NOI.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 U.S. Congress amended the National Trails System Act, designating in 1983 a general route for and authorizing development of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (PHT) and, in 2006, authorizing the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (CAJO).

The Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-312, Sections 501-2) authorizes and directs the NPS to facilitate development of a Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network in cooperation with other Federal agencies, state and local governments, non-profit organizations and the private.

The Potomac is the only river in the U.S. that includes portions of five national trails-the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

The Potomac River was designated in 2006 a National Recreation Trail by the Secretary of the Interior; and Public Law 109-418 amended the National Trails System Act to create the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail in December of 2006. The trail, a series of water routes extending approximately 3,000 miles along the Chesapeake Bay and the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, and in the District of Columbia, that traces the 1607-1609 voyages of Captain John Smith to chart the land and waterways of the Chesapeake Bay. The NPS is delegated, in the Department of the Interior Departmental Manual Part 245, authority for administration of the Federal interest in the PHT network and the CAJO.

Executive Order 13508, Chesapeake Bay Protection .and Restoration, signed May 2009, directs Federal agencies and partners to recommend and implement a strategy for restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay and includes a Strategy for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and calls for a plan to assess the demand for public access; describe the existing public access facilities; assess barriers to public access; determine gaps in the public access system; identify opportunities for new public access sites; and help direct federal, state, and local funding toward public access opportunities.

The NPS, with the assistance of the Potomac Conservancy, has completed A Partnership for Enhancing the National Trails along the Tidal Potomac River – Potomac River Segment Plan (a.k.a. “Potomac Segment Plan”) for the CAJO, PHT and Star-Spangled Banner NHT, including numerous actions to increase public access to waters and lands associated with the significance of the Potomac River.

The Potomac Conservancy works to safeguard the lands and waters of the Potomac River and its tributaries and connect people to this national treasure. And now the Cooperator and NPS wish to facilitate and promote activities that provide residents of and visitors to the region with exceptional outdoor recreation experiences connected with the historical, cultural and ecological significance of the CAJO and PHT; promote physical and thematic continuity between and among places associated with the CAJO and PHT; and to provide a foundation for partnerships between the Potomac Conservancy and the NPS and between and among other stakeholders.

Objective The objective of this Agreement is to establish a formal relationship between NPS and the Potomac Conservancy in furtherance of the national trails of and the Potomac River, and more specifically for the purpose engaging diverse audiences in public educational, recreational and stewardship opportunities along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and other national trails of the Potomac River in the DC metro area.

STATEMENT OF WORK

A. The Recipient agrees to:

1. Authorize Potomac Conservancy employees to support the efforts of the partnership in close consultation with NPS to ensure all activities outlined in this agreement and subsequent Task Agreements are mutually agreeable.

2. Maintain a point of contact for Trail-related business.

3. Consider ways that the national trail designations can complement Potomac Conservancy activities.

4. Promote national trails-related activities on the Potomac Conservancy web site.

5. Collaborate on the development of educational and interpretive programming related to the themes of the CAJO and other national trails as appropriate.

6. Participate in meetings designed to promote the partnership and/or objectives set forth in this and subsequent Task Agreements.

7. Assist NPS in establishing new relationships and capitalizing on existing relationships with partner sites and local and state governments.

8. Comply with the terms of applicable laws, regulations, and Government policies.

B. NPS agrees to:

1. Authorize NPS employees to support the efforts of the partnership in close consultation with the Potomac Conservancy to ensure all activities outlined in this agreement and subsequent Task Agreements are mutually agreeable.

2. Maintain point of contacts for trail-related business and consult with staff of Potomac Conservancy on projects that advance the development and use of the national trails.

3. Collaborate on the development of educational and interpretive programming related to the themes of the CAJO and other national trails as appropriate.

4. Recognize Potomac Conservancy, PHT- and CAJO-related activities in NPS media.

5. Provide opportunities for coordination between Potomac Conservancy staff and other trail stakeholders.

6. Participate in meetings with the Recipient to promote the partnership and/or objectives of the CAJO, PHT, and/or Chesapeake Bay program.

7. Assist with the identification, scoping and development of high priority public access and CAJO trail projects; assist in the development of physical and programmatic infrastructure.

8. Provide financial assistance and technical assistance, subject to the availability of funds, to the Recipient to carry out objectives set forth in this and subsequent Task Agreements.

9. Assist the Recipient to comply with the terms of applicable laws, regulations, and Government policies.

C. The Cooperator and NPS jointly agree to:

1. Consult at least annually on opportunities for coordination and agreement implementation.

2. Create opportunities for partner and community collaboration.

3. Consider supplementary agreements to fulfill the purpose of this Agreement.

4. Specify projects and initiatives pursuant to this Agreement through individual NPS Task Agreements, with each project or activity having a separate statement of work and budget developed cooperatively between the NPS and the Recipient.

5. Work jointly on the development and implementation of projects designed to promote the partnership and/or objectives of the CAJO, PHT, and/or Chesapeake Bay program.

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:

Founded in 1993, Potomac Conservancy is the Washington DC metro region’s leading clean water advocate, safeguarding the lands and waters of the Potomac River and its tributaries and connecting people to this national treasure. Public Law 109-418 amended the National Trails System Act to create the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (CAJO), a series of water routes extending approximately 3,000 miles along the Chesapeake Bay and the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay in the states of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York and the District of Columbia, commemorates the natural history of the bay and its tributaries, the American Indian societies and culture of the 17th century; and the voyages of Captain John Smith from 1607-1609. The Potomac River is a key segment of the CAJO and in 2015 NPS Chesapeake completed the Potomac River Segment Plan—a partnership centered action agenda for developing high quality visitor experiences along the tidal Potomac River. The Potomac Conservancy served as a key cooperator in the development of the Potomac River Segment Plan leveraging their established partnerships to help bring regional interests into implementation planning for the Potomac River segment. The Conservancy was a key partner in the planning effort and remains a critical partner as we move into project implantation and work to create physical and programmatic infrastructure along the tidal Potomac. In particular, the Conservancy will be a key near- and long-term partner in support of our efforts to conserve important resource lands, enhance public access and develop CAJO and other national trails of the Potomac River in the DC metro area.

As a member-supported nonprofit, the Potomac Conservancy advances its objectives through land protection, clean water advocacy, and community conservation programs that empowers local stewardship and partnerships. These mission objectives are strategically aligned with the National Park Service’s own assigned responsibilities in support of Presidential Executive Order 13508, Strategy for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (May 12, 2010):

1. Expand Citizen Stewardship Goal: “Foster a dramatic increase in the number of citizen stewards of every age who support and carry out local conservation and restoration.”

1. Conserve Land Goal: “Protect an additional two million acres of lands throughout the watershed currently identified as high conservation priorities at the federal, state or local level by 2025, including 695,000 acres of forest land of highest value for maintaining water quality.”

1. Public Access Goal: “Increase public access to the Bay and its tributaries by adding 300 new public access sites by 2025.”

The Potomac Conservancy’s Community Conservation programs connect citizens to the Potomac’s lands and waters through hands-on volunteer activities and recreation events. Providing fun and safe recreation opportunities is an important way the Conservancy can strengthen the emotional bond between local citizens and the Potomac River—and the national trails of the Potomac River in the DC metro area. Creating engaging activities that help people to get to know the river lays a foundation that the Conservancy can build upon and nurture citizen stewards for the river and the national trails. The Conservancy is currently focusing efforts on reaching a broader and more diverse audience, while delivering engaging and consistent programming. The Potomac Conservancy offer a unique partnership opportunity for the NPS to facilitate and promote activities that provide residents of and visitors to the region with exceptional outdoor recreation and stewardship experiences connected with the historical, cultural and ecological significance of the CAJO and PHT; and to provide a foundation for partnerships between the Potomac Conservancy and the NPS and between and among other regional stakeholders.

The objective of this Agreement is to establish a formal relationship between NPS and the Potomac Conservancy in furtherance of the national trails of and the Potomac River, and more specifically for the purpose engaging diverse audiences in public educational, recreational and stewardship opportunities along the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and other national trails of the Potomac River in the DC metro area. Being well established in the DC metro area, the Potomac Conservancy will be a key near- and long-term partner in support of our efforts to conserve important resource lands, enhance public access and develop CAJO and other national trails of the Potomac River in the DC metro area.