P24AS00306 - Cultural Resources Management Services - Q&A.pdf

Question - How many applicants were in the last funding cycle and how many grants were awarded?

Answer - There were 20 initial applicants. 12 awards were made.

Question - Will the selection process and allocation of funds begin as applications are received or will that process only begin after the deadline (July 15th)?

Answer - Once all applications are received by the due date, they will be reviewed for required documents and then sent to the merit review panel for content review if eligible.

Funding will not be immediately available. Availability of funds will be determined based on appropriations and project needs. These funds could be made available throughout the life of the agreement on a project need basis. There is no incentive to submit early.

Question - Will the NPS consider multiple submissions from the same county government?

Answer – It is advisable to combine potential projects in to one application. If selected, multiple projects can be split into separate task agreements.

Question - Is it required for projects to take place on National Park Service lands, or can projects take place on tribal and/or trust property?

Answer – There is no on-site requirement, but substantial involvement by the NPS is expected.

Question – Can you elaborate on the Teaching with Historic Places Lesson Plans eligible projects portion of the recently opened grant application?

Answer - Teaching with Historic Places is a specific NPS program within Cultural Resources where we offer lesson plans and teaching tools to help educators. These tools connect students to places and themes without leaving the classroom.

Teaching with Historic Places (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

A task agreement that completed this work would be a joint effort on something like a new lesson plan, etc. However, it isn't a grant program that supports cultural resource education in schools.

Question - Does the NPS NOFO Cultural Resources Management Services require a CESU indirect cost rate capped at 17.5%? Or can we put in a higher indirect cost rate that is standard?

Answer - The Cultural Resources Management Services program is not within the CESU network.

Negotiated indirect cost rate agreements or the de minimus 10% rate will be accepted.

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/teachingwithhistoricplaces/index.htm

Question - Would a project supporting protection and community interpretation of Tribal resources, developed in close collaboration with multiple tribes with historic and modern ties to the region, that takes place on privately owned conservation lands, be a good fit for this funding source?

Answer - Tribal resources and tribal engagement are a high priority for Cultural Resources. It’s also important to note that this NOFO has no immediate funding tied to it - the purpose is to put in place master cooperative agreements with a diverse group of partners to undertake different work that falls under/is tied to NPS-28. Privately owned, conservation lands raise concern, but it would have to be reviewed knowing more information.

Question - The NOFO states (p. 3): allowable activities include/are not limited to studies in NPS-28, which - in regard to exhibits - only seems to support Exhibit Plan and Design (EPD) projects. The NOFO states (p. 5): NPS seeks partner organizations to: "design, develop, and deploy and maintain seminars, exhibits, and on-line resources that will benefit teachers and NPS employees.”

Review Criterion 1 (NOFO, p. 13) in combination with the types of projects NPS lists as being allowable in the NOFO raises several questions and/or the need for further clarification.

Is NPS requiring/advising applicants to align their proposed "collaborative National Park project" to all three of the Secretary of Interior priorities listed in the NOFO (see below)?

Advancing President Biden's Investing in America Agenda to strengthen our country's infrastructure

Working to restore and conserve at least 30% of our lands and waters by 2030

Centering equity and environmental justice

If NPS is requiring/advising applicants to align proposed projects to all three of the Secretary's priorities:

Can applicants propose projects comprised of several activities, and if in combination the project's proposed activities align to all three of the Secretary's priorities will NPS consider that applicant's project responsive to all three of the Secretary's priorities?

Answer - NPS-28 provides guidelines for NPS cultural resources research, documentation, planning, and stewardship activities including interpretation and public education of history associated with NPS-managed historic and cultural resources. The proposed project must have a public benefit beyond teachers and NPS employees because public benefit is required by Master CA financial assistance authorities.

The application may propose a range of activities within the applicants' organizational capacity, expertise, and mission, and describe how the proposed activities align with any (one, some, all) of the Secretary of the Interior priorities.

Question - Is it acceptable that this staff have their primary appointments/positions at other entities other than our organization?

Answer - Agreements allow for sub-recipient activity. However, this is normally included at the task agreement level and would not necessarily be a consideration for the proposal. Please see 2 CFR 200.331 "Subrecipient and contractor determinations" for additional information.