NOIP19AC00134.001 BADL TempleU Notice of Intent To Award (Current as of 10.29.2018).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

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.

katherine_borschel@nps.gov

2. Archive rare earth element information associated with fossil localities.

3. Develop relevant programs for park partners and the public on the sedimentation of the Sharps Formation and Rare Earth Element Analysis.

2. Assist with the field documentation of sedimentary units associated with significant fossil localities in the Sharps Formation.

3. Provide field supplies and logistical support for the project.

4. Develop interpretive programs to the general public on the Sharps Survey Project.

5. Engage recipients, partners, communities, and park visitors on the protection of fossil resources through rare earth element analysis. Provide resource protection programs to Temple University relating to fossil resources and field safety.

Justification: 4. The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon technical expertise. NOI Explanation of Proposed Recipients Qualifications (Temple University) :

DR. DENNIS O. TERRY, JR. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA where he teaches Geology of the National Parks, Physical Geology, Sedimentary Environments, and a graduate class in Soils and Paleosols He has over 30 years of research experience working in the Badlands of South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming. His research in Badlands National Park began during the summer of 1987 when he was hired as an interpretive ranger through the Student Conservation Association. His initial investigations became the focus of his Master’s thesis research at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH and in turn evolved into his Ph.D. research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He continues his research to this day on the Badlands of South Dakota and correlative deposits across the Great Plains. His specialties include depositional environments, stratigraphy, and the analysis of ancient soils in the rock record (paleosols) and their application to interpreting the formation of fossil bone beds, paleoenvironmental conditions, and paleoclimatic change in the Badlands. During his career he has generated over one hundred publications (abstracts, field guides, journal articles, and two books) on the geology and paleontology of the Badlands in collaboration with numerous graduate and undergraduate students, colleagues, and federal agencies, including the National Park Service, U. S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management. In addition to publications, Dr. Terry has completed five prior investigations in Badlands National Park that utilized the same field and laboratory methodologies that will be required for the current project. No other scientist has the unique combination of skills and insight into the geology and paleontology of Badlands National Park as Dr. Terry.

2. Collect samples for laboratory analyses that include particle size analysis and micro morphologic features via thin sections, geochemistry via X-ray fluorescence, and mineralogical analysis via X-ray diffraction.

3. Complete sedimentological interpretations from each study site which will be incorporated into the overall regional depositional model.

4. Collect scraps of in situ bone material from selected study sites and analyze for geochemical signatures and rare earth element (REE) fingerprinting. Samples will be transported to Temple University where they will undergo destructive laboratory analysis. Enough fragmentary bone will be collected per site that a sample archive of each locality can be created. This archive, which will be curated on-site at Badlands National Park, will serve as a REE geochemical reference standard for each locality which can be used to calibrate/recalibrate instruments used for REE determinations. This will also allow the calibration of any future, higher resolution techniques/equipment to extant data sets and standards.

5. Draft summary report, peer reviewed publications, and develop rare earth element archive to be housed at Badlands National Park for future law enforcement cases.

6. Provide outreach to park staff, park partners, youth and the general public on the use of Rare Earth Element Analysis for the protection of fossil resources.