p15as00319 noi.docx

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service (NPS), intention to fund the following project activities without competition.

ABSTRACT

OVERVIEW

To create additional training opportunities for qualified students. Interns will assist Federal government professionals involved in historic preservation and allied fields such as archeology, history, museum management and landscape architecture, in directed assignments focusing on Federal efforts in cultural resources management and protection. Duties may include archeological, architectural or landscape surveys; historical research and resource documentation; technical writing and publication development; artifact and records cataloging, conservation and management; database and Web page creation and maintenance; and hands-on condition assessment and repair of historic structures.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

Twenty internships with WASO Cultural Resources Programs. These training opportunities will allow the interns to learn about and participate in a national historic preservation program by working directly with Federal cultural resource professionals on the projects:

1. State, Tribal, and Local Plans & Grants (STLPG), Geospatial Data Management and Digital Survey Tools: Assists with the transference of legacy data from several Federal STLPG grant programs into a geospatial database (ArcGIS). Duties include mapping; learning data transfer standards, communicating with State offices to share data; input of data into ArcGIS; development of a procedures guide for future data input; and assisting with a series of reports and maps for website and annual report. Also assists with development of a digital survey tool, a Centennial project of NPS, designed for digital survey (paperless) of cultural resources in communities. Duties involve testing of application and communication with project partners as well as development of an implementation plan for launch of the application nationally. Other duties may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

2. State, Tribal, and Local Plans & Grants (STLPG), Certified Local Government (CLG) Program: Assists with implementation of a five-year work plan for the program, which takes into account the work of the CLG Coordinator as well as other NPS staff involved in the program. Duties will involve exposure to grants management, website development, understanding of the Federal Preservation Program, and direct interaction with NPS, State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and CLG staff. Interaction with other national level preservation partners will also be possible. Other duties may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

3. State, Tribal, and Local Plans & Grants (STLPG), Preserve America/Save America’s Treasures Program: Assists in assessing the impact of these two grant programs as they approach their final years of funded projects. Duties include gathering necessary data to make observations through the study of the grant files; interviews with grantees and staff; and assessing monetary data and accomplishments, to result in an interactive (web based) report that would provide metrics on both programs and show their successes and weaknesses, as well as demonstrating if there is a need for future funding sources like these. Other duties may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

4. State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants (STLPG), Records Management: Works directly with NPS staff locally and off-site to investigate various alternatives required for the proper storage and retention of existing record collections, as identified within the draft NPS/STLPG Records Retention Policy. Duties include developing recommendations for digitization of records, plans and specifications and other work products of the Save America's Treasures and Preserve America grant programs, Certified Local Government, and other State programs funded through the Historic Preservation Fund. Also interacts with the NPS Records Management, Historic Preservation Division Staff and the NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) Staff in an effort to fully evaluate existing and future record retention needs. Duties involve working directly with NPS staff locally and off-site to investigate and implement alternate storage and retention of the existing collection, as identified within the draft NPS Records Retention Policy. Other duties may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

5. Archeology Program: Supports archeology outreach and education objectives. Possible duties include assisting with the Urban Archeology Corps youth work program; developing curricula for classroom use, teacher guides, and evaluation systems; developing content for the Program's website; coordinating a review process with teachers and other educators; coordinating Junior Ranger mailings; assisting with Centennial activities; and other duties as assigned (400 hours).

6. Archeology Program: Assists with coordination of the National Park Service Archeological Sites Management Information System (ASMIS). Duties include using ASMIS and other data sets to conduct analysis on the state of the National Park System and preparing, under the direction of the National ASMIS coordinator, a report on the state of the ASMIS system. Other duties may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

7. Archeology Program: Assists with support of the Linking Hispanic Heritage Through Archeology Program. Duties include assisting with recruiting, curriculum development, program planning, site visits, and student interaction. Other duties may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

8. Archeology Program: Assists with a new initiative between the Archeology Program and NPS Investigative Services Branch law enforcement personnel, involving enforcing resource protection laws. This will include more closely examining Archeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) violations, looking at looting incidents, the link between NHPA Section 106 and ARPA, and training for ARPA damage assessments and reports. Duties include assisting in pulling together data, laws, and regulations for this new initiative. Other duties may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

9. Cultural Resources Stewardship and Science: Assists the Cultural Resources Directorate in conducting activities to celebrate NPS accomplishments as it reaches its 100th birthday. Duties include assisting with the coordination of centennial communications, including social media and print publications. Other duties may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

10. National NAGPRA Program: Working with Program staff, assists with the various databases maintained by the National NAGPRA office, including the Culturally Unidentifiable Native American Inventories Database as mandated by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA), the Culturally Affiliated Native American Inventories Database, and the Summaries Database. Duties include review of inventories and summaries previously submitted by museums and Federal agencies; data entry; and cross-checking of electronic records. Other duties may include providing assistance with Federal Register notice processing; digitizing records; organizing information from the databases for various reports; and other duties as assigned (400 hours).

11. Park Cultural Resources Program: Assists a team working on the integration of cultural resources into conservation and historic preservation planning at broad (regional) spatial scales appropriate for use by Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, focusing on cultural resources and conservation planning in Pennsylvania, a collaboration between NPS and Pennsylvania State University. Duties involve collecting data on cultural resources for supporting documentation in a comprehensive report to be used for conservation planning, applicable beyond conditions in Pennsylvania. The specific nature of the work involved will depend on the interests and expertise of the intern (400 hours).

12-13. Cultural Resources Education: Working with National Park Service staff, assists in producing Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) classroom lesson plans and other materials on the NPS website (see http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/ for more information). Duties include developing history education and other history content; conducting historical research; editing; identifying copyright; carrying out other Cultural Resources outreach and education work; promoting NPS programs and products via the Web; and other duties as assigned (400 hours).

14-16. Cultural Resources Outreach: Working with National Park Service staff, assists with outreach and education efforts related to diversity and inclusion, including outreach efforts for the NPS Heritage Initiatives on American Latinos, Asian American Pacific Islanders, Women, and LGBTQ. Duties include undertaking small research projects intended to interpret diverse history to tell all Americans' stories, writing material aimed at general audiences suitable for digital media, including internet and social media; assisting with digital media; and other duties as assigned (400 hours).

17-19. American Battlefield Protection Program: Assists with program activities including grant application review and technical assistance. Duties may include initial review of grant applications and projects, including related materials required for grant tracking such as National Register nominations and preservation plans; conducting research; providing program assistance to the public and other interested parties; and other duties as assigned (400 hours each).

20. Climate Change Response Program: Works with the NPS Climate Change Adaptation Coordinator for Cultural Resources on climate change vulnerability assessments for cultural resources across the NPS (including archeological sites, buildings and structures, cultural landscapes, ethnographic resources, and museum collections). Duties include data analysis; library research; consultation and collaboration with cultural and natural resource specialists across the NPS; writing and development of appropriate text and graphics for both print and web products; and other duties as assigned (400 hours).

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

1. Use the existing format to recruit and select additional trainees, or, in limited circumstances, extend existing training projects, for the program currently being offered. Every effort will be made to match the candidates' qualifications with NPS needs.

2. Make financial and technical arrangements for the additional trainees to work in Washington, DC and other locations as necessary.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

1. Assist with selection of prospective interns, as identified by NCPE, based on qualifications.

2. Provide a project mentor, materials, specialized tools and training, and related supplies for completion of the internship project.

3. Work with interns in conduct of the internship, assigning tasks, based upon each trainee's interest, knowledge and skills, providing guidance and direction as needed for completion of duties, and reviewing work products to ensure they meet the goals of the internship.

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.

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

(2) Continuation: Cooperative Agreement Number P15AC30140 was entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, (NPS), and The National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE) for the purpose of providing training opportunities to qualified undergraduate and graduate students in academic programs in historic preservation and related disciplines, allowing them to learn about and contribute to historic preservation at the Federal level by assisting with short-term projects designed to preserve and manage historic and cultural resources.

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