NOI_NPS-17-NERO-0164_P17AC01423 City of Suffolk.pdf

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

Funding Announcement Number NPS-17-NERO-0164 Project Title Suffolk Sportsplex Water Access Project –

Planning and Preliminary Design Recipient City of Suffolk Anticipated Federal Funding $25,000 Non-federal Cost Share $25,000 Anticipated Period of Performance Through January 31, 2019 Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 54 USC 100301 - 100302, 54 USC 101702(a);

Presidential EO 13508; PL 105-312, Section 502(b); 16 USC 1246(h)(1)

CFDA # and Title 15.930 - Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Trails Single Source Justification Criteria Unique Qualifications Point of Contact Mary Raczko, mary_raczko@nps.gov,

(857) 286-1424

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The City of Suffolk is the largest city by land area in Virginia, covering some 429 square miles. It contains all of the Nansemond River and has a fair amount of frontage on the James River. The City has been an active partner with the National Park Service (NPS) in enhancing planning for public access since the development of the Suffolk Water Trails Concept Plan in 2012.

This was a project headed up by the NPS RTCA program under an agreement with the Nansemond River Preservation Alliance. The City of Suffolk served on the committee that developed this Plan.

This Plan then served as a basis for including the Nansemond River as a component of the James Segment Plan for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. One of the key items identified in the Water Trails Plan was the need for additional public access to the Nansemond River which at that point had only one public water access area for boaters, and that was located on a creek near the mouth of the River. Since that time, a number of partners, including the National Park Service, have worked with the City to advance public access opportunities. As of 2016, two major new public access sites have been developed by the City along the Nansemond and each has been provided with a Captain John Smith Chesapeake Trail interpretive kiosk. The City has continued to be a close working partner with NPS in the development of the Trail and in providing public access.

As a public governmental entity it is in the best possible position to both develop and maintain new public access sites.

STATEMENT OF WORK

The objective of this Agreement is to help the public connect to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and the Chesapeake Bay by improving access, infra-structure, and interpretative amenities along the Nansemond River.

This project covers the planning and preliminary design for the development of a water access to the Nansemond River for paddle craft, fishing, parking, road access, restroom and other amenities. The land is part of a 380-acre undeveloped recreational site owned by the City of Suffolk. The site was previously use by the United States Navy as a Radio Transmitter Station.

This project covers the associated planning and design activities to create preliminary construction plans and cost estimates for the development of the park and environmental permits for the project.

The project is identified in the City’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update (February 2016), and in the 2004 Master Plan for the site.

The property will become a part of the Suffolk Water Trail and provide a 3rd public access site on the Nansemond River. The Nansemond River is a part of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Development of new public access to the waterway and the opportunity for new interpretive information associated with John Smith directly advances the development of this National Historic Trail.

RECIPIENT AGREES TO:

1. Retain the services of an A&E Consultant to provide services inclusive of design, engineering and environmental—assisting to accomplish the following scope of work as appropriate.

2. Conduct site reconnaissance and surveys and develop preliminary assessment of public water access facility development alternatives.

3. Conduct preliminary consultations with local, state, and federal permitting and resource management agencies; draft Environmental Screening Form (ESF); and assemble complete compliance file for submission to NPS.

4. Develop preliminary construction plans, system level technical specifications, and key construction details for the site plan and public water access facilities.

5. Develop cost estimates for the construction of the project and a phased implementation plan.

6. Develop documents needed to obtain permits necessary for proposed construction.

7. Create a plan for CAJO interpretive products in the project area.

8. Comply with all program guidelines and all applicable federal, state, and local environment laws and regulations as specified in the National Park Service-Chesapeake FY2017 Financial Assistance Program Guidelines.

9. Authorize NPS employees to work on associated City of Suffolk grounds and sites along the Nansemond River for the purposes pursuit to this Agreement.

10. Maintain regular communication NPS staff to ensure that work is implemented effectively and that any issues are identified and readily addressed. Provide project progress reports as directed in the cooperative agreement.

11. Provide a 100% cost match.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AGREES TO:

1. Consult with the Recipient as to the adequacy and appropriateness of the site reconnaissance, surveys, and preliminary assessment of public water access facility development alternatives.

2. Review and assess the draft Environmental Screening Form (ESF) and complete consultation and compliance file; make a compliance determination as appropriate for the project.

3. Consult with the Recipient as to the adequacy and appropriateness of the design of water access and other related improvements and provide other technical assistance as necessary.

Provide, where available, NPS guidelines for development of universal access for visitors.

4. Consult with the Recipient as to the adequacy and appropriateness of the plan for CAJO interpretive products in the project area.

5. Work closely with Recipient staff to ensure that projects are in compliance with all federal regulations, policies and procedures and are consistent with NPS policies, standards, guidelines, and priorities.

6. Maintain regular communication with Recipient staff to ensure that work is implemented effectively and that any issues are identified and readily addressed. Assist with review and development of effective project progress reports.

7. Provide financial assistance in accordance with Article VI.

BOTH AGREE TO:

1. Work jointly on the development and implementation of this project designed to promote the partnership and/or objectives of the CAJO 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:

Unique Qualifications

The City of Suffolk is a public governmental entity and is in the best position to handle this project; the City is the owner of the property on which this project is proposed and are in the best position to carry out and implement it. They currently own and manage all of the other public access sites developed on the Nansemond River and have been a key partner in including Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail interpretive information at their sites. The project is also in included in the City's Park and Recreation Master Plan.