NOI P17AS00797.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 P17AS00797

Project Title Plan and Implement Hazardous Fuels Reduction

Activities on National Park Service Lands

Recipient County of Marin (Marin County Fire Department)

Anticipated Federal Funding $95,000.00

Non-federal Cost Share None Required

Anticipated Period of Performance 09/22/2017 – 09/30/2018

Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement

Statutory Authority 54 U.S.C. §101702(a)

CFDA # and Title 15.948, National Fire Plan-Wildland Urban Interface

Community Fire Assistance

Single Source Justification Criteria (4) Unique Qualifications

Point of Contact Rachel Dell'Osso

Grants Management Specialist

National Park Service

Point Reyes National Seashore

1 Bear Valley Road

Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Phone: (415) 464-5110

Email: rachel_dell’osso@nps.gov

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the National Park Services’ (NPS) wildland urban interface community assistance program is to implement the National Fire Plan and assist communities at risk from catastrophic wildland fires by providing assistance in the following areas: Provide community programs that develop local capability including; assessment and planning, mitigation activities, and community and homeowner education and action; plan and implement hazardous fuels reduction activities, monitoring or maintenance associated with such hazardous fuels reduction activities, on federal land, or on adjacent nonfederal land for activities that mitigate the threat of catastrophic fire to communities and natural resources in high risk areas; enhance local and small business employment opportunities for rural communities; enhance the knowledge and fire protection capability of rural fire districts by providing assistance in education, and mitigation methods on a cost share basis.

NPS and Marin County Fire Department (MCFD) have collaboratively planned and implemented hazardous fuels reduction activities, in Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National

Recreation Area for several years. This Agreement extends that collaboration. Personnel from

MCFD’s Tamalpais Fire Crew (TFC) and NPS’s SF Bay Area Network will collaborate to plan and implement hazardous fuels reduction activities on NPS lands in Point Reyes National Seashore and

Golden Gate National Recreation Area. They will also collaborate on monitoring and maintenance associated with the hazardous fuels reduction activities.

The hazardous fuels reduction activities will include cut and pile or chip biomass to offer protection to the structures and residents that live near the parks while reducing the fuel loading in various areas of the parks. TFC will maintain operational readiness to respond to wildland fires in the parks, as well as throughout Marin County, by having fire response vehicles on-site while conducting project activities.

STATEMENT OF WORK

RECIPIENT AGREES TO:

MCFD will provide technical guidance, crew leadership and crew personnel for the removal and reduction of targeted wildland fuels; coordinate a work schedule with the NPS to perform work activities; provide cost sharing or matching, if available, for work on certain project activities, as mutually agreed to by both parties; and provide supplies, materials, and equipment, as necessary, to perform specific project activities. In addition, MCFD will provide NPS with final reports, images, mappings, and requested monitoring data from activities conducted under this Agreement; provide assistance to NPS fire ecology, fuels planning, and natural resource monitoring programs; and provide advice regarding hazardous reduction planning, wildland fire fuels inventorying, and monitoring protocols and data sets, if applicable.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AGREES TO:

Substantial involvement on the part of the NPS is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In particular, the NPS will provide MCFD, to the extent allowed by the law and applicable NPS policies, use of the resources and facilities for appropriate training; provide MCFD with technical assistance and guidance as deemed necessary; hold orientation briefings with MCFD personnel at the commencement of each project activity to discuss safety considerations and clearly explain project operational plan, expectations, specific instructions, and other necessary details; and provide on-site coordination and assistance for project activities.

Both parties will meet regularly, or as needed, to identify and discuss NPS hazardous fuels removal and reduction activities; coordinate wildland fire prevention planning and wildland fire training opportunities; cooperate in the wildland fuels planning and wildland fire hazard risk assessment that are directed toward the reduction of catastrophic loss of life, property, and natural resource values at

Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area; and participate in joint training opportunities related to activities arising under this Agreement.

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:

(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.

Specifically, MCFD’s TFC is a well-established, local, state certified Type 1 fire crew that has been involved in many fuels management and prescribed projects for the NPS. It is located in close proximity to the project area, has the equipment, skill set and expertise to help the NPS reach its hazardous fuels reduction goals, and it provides the NPS another mechanism for reaching out to community members and organizations through the outreach and educational component of the TFC program.