noi.doc

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

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

ABSTRACT

Division of Fishes - Museum of Southwestern Biology

University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM 87131

(505) 277-6005 amsnyder@unm.edu turnert@unm.edu

OVERVIEW

The purpose of this project is threefold: 1) to process specimens of fish collected for the San Juan River Recovery Implementation Program (SJRIP); 2) capture all field information into an electronic catalog and; 3) incorporate the SJRIP collections into a phylogenetic system in the permanent museum archives. The purpose of this modification is to add one additional staff person to the workgroup to support the workload.

This Grant Award is made under the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU) agreement. The United Stated Bureau of Reclamation participates in the CESU under number 9-FG-81-0143.

Objectives

1. Provide a secure and organized permanent repository for San Juan River fish collections, field notes, and associated data thereby facilitating access to these resources by SJRIP researchers.

2. Insure that all SJRIP species identifications and associated data are verified and correctly represented in the MSB electronic catalog; report discrepancies to SJRIP principal investigators.

3. Georeferenced collection sites for SJRIP collections; maintain license for ArcView and make collection data available to SJRIP researchers in that format.

4. Modification 003 will add staff to the team in order to accomplish the work load.

Place of Performance

All activities take place in the Division of Fishes, Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), on the University of New Mexico campus in Albuquerque, NM. The MSB division of Fishes has two offices, five computer workstation for data entry, a fully equipped laboratory for preparation of fish collections, and approximately 1,858 linear meters of compacted shelving for storage of cataloged collections. On average, four UNM students are employed to process and curate the SJRIP collections.

RECLAMATION INVOLVEMENT

Reclamation will provide funding for the project as well as exercise federal stewardship responsibilities for financial assistance as enumerated with Code of Federal Regulations, 43 CFR 12. In addition, Reclamation serves as a member of the San Juan River Basin Recovery Program which reviews and approves recovery implementation program projects

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.

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

(2) Continuation and (4) Unique Qualifications

Single Source Justification Description:

UNM was awarded this grant on July 3, 2013. The grant completion date is September 30, 2017. Due to the increase in data and curation materials, there is a need to add staff to the existing work group. This is necessary for the satisfactory completion of the existing award.

The University of New Mexico’s Museum of Southwest Biology is the repository of record for fish samples collected in the San Juan River as well as throughout New Mexico. It is designated as the state of New Mexico’s official museum for plants, animals, fish, amphibians and insects and the justification #4 from below applies. The museum has been collecting and curating the samples for the San Juan River Recovery Program for the last 15 years. Maintenance of this collection is required to manage the SJRIP programs.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

Public Law 106-392 (revised in 2006 with 109--183 for additional capital funding) Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery Programs.

Section 1. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to authorize and provide funding for the bureau of Reclamation to continue the implementation of the endangered fish recovery implementation programs for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins in order to accomplish the objectives of these programs within a currently established time schedule.

Section 2. Definitions. (8) The term "base funding" means funding for operation and maintenance of capital projects, implementation of recovery actions other than capital projects, monitoring and research to evaluate the need for or effectiveness of and recovery action. Base funding also includes annual funding provided under the terms of the 1988 Cooperative Agreement and the 1992 Cooperative Agreement.

Section 3. Authorization to Fund Recovery Programs, subsection (d) Base Funding. (1) Beginning in the first fiscal year commencing after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary may utilize power revenues collected pursuant to the Colorado River Storage Project Act for the annual base funding contributions to the Recovery Implementation Programs by the Bureau of Reclamation. Such funding shall be treated as non-reimbursable and as having been repaid and returned to the general fund of the Treasury as costs assigned to power for repayment under section 5 of the Colorado River Storage Project Act. (2) For the Recovery Implementation Program for the Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado River Basin, the contributions to base funding referred to in paragraph (1) shall not exceed $4,000,000 per year. For the San Juan River Recovery Implementation Program, such contributions shall not exceed $2,000,000 per year. The Secretary shall adjust such amounts for inflation in fiscal years commencing after the enactment of this Act. The utilization of power revenues for annual base funding shall cease after the fiscal year 2011, unless reauthorized by Congress; except that power revenues may continue to be utilized to fund the operation and maintenance of capital projects and monitoring.

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