Period of Performance 05/01/2020 through 04/30/2022

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

Species’ are moving their ranges in response to climate change, but challenges remain in distinguishing between climate-driven range shifts and range shifts in response to other non-climate drivers. This project will quantify detectable changes in ecologically relevant climate variables, which will allow researchers to better distinguish between observed species’ range shifts resulting from climate change and those resulting from other drivers (e.g., land use change). This research will use a combination of historical climate data and climate modeling to quantify internal climate variability in a set of ecologically relevant climate variables.

Researchers will assess areas of the United States which have, and have not, experienced climate changes outside the range of natural variability, which will in turn be used to inform a related assessment of species’ range shifts.

mailto:mle@usgs.gov

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The recipient will be responsible for the following:

• Collect, manage, and analyze historical climate data; perform a series of ensemble climate modeling simulations to estimate internal climate variability and signal to noise ratios Summarize results in a technical publication.

• produce spatial output to describe which areas of the United States have, and have not, experienced detectable climate change outside the range of natural climate variability.

• Assist USGS NCASC staff in applying spatial datasets to related datasets of biological observations related to range shift.

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:

• Advise on the selection and application of ecologically relevant climate variables to be used in the analysis.

• Assist in interpreting modeling results in the context of observed species’ range shift.

• Help to ensure that the results of this work will effectively inform national synthesis efforts related to observed impacts to wildlife and plants and ensure the applicability of this climate work to natural resource managers.

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.