Notice of Intent.doc

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

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

ABSTRACT

OVERVIEW

The proposed work addresses a high priority issue for the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and the national seismic hazard maps. This effort will focus on quantifying the site response and attenuation of sites on the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plain of the central and eastern United States (CEUS).

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The proposed work consists of: 1) analyzing receiver functions using teleseisms to determine sediment thickness and attenuation, 2) determining kappa values using spectral ratios of regional Sn phases and 3) using coda spectra to constrain kappa values. These are all scientifically sound approaches that will yield important results.

USGS INVOLVEMENT

Substantial involvement on the part USGS is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In particular, USGS will be responsible for the following:

USGS will closely coordinate with Virginia Tech for the entirety of the effort. Specifically, USGS personnel will be actively engaged with the Principal Investigator (PI) in the estimation of site response for the coastal plain region.

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.

(6) Cooperative Agreements - USGS Unique Authority cited at 43 U.S.C. 36d (Federal, State, and academic partners) or DOI Authority cited at 43 U.S.C. 1457b (not-for-profit organizations).

USGS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:

(1) Unsolicited Proposal - The Principal Investigator Martin Chapman submitted an unsolicited proposal to Jill Franks of the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program in November, 2017.

(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; and

(6) Cooperative Agreements - USGS Unique Authority cited at 43 U.S.C. 36d (Federal, State, and academic partners).

Single Source Justification Description:

Virginia Tech is uniquely qualified to complete this work because they are the only group with the specific knowledge and expertise required for the CEUS region, and they have the resources necessary to conduct the proposed research. Virginia Tech has the geographic expertise as well as capabilities of analyzing and merging such a wide variety of data sets. The PI is an expert in acquisition, processing, and interpretation of seismic data from global, regional, and local seismic networks, and has extensive experience from seismic reflection and refraction experiments designed to image the shallow crust that is required of this project. The PI also has special access to the Virgina Tech Advanced Research Computing Center that is available for the proposed work.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

The U.S. Geological Survey’s authority to fund Federal, State, and academic cooperators for research and data collection is contained in 43 U.S. Code Chapter 2 § 36d, which reads:

TITLE 43 - PUBLIC LANDS

CHAPTER 2 - UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

§ 36d. Cooperative agreements

Notwithstanding the provisions of the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (31 U.S.C. 6301–6308), the United States Geological Survey is authorized to continue existing, and on and after November 10, 2003, to enter into new cooperative agreements directed towards a particular cooperator, in support of joint research and data collection activities with Federal, State, and academic partners funded by appropriations herein, including those that provide for space in cooperator facilities.

(Pub. L. 108–108, title I, Nov. 10, 2003, 117 Stat. 1254.)

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