Notice of Intent Univ of Washington SN CA.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 mission of the Earthquake Hazards Program’s Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) is to provide accurate and timely data and information products for seismic events, including their effects on buildings and structures, employing modern monitoring methods and technologies. ANSS efforts have been expanded to include geodetic monitoring.

The networks are the basis on which all assessments of earthquake hazards are founded and it is important to maintain these stable sources of information on seismic and geodetic activity. These operators also have a unique position that enables them to perform critical outreach and education activities in their regions that further the EHP mission and goals as they convey information about seismicity and earthquake hazards to state and local agencies in their regions, and to professionals, the media, and the general public.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The University of Washington shares responsibility of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) with the University of Oregon. Both universities will be responsible for the following: operating and maintaining seismic stations and associated station metadata that meet ANSS standards, ensuring delivery of station waveform data and accurate station metadata to other ANSS networks and ANSS designated archives, adhering to the implementation of ANSS approved software standards to ensure efficient flow of data and information for robust delivery of ANSS products and services and interoperability, producing authoritative catalogs of earthquake source parameters and other ANSS products and services that meet ANSS standards, contributing to the operation and development of the Station Information System (SIS), working with ANSS and the ANSS National Implementation Committee (NIC) toward using or populating SIS for station inventory control and description and maintenance of station metadata and coordinating seismic monitoring activities with ANSS management and ANSS participants.

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:

Earthquake Hazards Program project chiefs and staff within the program’s research and seismic and geodetic monitoring projects will provide awardee with overall collaboration to convey USGS policy. USGS personnel will be primarily responsible for initiating and continuing communications with the PIs and other University of Washington staff during the term of the cooperative agreement. Data from the network will be used in real-time by the USGS National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) for source characterization of earthquakes (location and magnitude) and the generation of important emergency response products that include ShakeMap and PAGER. The University of Washington coordinates closely with the USGS on understanding and dissemination information on regional seismic hazards to important regional partners such as State Geological Surveys and emergency response agencies.

The University of Washingon seismic technical staff also participate in regular Cooperator-USGS Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP) planning meetings held every few months as well as an annual review.

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:

(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,

(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:

The University of Washington is uniquely qualified to carry out the work described in their proposal because they are the co-operators (with University of Oregon) of the PNSN, a USGS-supported seismic network in the Pacific Nothwest, which is a region of significant seismic hazard posed by the offshore Cascadia subduction zone. University of Washington also has a well-developed network staff that is also of great benefit to this proposed study. The PIs have been extensively involved with this effort as the seismic network operator.

Specialized equipment is needed for monitoring and has been deployed by the University of Washington in the regions of monitoring. Some of the field sensors and central recording and computing equipment is university-owned and would not be available to another source. Furthermore, data from the instruments is transmitted to the universities’ facilities and relocation of the data receiving point and telemetry equipment would be costly and time-consuming.

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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