NOI_NPS-19-NERO-0092.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. Refer to Section 2. Grants.gov Posting Determination.

ABSTRACT

Grants.gov Opportunity Number Project Title Recipient Anticipated Federal Funding Non-Federal Cost Share Total Anticipated Award Amount

Award Instrument

Anticipated Period of Performance

Legal Authority

CFDA # and Title

Single Source Justification Criteria

National Park Service Point of Contact

PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

STATEMENT OF PUBLIC PURPOSE

Section 1. Project Summary

Task Agreement Cooperative Agreement

Grant Agreement

Current as of 10/29/2018

STATEMENT OF WORK SUMMARY

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARTIES

A. The recipient shall be responsible for the following items under this agreement:

B. The NPS Responsibilities:

A task agreement is proposed;

A cooperative agreement is proposed;

therefore substantial involvement by NPS is anticipated during the period of performance of this agreement. In support of this agreement NPS will:

A grant agreement is proposed, therefore no substantial involvement on the part of the NPS is anticipated for the successful completion of the statement of work. It is anticipated that involvement will be limited to actions related to monitoring project performance and technical assistance at the request of the recipient.

Section 3. Single Source Justification

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS

National Park Service Policy FAP&P 1443-2015-06 requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable. The justification must address one of the following criteria.

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. The unsolicited proposal must demonstrate an innovative capability or concept not currently available to the government, and prepared without Government involvement. ;

(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;

(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, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications. Successful past performance, familiarity with existing requirements, capabilities that can be obtained or matched by a competitor, or a positive reputation, are not considered to be 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:

Task Agreement issued under previously competed or single source master cooperative agreement per Section 2 above. Single Source Justification not applicable.

Continuation

Unique Qualifications

Unsolicited Proposal

Legislative Intent

Explanation of the proposed recipient’s qualifications or the criteria of the proposed project which requires use of the single source criteria cited.

Section 2. Grants.gov Posting Determination

Emergency

The National Park Service intends to award a task agreement under a previously competed or single source justified award.

The National Park Service intends to award a single source justified cooperative agreement. Refer to Section 3 Single Source Justification.

The National Park Service intends to award a single source justified grant agreement. Refer to Section 3 Single Source Justification.

Section 4. Department of the Interior Secretary’s Priorities

This award will support the following DOI Secretary priority(ies):

Other Key Initiatives:

Employment of veterans.

Supporting DOI Infrastructure needs.

Creating jobs in the American economy.

Access to outdoor recreation opportunities.

Priority 1: Creating a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt Utilize science to identify best practices to manage land and water resources and adapt to changes in the environment.

Examine land use planning process and land use designations that govern public use and access.

Revise and streamline the environmental and regulatory review process while maintaining environmental standards.

Review DOI water storage, transportation, and distribution systems to identify opportunities to resolve conflicts and expand capacity.

Foster relationships with conservation organizations advocating for balanced stewardship and use of public lands.

Identify and implement initiatives to expand access to DOI lands for hunting and fishing.

Shift the balance towards providing greater public access to public lands over restrictions to access.

Priority 2: Utilizing our natural resources Ensure American energy is available to meet our security and economic needs.

Ensure access to mineral resources, especially the critical and rare earth minerals.

Refocus timber programs to embrace the entire 'healthy forests' lifecycle.

Manage competition for grazing resources.

Priority 3: Restoring trust with local communities Be a better neighbor with those closest to our resources by improving dialogue and relationships with persons and entities bordering our lands.

Expand the lines of communication with Governors, state natural resource offices, Fish and Wildlife offices, water authorities, county commissioners, Tribes, and local communities.

Priority 4: Ensuring sovereignty means something Support tribal self-determination, self-governance, and sovereignty.

Solidify mutual interests between the U.S. and the freely associated states and territories.

Priority 5: Generating additional revenues to support DOI & National interests Ensure that the public receives the full market value for the natural resources produced on Federal lands.

Ensure that fees or costs levied for DOI services are reasonable and targeted to achieve cost recovery.

Consider the impact of DOI decisions on economic development and job creation.

Priority 6: Protecting our people and the border Actively support efforts to secure our southern border.

Ensure DOI law enforcement staffing addresses public safety risks anticipated on DOI land.

Promote a "public service" demeanor within our law enforcement community.

Priority 7: Striking a regulatory balance

Reduce the administrative and regulatory burden imposed on U.S.

industry and the public.

Ensure that Endangered Species Act decisions are based on strong science and thorough analysis.

Priority 8: Modernizing our infrastructure Support the White House Public/Private Partnership Initiative to modernize U.S. infrastructure.

Remove impediments to infrastructure development and facilitate private sector efforts to construct infrastructure projects serving American needs.

Prioritize DOI infrastructure needs to highlight:

1. Construction of infrastructure;

2. Cyclical maintenance;

3. Deferred maintenance.

Senior executives are expected to provide leadership in achieving goals of the President and the Secretary.

The Management Team is expected to:

1. Ensure cost-effective operations and quality service to the public;

2. Facilitate organizational cooperation and conflict resolution;

3. Ensure the workplace environment is conducive to employee productivity and safety;

4. Hold individuals accountable for actions that violate DOI policies and requirements.

Priority 10: Achieving our goals and leading our team forward

The proposed project does not support any of the DOI Secretary priorities, but the project is being funded for the following reasons:

Priority 9: Reorganizing for the next 100 years

Improve alignment and integration of the DOI organizational structure. Redistribute organizational resources (people and funding) to enhance mission achievement and improved public service.

Improve organizational alignment with Executive Branch counterparts with major land management assets or influence.

The Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-312, Sections 501-2) authorizes the National Park Service to provide technical and financial assistance to: identify, conserve, restore, and interpret natural, recreational, historical, and cultural resources within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; identify and utilize the collective resources sites for enhancing public education of and access to the Chesapeake Bay; link sites with trails, tour roads, scenic byways, and other connections; develop and establish watertrails comprising water routes and connections to sites and other land resources within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; and create a network of sites and watertrails.

The National Park Service carries out these duties in coordination with the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Under the agreement, the National Park Service is tasked with coordinating efforts to expand public access to the Bay, rivers, streams and public lands and supporting broad collaboration on conserving wildlife corridors, working lands and other important resources.

LandScope Chesapeake serves as the mapping platform for ensuring all jurisdictions, Chesapeake Bay partners and the public have access to important data and information to support and carry out collaborative implementation of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. LandScope Chesapeake is managed by NatureServe, but has been developed through collaboration between states, the National Park Service and many other partners. As such, LandScope Chesapeake facilitates achievement of DOI priorities including: (a) being a better neighbor with those closest to our resources by improving dialogue and relationships with persons and entities bordering our lands; (b) expanding the lines of communication with Governors, state natural resource offices, Fish and Wildlife offices, water authorities, county commissioners, Tribes, and local communities; (c) utilizing science to identify best practices to manage land and water resources and adapt to changes in the environment; (d) examining land use planning processes and land use designations that govern public use and access; (e) fostering relationships with conservation organizations advocating for balanced stewardship and use of public lands; and (f) shifting the balance towards providing greater public access to public lands over restrictions to access.

This project achieves the following additional public purposes:

☒The project engages recipients, partners, communities, and/or visitors in shared environmental stewardship.

☒The project promotes greater public and private participation in historic preservation programs and activities. The project builds resource stewardship ethics in its participants.

☒The information, products and/or services identified or developed by this project will be shared through a variety of strategies to increase public awareness, knowledge and support for historic preservation and stewardship of the nation’s cultural and historical heritage.

☒The scientific community and/or researchers external to NPS gains by new knowledge provided through research and related results dissemination of natural, cultural and/or historical resource information.

☒The project assists in the creation, promotion, facilitation, and/or improvement of the public’s understanding of natural, cultural, historic, recreational and other aspects of areas such as ecological conservation areas, and state and local parks.

Overview: This statement of work includes two principle efforts:

(1) Research User Needs and Design for Redesigned LandScope Chesapeake. LandScope Chesapeake was established in 2012, leveraging significant investment in the LandScope America platform that launched in 2009. Upgrades to the LandScope platform since its launch have included new and improved mapping tools, a reporting tool, a find a land trust tool, and conservation projects registry that allows state and regional portals to map on the ground conservation actions and projects. LandScope’s audience and usership continues to grow, mostly through the increasing number of regional partnership portals like LandScope Chesapeake.

To ensure that LandScope Chesapeake continues to add value and respond to the latest needs of Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement implementation, NatureServe will work with the Conservation Innovation Center to conduct user needs research to inform a redesign of LandScope. This effort will be done in coordination with the an overall communications strategy, with the goal of delivering an interactive mockup and design guide that can be accurately estimated and implemented as a follow-on activity.

(2) Support, Maintain, and Enhance the LandScope Chesapeake Platform. NatureServe will provide staff support during 2019-2020 to maintain the LandScope Chesapeake platform infrastructure and content, while planning for an upcoming redesign is carried out (item 1, above). This includes refreshing Chesapeake Conservation Partnership map layers, web pages, and map reporting tools when data are refreshed. This task also includes maintaining the Chesapeake Conservation Atlas story map.

2. Provide input on work plan development and follow-through of LandScope Chesapeake staff assignments.

3. Convene and facilitate working sessions with Chesapeake mapping partners to advance priority geospatial data content additions and updates in LandScope Chesapeake.

4. Contribute to and review geospatial data and narrative visual content updates in LandScope Chesapeake.

5. Informed by information about current usage and applications, work to facilitate use of LandScope Chesapeake by collaborative conservation partners in the Chesapeake watershed.

6. Assist in development and enhancement of LandScope Chesapeake conservation tracking and reporting tools by facilitating partnership working sessions to define requirements for supporting Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement tracking and reporting needs, including annual updates.

• Research and compile input from existing sources including Google Analytics, communications recommendations, original LandScope user personas and usability assessment results

• Design and conduct a user needs survey

• Conduct interviews with selected users representing a cross-section of target audiences

• Analyze user research results and develop user stories

• Develop a prioritized functionality list for the new LandScope

• Develop interactive mock-ups and site navigation

• Test design with users in Chesapeake and 1-2 other geographies, and integrate feedback into a final design package that can be accurately estimated and implemented as a follow-on activity

Deliverables for this task:

• User research results report

• Prioritized functionality list for LandScope Chesapeake

• Interactive screen mock-ups

• Site navigation

• Final design package

(2) Support, Maintain, and Enhance the LandScope Chesapeake Platform.

The deliverables listed below would be completed during the year subject to agreed priorities of the Partnership that fit within the proposed budget.

Deliverables for this task:

• Publish new and updated map layers and multi-media content pieces

• Design and publish up to 10 new web pages

• Update the existing Chesapeake Conservation Atlas story map

• Design and build out 1-2 additional story maps

• Research and develop additional mapping and analysis layers

• Design and build 1-2 additional reporting tool options

• Create a conservation projects landing page and populate with available data for the watershed