noi-ta-sca-npnh sandy.docx

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

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

ABSTRACT

(4) Unique Qualifications

OVERVIEW

Cooperative Agreement Number P15AC00031 was entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, (NPS), and the Student Conservation Association Resiliency Corps (SCA) to provide educational and work opportunities to young people so that they can gain a better understanding and appreciation of the NPS natural and cultural resources while acquiring hands-on experience in resource protection, and career awareness while developing skills relevant to their field of academic study and/or career interest.

On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy ravaged the eastern seaboard, with NY and NJ taking the full force of the storm. The storm affected all 15 National Park Service sites in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, including all three units of Gateway National Recreation Area, Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, Governors Island NM and the Manhattan Sites that make up the National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH).

As part of the response and recovery from Hurricane Sandy, the NPS is committed to providing educational and work opportunities to young people in National Parks related to historic and cultural resource preservation, natural resources restoration and climate change resiliency. The program will offer valuable work experience for participants to learn about the rising sea levels and the need for natural and community resilience while developing job and community skills needed for a 21st century workforce.

Under previously funded award actions, National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH) and SCA launched project coordination, program planning and participant recruitment for a Youth Corps in the response, recovery and mitigation of Superstorm Sandy damage in National Park units in New York City and New Jersey.

The purpose of the activity to be funded is to recruit and place high school and college-aged individuals and other qualified persons who volunteer their services through SCA in order to launch the project coordination, program planning and youth participant recruitment for the National Parks of New York Harbor Resiliency Corps in response to damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. The youth and young adults will receive training and educational experience in resource management and conservation programs associated with the National Parks Service sites in New York and northern New Jersey.

Objectives:

· Continuation of the participant recruitment, placement and project management for the National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH) Resiliency Corps. The Resiliency Corps was envisioned as a “multi-year” program for diverse urban youth and young adults through relevant work and service experience in the response, recovery and mitigation of Superstorm Sandy damage within national park units and partner sites in New York City and New Jersey.

· Support and stimulate work and/or education and training opportunities for youth and young adults through collaborative participation in the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) for the National Parks of New York Harbor and dedicated NPNH Resiliency Corps members focused particularly on recovery projects at the three units of Gateway NRA. A detailed description of the work and budget is included as Attachment A.

· Recruit locally to help build community resiliency in response to Hurricane Sandy. Community resilience to emergencies ensures the ability of the public at large and individuals to prevent, protect against, quickly respond to, and recover from emergencies.

· Engage with other Youth Corps and integrate efforts into the pilot program where possible in support of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC) goal of working through public-private and non-profit partnerships to engage citizens in hands-on service and job training experiences on public lands, waterways, cultural heritage sites and community green spaces.

· Develop a year-round, multi-year program of projects supported by local, state, federal and philanthropic funding that involves cooperative efforts in cultural and natural resource conservation related to projects such as debris removal, beach clean-up, trail development and maintenance, cultural resources management activities, forest management, minor construction work, archeological conservation and habitat restoration/rehabilitation.

· Promote and stimulate public purposes such as education, job training, development of responsible citizenship, productive community involvement, and furthering the understanding and appreciation of natural and cultural resources through the involvement of youth and young adults in care and enhancement of public resources. Part of the educational opportunity is to gain a deeper understanding of climate change, severe weather preparedness in the context of preservation of natural and cultural resources.

· Continue the longstanding efforts of the NPS to provide opportunities for public service, youth employment, minority youth development and training, and participation of young adults in accomplishing conservation-related work.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

SCA is responsible for the following:

1. Recruit, select, and manage youth and young adults working as part of the Conservation Corps, Community teams and Leader crews for National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH) sites as part of the work projects described in Attachments B and C as well as throughout this document. For the purposes of this agreement, the three types of teams consist of:

(a) Summer Crews: two crews for six weeks consisting of two leaders and twelve members per crew. Leaders will be hired for seven weeks for prep and follow up. Four vans will be needed, including tolls and parking.

(b) Fall Leader Team: one crew consisting of one leader and five crew members for three weeks. One van will be needed, including tolls and parking.

2. Recruit, select, train and manage experienced Crew Leaders who will train and supervise the teams of enrollees through the completion of much needed conservation service projects in GATE sites. Leaders will plan training opportunities and field trips designed to build community understanding and environmental stewardship with participants.

3. Provide for transportation to and from individual work sites throughout the Gateway National Recreation Area and subsistence as needed/appropriate during the tour of duty.

4. Provide for technology including laptops, tablets and cell phones.

5. Provide for service clothing for each member as needed/appropriate.

6. Provide for supplies and equipment including but not limited to personal protective equipment (gloves, safety vests, eye protection hearing protection), trash bags, loppers, handsaws, brooms, rakes, and litter grabbers.

7. Provide for additional educational and recruitment materials such as brochures, printed materials and advertising for the individual projects for startup of the program.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

The NPS is responsible for the following:

1. Provide the services of an NPS Administrator to serve as liaison to SCA for the work under this agreement. This includes consulting and working specifically with the Recipient’s program coordinator and team leaders on recruitment, interviewing and recommending appropriate candidates for the Corps.

2. Work with SCA to describe the goals, jointly developing the scope of work for each project and the activities to be accomplished.

3. Provide attached list of initial proposed projects by site/unit that includes projected start dates and staffing needs.

4. Coordinate kick-off meeting with NPS staff including key management, interpretive and maintenance staff to assist in developing program.

5. Provide work leaders and staff to mentor and train the youth employed through this program.

6. Facilitate access to all sites and provide general oversight/site management for all projects. Review proposed work projects, provide orientation to park resources, survey work assignments, and provide technical assistance/support as need.

7. Coordinate among NPS and other related sites.

8. Provide office, training and supply storage space including staging areas at or near work locations.

9. Participate in or lead training opportunities particularly job safety, natural and cultural resource preservation and climate change.

10. Provides cultural/environmental programs to the team members including park tours, educational programs, talks on the history of the park, and other similar programs in a variety of media and will coordinate among all units in the area to provide joint educational programs and field trips to NPS and other related sites.

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.

The National Park Service did not solicit full and open competition for this award based on the following criteria:

(2) CONTINUATION (4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

Single Source Justification Description:

Continuation: The activity to be funded is a continuation of a program already being funded between National Parks New York Harbor and SCA to facilitate educational opportunities for young people and provide response, recovery and mitigation of Superstorm Sandy damage in National Park units in New York City and New Jersey.

Unique Qualifications:

· The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is a national agreement holder selected based on continuing the longstanding efforts of the NPS to provide opportunities for public service, youth employment, minority youth development and training, and participation of young adults in accomplishing conservation-related work.

· SCA is committed to conservation, historic preservation, cultural resources, resource management and the creation of the next generation of conservation leaders. SCA places volunteers in more than 350 park units and NPS offices each year.

· SCA is uniquely qualified in programs related to natural resource protection, cultural resources, historical preservation, and land restoration and is willing to continue its long-lived partnership with NPS for a youth employment and training program that engages a diverse cross section of young people.

· The cost of SCA Conservation Associates and volunteers are financially comparable or in some cases more cost-effective than other internship and youth volunteer providers. In addition, SCA's recruitment methods bring forth candidates who are highly qualified and motivated to learn the theory and practice of effective natural and cultural resource management, including interpretation, education, research, public relations and other stewardship building activities.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

54 U.S.C. 101702(a) provides that the National Park Service may, in fiscal year 1997 and thereafter, enter into cooperative agreements that involve the transfer of National Park Service appropriated funds to State, local and tribal governments, other public entities, educational institutions, and private nonprofit organizations for the public purpose of carrying out National Park Service programs pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 6305 to carry out public purposes of National Park Service programs.

16 U.S.C. 1723(c) Public Land Corps, authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with any qualified youth or conservation corps to perform appropriate conservation projects.

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