P24AS00306.pdf

U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service

Financial Assistance

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Program Title Cultural Resources Management Services Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: P24AS00306 Announcement Type: Initial CFDA Number: 15.946 – Cultural Resources Management

Issue Date: 3/15/2024 Application Due Date: 7/16/2024 11:59 PM, ET

Agency Contact Information Questions and Requests Name Steve Livingston Name Same Address 7333 West Jefferson Ave.

Lakewood, CO 80235 Address (as applicable)

Email Email

Table of Contents

Section A: Program Description

Section B: Federal Award Information

Section C: Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Section D: Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Contents and Form of Application Submission

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. Other Submission Requirements

Section E: Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Evaluation of Applicant Risk

Section F: Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

Section H: Other Information:

NPS Standard and Special Award Terms and Conditions

Section A: Program Description

Federal Agency Name: Department of the Interior, National Park Service

Funding Opportunity Title: Cultural Resources Management Services

Funding Opportunity Number: P24AS00306

Catalog Of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.946 – Cultural Resources Management

Legislative Authority:

54 U.S.C. §101702(a) Cooperative Agreements, Transfer of Service Appropriated Funds

Federal Regulations: 2 C.F.R. § 200, 2 C.F.R. § 1402

Program Background Information and Objectives:

The National Park Service, following its Management Policies (2006) seeks to work with partners to collaboratively conduct a variety of activities, including, but not limited to the named studies outlined in NPS-28: Cultural Resource Management Guideline:

● Archeological Identification/Evaluation Studies

● Archival Records Management Plans

● Bibliographic and historiographic essays

● Collection Management Plan (CMP)

● Cultural Affiliation Study and Lineal Descent Studies

● Cultural Landscapes Inventory (CLI)

● Cultural Resources Geographical Information System (CRGIS) Studies.

● Cultural Resources Management Bibliography (CRBIB)

● Development Concept Plan

● Discover our Shared Heritage Travel Itineraries

● Ethnohistory and Ethnography

● Exhibit Plan and Design (EPD)

● General Management Plan (GMP)

● HABS/HAER/HALS documentation,

● Historic Resource Study (HRS)

● Historic structure report (HSR)

● List of Classified Structures (LCS)

● National Catalog of Museum Objects

● National Heritage Area Plans and Evaluations

● National Historic Landmark Documentation and Theme Studies

● National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom studies

● National Register of Historic Places Documentation and Bulletins

● National Maritime Initiative Inventory

● Oral History interviews, transcription and archival processing

● Park and Program Administrative History

● Peer Review

● Teaching with Historic Places Lesson Plans

Moreover, in execution of its responsibilities under the NPS Organic Act of 1916; the Historic Sites Act of 1935, and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the agency seeks partner organizations to:

● further public dialogue of and knowledge about the preservation of nationally significant cultural and historic properties;

● continue to support the mission of the Federal Save America’s Treasures program;

● connect with new audiences to pursue sustainability of the preservation movement, encouraging them to address issues affecting preservation in their communities,

● engage with Certified Local Governments (CLG), federal, state, tribal and local preservation offices and other preservation organizations to carry on the NPS mission;

● engage in projects that lead in actionable recommendations for the preservation field and promote research, interpretation and preservation of American history and culture

● undertake activities that promote the greater public and private understanding of

American history

● assist in the promotion, facilitation, and improvement of the general public’s understanding of natural, cultural, recreational and other aspects of history in areas such as national parks, National Historic Landmarks, state and local parks, and other historic sites

● promote greater public and private participation in historic preservation and interpretive programs and activities nationwide while building build resource stewardship ethics

● share an appreciation for American history and culture, through a variety of strategies, such as through social media platforms, in order to increase public awareness, knowledge and support for historic preservation, stewardship, and interpretation of the nation’s cultural and historical heritage

● motivate youth participants to become involved in the cultural and historical resource protection of their communities and beyond;

● inform the public, assist professionals in making informed management decisions, and to educate and train participants, thereby developing future professionals in historic landscape documentation and preservation;

● assist in directing planning efforts for the preservation, rehabilitation, and/or restoration of historic properties;

● advance historic preservation at the local level by providing training opportunities,

● create an application to enable digital cultural surveys of communities, and strengthen local preservation commissions through training and funding opportunities;

● support the culture and heritage activities of the governments of federally recognized Indian tribes, particularly the activities of the various Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs) and those governments seeking to establish THPO operations;

● increase public awareness, including government agencies, of the importance of the physical environment in the role and preservation of Native traditions and culture;

● promote the greater public and private understanding of American history for their mutual benefit and for the people of the United States as well as for future generations, so that they can enjoy the historic resources in their communities

● Conduct projects and programs that will result in expanding the knowledge and information available in the areas of historical education, historic preservation, and cultural resources management..

● Conduct projects, programs, and activities that will result in expanding the opportunities available for public and youth engagement in the areas of interpretation, education, and volunteerism through projects such as youth engagement and conservation projects, training and workshops, long range interpretive plans, interpretive tours and site visits, program development and implementation, and cooperation on creation of public education and interpretive materials for audiences beyond park boundaries such as social media-based platforms, site bulletins, exhibits, and other interpretive content.

● Conduct scholarly peer review and offer substantive scholarly feedback of NPS to ensure that projects meet the highest standards of the historical and educational professions.

● Support the dissemination of information based on NPS funded research through publications, conferences, symposia, training and exhibitions, as well as other electronic media.

● Design, develop, and deploy and maintain seminars, exhibits, publications, and on-line resources that will benefit teachers and NPS employees.

● Develop and disseminate information related to Certified Local Governments (CLG), State Historic Preservation Offices, and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, as well as any other program supported by the Historic Preservation Fund, for protecting and preserving cultural resources at the local community level.

● Organize training at conferences in the form of sessions, workshops, information booths, and other types of educational opportunities to promote best practices among the various constituents in the national preservation partnership programs.

Section B: Federal Award Information

Estimated Federal Funding: ($2,500.00 to $250,000.00) The amount of funding available per award for this NOFO will be determined once final FY 2024 appropriations have been made. A selection of award under this NOFO is not a guarantee of future funding. All future funding will be authorized by a separate agreement subject to the availability of funding.

Expected Award Amount:

An estimated range of $2500 To $250,000 of funding is anticipated for each award.

The amount of funding available per award for this NOFO will be determined as part of the application review process based on applications received and funding made available through appropriations.

Anticipated Start Date:

Projects receiving funding through this NOFO will start once funding has been secured and awards have been made.

Anticipated Term of the Agreement:

Agreement terms for funded projects are estimated to range between one and five years, depending on the negotiated project statement of work. Agreements are not effective until fully executed with signature from the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

Non-Federal Entity Cost Share:

Non-Federal cost share is not required for this agreement.

Estimated Number of Agreements to be Awarded: NPS expects to execute up to 25 agreements, distributed among the following categories:

● Up to five large organizations with the capacity and expertise to conduct undertakings on a national scale;

● Up to ten medium sized organizations with regional or disciplinary services or expertise;

● Up to ten small organizations with the expertise and experience to successfully execute small scale projects.

Each activity or project under this agreement will be treated individually, with more detail through project statements, project plans and budgets developed cooperatively between the NPS and the non-Federal entity.

Funding Instrument Type:

Master Cooperative Agreement – A master cooperative agreement is an agreement with a non- Federal entity in which more than one project is anticipated. This type of cooperative agreement includes a detailed description of all types of work that can be done under the agreement. The master cooperative agreement will also establish the overarching terms and conditions agreed to by the National Park Service and the non-Federal entity and are not funded. Specific projects and funding under a master agreement are identified through task agreements, which are issued under the applicable legal authority documented in the master cooperative agreement. A specific task agreement will always reference, and be subject to, the terms and conditions of the master cooperative agreement.

Substantial Involvement:

Substantial involvement may include:

● NPS is involved with the non-Federal entity in describing the goals, jointly developing the scope and the activities to be accomplished. This must be combined with other substantial involvement, such as providing technical assistance or any of the statements listed below, that goes beyond Federal stewardship responsibilities.

● As part of project planning, NPS staff will describe and quantify the level of effort that will substantiate the agency’s commitment to being substantially involved in the undertaking.

● NPS staff will assist the non-Federal entity in selecting projects, providing orientation to park resources, overseeing assignments, teaching new skills, distributing tools and equipment and providing technical assistance and safety training.

● NPS will provide the programmatic structure of the project, provide special interpretive programs, and provide educational elements of the project such as trade skill development and leadership development.

● NPS staff will work together with the non-Federal entity to jointly organize and deliver seminars, workshops, and types of training programs for the purpose of promoting historic preservation to non-Government entities, States, Tribes, and local governments and the general public.

● NPS will provide the services of a Program Coordinator to serve as liaison to (the non-Federal entity) for the work under this agreement. This includes consulting and working specifically with the non-Federal entity’s program coordinator and team leaders on recruiting, interviewing, and recommending appropriate candidates.

● NPS will provide a work leader and skilled maintenance staff to mentor and train the youth employed through this program.

Other Information:

Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are not eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.

Section C: Eligibility Information

Application Due Date: July 15th 2024, 5 PM, Mountain Time An applicant's failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of the application deadline will result in the application being excluded from consideration. This includes but is not limited to late and incomplete application packages.

1. Eligible Applicants In accordance with 54 U.S.C. § 101702(a), this funding opportunity is limited to a State, local, or tribal government or other public entity, an educational institution, or a private nonprofit organization.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Non-Federal cost sharing is not required to be eligible for an award under this NOFO.

Section D: Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package An application package has been included within this NOFO for your convenience, found in Appendix A. The Application Package contains four mandatory forms, which must be submitted with your proposal, forms include: form SF-424 (Application for Financial Assistance), form SF- 424A or C (Budget Information), form SF-424B or D (Assurances), and SF-LLL (Lobbying).

The Application Package can also be accessed and downloaded from the Synopsis page of this announcement in Grants.gov. Applicants may also request paper copies of application materials by contacting the Awarding Agency using the information provided in Section G of this NOFO.

2. Contents and Form of Application Submission You must complete the mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms, in accordance with the instructions below, as required by this NOFO. Do not include any proprietary or personally identifiable information. A complete application should include:

• Standard Form 424 (SF 424) - Application for Federal Assistance Complete this form as much as possible with all applicable information.

• Standard Form 424A or C (SF 424A/C) - Budget Information Applicants must provide an estimated cumulative budget for the total project in the proposal. The estimated budget must align with the projected scope of work presented in the application.

• Standard Form 424B or D (SF 424B/D) – Assurances This form must be signed and submitted with your application.

• Standard Form LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities In accordance with 43 C.F.R. § 18 and 31 U.S.C. § 1352 this form must be completed and signed if the amount of the Federal award is anticipated to exceed $100,00.00.

• Project Narrative - Proposal Submission Format The proposal is a narrative description that should specifically address each of the review criteria (see Section E). The proposal text must be no longer than 25 pages, no smaller than font size 11, and have 1-inch margins. The 25-page limit includes all text, figures, references, and resumes (Forms SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-LLL, and the statement of indirect charges are not counted as part of the 25 page limit). Additionally, only information that is pertinent to the proposal should be included.

• Indirect Costs If your proposed budget includes indirect costs, the rate as proposed must meet the requirements of 2 CFR Part 200, Section 200.414 and 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix III through Appendix VII as applicable. A negotiated indirect cost rate agreement must be provided with your proposal. Proposals that fail to document their indirect costs may have those costs disallowed.

Other Documents Required by the Program - All applicants must provide a statement to identify whether or not any overlap exists between the proposed project and any other active or anticipated projects in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel, including any application that was submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source (Federal or non-Federal). If no overlap or duplication exists, a sample statement to satisfy this requirement might be: “[Insert Applicant Name] affirms that no overlap or duplication exists between the proposed project in this application and any other active or anticipated project in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel, including any application that was submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source (Federal or non-Federal).” If any overlap or duplication does exist, applicants must provide a description of the overlap including when the overlapping or duplicative proposal(s) were submitted, to whom (entity and program), and when funding decisions are expected to be announced. The statement and the description of overlap or duplication, when applicable, may be provided within the proposal or as a separate attachment to the application. If at any time a proposal is awarded funds that would be overlapping or duplicative of the funding requested from NPS, the applicant must immediately notify the NPS point of contact. Any overlap or duplication of funding between the proposed project and other active or anticipated projects may impact selection and/or funding amount.

If selected for award, NPS reserves the right to request additional or clarifying information for any reason deemed necessary, including, but not limited to:

(a) Other budget information

(b) Financial capability

(c) Evaluation of risk

(d) Name and phone number of the Designated Responsible Employee for complying with national policies prohibiting discrimination (See 43 C.F.R. § 17)

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Each applicant (unless exempt under 2 CFR §25.110) is required to:

(a) Be registered in SAM;

(b) Provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application;

(c) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency.

Registration processes for SAM can be found at https://www.sam.gov

A financial assistance agreement will not be made with a non-Federal entity until the non- Federal entity has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements.

If a non-Federal entity has not fully complied with the requirements by the time that an agreement is ready for award, a determination may be made that the applicant is not qualified to https://www.sam.gov/ receive a Federal award. That determination may be used as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

In addition, in order to submit an application through Grants.gov an applicant must have an active SAM registration and register for submission permissions through the Grants.gov website.

Utilize the following link to guide you through this process:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

4. Submission Dates and Times Applicants are held responsible for their proposals being submitted to the National Park Service.

Applications must be received by July 15th 2024, 5 PM, Mountain Time. Applicants are encouraged to submit the application well before the deadline.

Application preparation time may take several weeks, so please start the application process as soon as possible. Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed or considered for award. If it is determined that a proposal was not considered due to lateness, the applicant will be notified during the selection process.

5. Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order (EO) 12372 “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” Applicants subject to EO 12372 must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the State’s process. The names and addresses of the SPOC’s are listed in the OMB’s home page at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/

6. Funding Restrictions Costs incurred by the applicant prior to the start date of the period of performance of a signed Federal award are only allowable with written approval by a Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

7. Other Submission Requirements Applications must be submitted by http://www.grants.gov to the National Park Service by the deadline identified in paragraph 4 above. Applications submitted by other means or not received by the deadline will not be considered.

In the event the applicant experiences technical difficulties with submitting their application, please contact: Steve Livingston at steve_livingston.gov

Deadline for Questions

Questions must be submitted in writing via email only to steve_livingston@nps.gov. The subject line of the email must reference “P24AS00306.” All questions and answers will be consolidated into one document and disseminated through an amendment to the NOFO through the grants.gov website.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/

The deadline for questions is June 17th, 2024.

The NOFO amendment of the consolidated questions and answers will be disseminated a few days following Date, June 17th, 2024.

START THIS PROCESS EARLY DON’T DELAY!

Section E: Application Review Information

1. Criteria NPS will evaluate and consider only those applications that separately address each of the merit review criteria. Each applicant is required to provide a detailed narrative, in accordance with section D.2., of the following criteria elements. It is HIGHLY recommended that the project narrative have sections labeled as follows:

Criterion 1 Description Weight 30% Title Secretary of the Interior Priorities

Advancing President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to strengthen our country’s infrastructure. The agency needs to make well-informed choices regarding the prioritization of infrastructure needs, decisions that must be made within an appropriate operational context. This cooperative agreement will provide our parks and programs with a vehicle to access the best available information about our resources and infrastructure.

Working to restore and conserve at least 30% of our lands and waters by 2030. This cooperative agreement helps to streamline environmental and regulatory review by providing accurate information about resources mandated for agency consideration. It ensures that Park Service managers are directly involved in data collection, evaluation, analysis and reporting, so that timely decisions might be taken during the regulatory process.

Centering equity and environmental justice. This cooperative agreement, with up to 25 partnerships anticipated, will enhance the opportunity of participation from historically marginalized communities and provide a diversity of expertise.

Criterion 2 Program Model Weight 30% Alignment with National Park Service Mandate

Describe how the purpose, goals, and philosophy of the organization aligns with the legislative and regulatory mandates of the National Park Service and its mission

Describe the history of the organization as it related to the National Park Service, its park units, and its programs.

Demonstrate ability to design and carry out cultural resource projects that meet the requirements of NPS policy and guidance.

Describe how the organization’s leadership and membership can effectively contribute to the articulated NPS goals.

Criterion 3 Organizational Infrastructure

Weight 20%

Infrastructure Standards

Customer Service

Financial Management

Risk Management

Have a formal governance and accountability structure.

Must have sufficient staff to develop and maintain cooperative relationship with National Park Service.

Job descriptions for key staff (include biographies and 1 page resumes). Identify the individual who would serve as the single point of contact, or project manager, for the agreement.

Clearly articulated organizational policies and procedures for cooperating with NPS.

Organization must utilize proper financial controls and generally accepted accounting principles.

Criterion 4 Past Performance Weight 20% Project Experience

List and provide descriptions of five cultural resource, historic preservation, or conservation projects and/or programs that have been performed in the past three years. Please include any relevant past performance with Federal entities.

2. Review and Selection Process NPS personnel, and in some cases independent reviewers, will review all proposals. All proposals for funding will be considered using the criteria outlined above. A summary of the review panel comments may be provided to the applicant if requested.

a. Initial Review Prior to conducting the comprehensive merit review, an initial review will be performed to determine whether: (1) the applicant is eligible for an award; (2) the information required by the NOFO has been submitted; (3) all mandatory requirements of the NOFO are satisfied;

and (4) the proposed project is responsive to the program objectives of the NOFO (program determination). If an applicant fails to meet the requirements or objectives of the NOFO, or does not provide sufficient information for review, the applicant will be considered non-responsive and eliminated from further review.

b. Comprehensive Merit Review All applications that satisfactorily pass the initial review will be eligible for the Comprehensive Merit Review. Each criteria element will be scored on a 0-10 point scale:

10 Superior (100 % of weighted average) 8 Good (80 % of weighted average) 6 Satisfactory (60 % of weighted average) 4 Marginal (40 % of weighted average) 2 Poor (20 % of weighted average) 0 Not Acceptable (No score)

Rating Descriptive Statement 10 Superior: Applicant fully addresses all aspects of the criterion, convincingly demonstrates that it will meet the Government's performance requirements, and demonstrates no weaknesses.

8 Good: Applicant fully addresses all aspects of the criterion, convincingly demonstrates a likelihood of meeting the Government's requirements, and demonstrates only a few minor weaknesses.

6 Satisfactory: Applicant addresses all aspects of the criterion and demonstrates the ability to meet the Government's performance requirements. The Application contains weaknesses and/or a number of minor weaknesses.

4 Marginal: Applicant addresses all aspects of the criterion and demonstrates the ability to meet the Government's performance requirements. The Application contains significant weaknesses and/or a significant number of minor weaknesses.

2 Poor: Applicant addresses some aspects of the criterion and demonstrates some doubt in the likelihood of successfully meeting the Government's requirements. Significant weaknesses are demonstrated and clearly outweigh any strength presented.

0 Not Acceptable: Applicant does not address all aspects of the criterion and the information presented indicates a strong likelihood of failure to meet the Government's requirements.

c. Selection The Selection Official may consider the merit review recommendation and the amount of funds available to select applications for funding.

d. Discussions and Award The Government may enter into discussions with a selected applicant for any reason deemed necessary, including, but not limited to: (1) only a portion of the application is selected for award; (2) the Government needs additional information to determine that the applicant is capable of complying with the requirements of DOI Financial Assistance Regulations, and/or

(3) additional specific terms and conditions are required. Failure to satisfactorily resolve the issues identified by the Government may preclude award to the applicant.

3. Evaluation of Applicant Risk In accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.205, applications selected for funding will be subject to a pre-award risk assessment which may include a review of information contained within the applicant’s proposal, past audits, Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), and/or past performance on previous Federal financial assistance awards.

Negative information that leads to an applicant being designated as “Medium Risk” or “High Risk” may result in specific conditions, as identified in 2 C.F.R. § 200.207, being incorporated into the final award.

Prior to making a Federal award, any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance (currently FAPIIS) will be reviewed and considered (see 41 U.S.C. § 2313). Applicants may review and comment about any information about itself in FAPIIS. The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 C.F.R. §200.205

Section F: Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices Upon being selected for the award, successful applicants will receive a notification of the selection of their application for funding. A notice of selection is not an authorization to begin performance on an agreement. This notice will detail the next steps in the awarding process.

Once all clearances and reviews have been conducted, a master cooperative agreement will be sent for signature.

Work cannot begin before the non-Federal entity receives a fully executed copy of the master cooperative agreement which contains the signature of the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer. Any pre-award costs incurred prior to the receipt of a signed agreement or written notice signed by a Financial Assistance Awarding Officer authorizing pre-award costs, is at the applicant’s own risk. A signed master cooperative agreement signed by a Financial Assistance Awarding Officer is the only authorizing document to begin performance.

Organizations whose applications have not been selected will be advised as promptly as possible.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

a. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) By accepting Federal financial assistance, the non-Federal entity agrees to abide by the applicable Federal regulations in the expenditure of Federal funds and performance under this program: 2 C.F.R. Part 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements For Federal Awards

b. Standard Award Terms and Conditions Acceptance of a Federal financial assistance award from the Department of the Interior carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions of the award. Acceptance is defined as the start of work, drawing down funds, or accepting the award via electronic means. Awards are based on the application submitted to, and as approved by the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer. All financial assistance awards are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated either directly or by reference in the award document. Code of Federal Regulations/Regulatory Requirements, as applicable, are listed within Appendix B of this announcement (Contact the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer with any questions regarding the applicability of any terms and conditions).

• 2 C.F.R. Part 175 - Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000

• 2 C.F.R. Parts 182 & 1401 - Government-wide Requirements for a Drug-Free

Workplace

• 2 C.F.R. Parts 180 & 1400 - Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement)

• 43 CFR. 18 - Restrictions on Lobbying

c. Order of Precedence http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=63fa3a961cf535c2c8382c1da1d0f279&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=63fa3a961cf535c2c8382c1da1d0f279&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5

Any inconsistency in the agreement shall be resolved by giving precedence in the following order: (a) Any national policy requirements and administrative management standards; (b) 2 C.F.R. Part 200, in its entirety; (c) requirements of the applicable OMB Circulars and Treasury regulations; (d) special terms and conditions; (e) all agreement sections, documents, exhibits, and attachments; (f) and the non-Federal Entity’s project proposal.

d. Modifications The agreement may be modified by written agreement signed by both the non-Federal entity’s Authorized Representative and the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

Administrative changes (i.e. Financial Assistance Awarding Officer name change, etc.)

which do not change the statement of work, agreement amount, etc., or otherwise affect the non-Federal entity may be signed unilaterally by the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

Additionally, a unilateral modification may be utilized if it should become necessary to impose remedies for non- compliance, suspension or termination of the agreement in accordance with 2 CFR 200, Section 200.338 – 200.342.

All other changes shall be made by means of a bilateral modification to the agreement. No oral statement made by any person, or written statement by any person other than the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer shall be allowed in any manner or degree to modify or otherwise effect the terms of the agreement.

e. Payments All applicants must be registered in the System for Awards Management (SAM) prior to award under this NOFO. Instructions for registering for SAM are located at http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM. All applicants must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times while they have an active Federal award or an application under consideration.

All applicants must also be registered with, and willing to process all payments through, the Department of the Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system.

All non-Federal entities with active NPS financial assistance agreements must be enrolled in ASAP under the appropriate Agency Location Code(s) (ALC) and the Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number prior to the award of funds. If a non-Federal has multiple DUNS numbers they must separately enroll within ASAP for each unique DUNS Number and/or Agency. Note that if your entity is currently enrolled in the ASAP system with an agency other than NPS, you must enroll specifically with NPS in order to process payments.

f. Funding Restrictions All funding is contingent upon the availability and appropriation of funds by the United States Congress.

g. Cost Principles:

Costs must be allowable in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles referenced in 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E – Cost Principles.

http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM

h. Pre-award Costs:

Must comply with 2 CFR Part 200.458 and requires written approval from the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

3. Reporting

a. Financial Status Reports:

A report of expenditures is required as documentation of the financial status of awards according to the official accounting records of the non-Federal entity. The financial information will be reported by completing and submitting the Federal Financial Report (FFR), SF425. At a minimum, financial reports will be required annually and shall be submitted within 90 calendar days after the end of the annual reporting period. The Financial Assistance Awarding Officer may designate a reporting schedule requiring more frequent reporting based on the assessment of risk. The reporting requirements will be defined within the task agreements issued under a master cooperative agreement. A final FFR shall be submitted no more than 90 calendar days after the end date of the agreement.

The FFR can be downloaded at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/standard_forms/ffr.pdf

The NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer will review the report for patterns of cash expenditures and assess whether performance or financial management problems exist.

Before submitting the FFR to the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, the non- Federal entity must ensure that the information submitted is accurate, complete, and consistent with the non-Federal entity’s accounting system. The non-Federal entity’s Authorized Certifying Official’s signature on the FFR certifies that the information in the FFR is correct and complete and that all outlays and obligations are for the purposes set forth in the agreement documents, and represents a claim to the Federal Government. Filing a false claim may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

b. Performance Reports:

A report of performance is required as documentation of performance towards the accomplishments of the Federal award and detailing project activity and participant profile information. At a minimum, performance reports will be required annually and shall be submitted within 90 calendar days after the end of the annual reporting period. The Financial Assistance Awarding Officer may designate a reporting schedule requiring more frequent reporting based on the assessment of risk. The reporting requirements will be defined within the task agreements issued under master cooperative agreements. A final performance report shall be submitted no more than 90 calendar days after the end date of the agreement.

In accordance with 2 C.F.R. 200 § 200.328, the performance reports shall contain brief information on:

(1) A comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives of the Federal award established for the period. Where the accomplishments of the Federal award can be http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/standard_forms/ffr.pdf quantified, a computation of the cost (for example, related to units of accomplishment) may be required if that information will be useful. Where performance trend data and analysis would be informative to the Federal awarding agency program, the Federal awarding agency should include this as a performance reporting requirement;

(2) The reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and

(3) Additional pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs.

Before submitting the performance report to the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, the non-Federal entity must ensure that the information submitted is accurate, complete, and consistent with the non-Federal entity’s Federal financial report. Filing false information may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

c. Non-Compliance:

Failure to comply with the reporting requirements contained in an agreement may be considered a material non-compliance with the terms and conditions of the award. Non-compliance may result in withholding of future payments, suspension or termination of the agreement, recovery of funds paid under the agreement, and the withholding of future awards. The specific information regarding type, frequency and means of submission of post-Federal award reporting requirements will be contained in the award document.

4. Reporting Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance:

If the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies exceeds $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of this Federal award, then you as the recipient during that period of time must maintain the currency of information reported to the System for Award Management (SAM) that is made available in the designated integrity and performance system (currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)) about civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings in accordance with Appendix XII to 2 C.F.R. 200.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9c3f1f088a2ef78a524a9c28e4cd43b0&mc=true&node=ap2.1.200_1521.xii&rgn=div9

Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

Agency Contact Information:

Name: Steve Livingston Address: 7333 West Jefferson Ave. Suite 100. Lakewood, CO 80235 E-mail: Steve_livingston@nps.gov

Questions and Requests pertaining to this Notice of Funding Opportunity shall be submitted to:

Name:

Same as above

Address:

E-mail:

Section H: Other Information:

1. Program Information https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1345/whatwedo.htm - The Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science Directorate's archeologists, cultural anthropologists, architects, curators, historians, and other cultural resource professionals assist America's national parks to preserve, protect, and share the history of this land and its people. Beyond the parks, they implement the National Park Service's role in the national preservation partnership, working with American Indian Tribes, states, local governments, nonprofit organizations, historic property owners, and others who believe in the importance of our shared heritage and its preservation. This website introduces visitors to these programs.

2. Proprietary and Personally Identifiable Information

a. Notice of Potential Disclosure under Freedom of Information Act Applicants should be advised that identifying information regarding all applicants, including applicant names and/or points of contact, may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, whether or not such applicants are selected for negotiation of award. Applicants must identify any proprietary information within their applications.

b. Personally Identifiable Information In responding to this NOFO, applicants must ensure that Protected Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is not included in the following documents: Project Abstract, Project Narrative, Biographical Sketches, Budget or Budget Justification. These documents will be used by the Merit Review Committee in the review process to evaluate each application. PII is defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as:

Any information about an individual maintained by an agency, including but not limited to, education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as their name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, biometric records, etc., including any other personal information that is linked or linkable to an individual. This definition of PII can be further defined as: (1) Public PII and (2) Protected PII.

Public PII:

PII found in public sources such as telephone books, public websites, business cards, university listing, etc. Public PII includes first and last name, address, work telephone number, email address, home telephone number, and general education credentials.

Protected PII:

PII that requires enhanced protection. This information includes data that if compromised could cause harm to an individual such as identity theft.

https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1345/whatwedo.htm

3. Routine Notices to Applicants

a. Modification or Changes to the Notice of Funding Opportunity Notices of any modifications to this NOFO will be posted on Grants.gov. You can receive an email when a modification or an announcement message is posted. When you download the application at Grants.gov; you can also register to receive notifications of changes through Grants.gov.

b. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate NPS reserves the right, without qualification, to reject any or all applications received in response to this announcement and to select any application, in whole or in part, as a basis for negotiation and/or award.

c. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel In conducting the merit review evaluation, the Government may seek the advice of qualified non-Federal personnel as reviewers. The Government may also use non-Federal personnel to conduct routine, nondiscretionary administrative activities. The applicant, by submitting its application, consents to the use of non-Federal reviewers/administrators. Non-Federal reviewers must sign conflict of interest and non-disclosure agreements prior to reviewing an application. Non-Federal personnel conducting administrative activities must sign a nondisclosure agreement.

d. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability NPS reserves the right to conduct an independent third party review of financial capability for applicants that are selected for negotiation of award (including personal credit information of principal(s) of a small business if there is insufficient information to determine financial capability of the organization).

NPS Standard and Special Award Terms and Conditions

This appendix provides the standard and special terms and conditions for financial assistance agreements awarded by the National Park Service to assist applicants in developing proposals in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. It is the responsibility of the non-Federal entity to review the final terms and conditions incorporated into any resulting financial assistance agreement at the time of award as the terms and conditions in this appendix are subject to change based on executive orders, changes to regulations, or changes to policy. Additional award specific terms and conditions may also be included in any resulting financial assistance agreement based on program requirements or evaluation of applicant risk.

1. PAYMENT

A. Projects will be funded, subject to the availability of funds, by issuance of a grant agreement, cooperative agreement, or master cooperative agreement with subsequent task agreements. An agreement issued and signed by the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer obligates NPS funds. Notification of a successful proposal does not constitute authority to incur costs. Once the grant agreement, cooperative agreement, and subsequent task agreements (if applicable) for a successful proposal has been signed by the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, the recipient may incur costs as specified in the approved budget submittal.

B. Method of Payment. Payment will be made by advance and/or reimbursement through the Department of Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system.

1. Requesting Advances. Requests for advances must be submitted via the ASAP system. Requests may be submitted as frequently as required to meet the needs of the Financial Assistance (FA) Recipient to disburse funds for the Federal share of project costs. If feasible, each request should be timed so that payment is received on the same day that the funds are dispersed for direct project costs and/or the proportionate share of any allowable indirect costs. If same–day transfers are not feasible, advance payments must be as close to actual disbursements as administratively feasible.

2. Requesting Reimbursement. Requests for reimbursements must be submitted via the ASAP system. Requests for reimbursement should coincide with normal billing patterns. Each request must be limited to the amount of disbursements made for the Federal share of direct project costs and the proportionate share of allowable indirect costs incurred during that billing period.

3. Adjusting Payment Requests for Available Cash. Funds that are available from repayments to, and interest earned on, a revolving fund, program income, rebates, refunds, contract settlements, audit recoveries, credits, discounts, and interest earned on any of those funds must be disbursed before requesting additional cash payments.

4. Bank Accounts. All payments are made through electronic funds transfer to the bank account identified in the ASAP system by the FA Recipient.

5. Supporting Documents and Agency Approval of Payments. Additional supporting documentation and prior NPS approval of payments may be required when/if a FA Recipient is determined to be “high risk” or has performance issues. If prior Agency payment approval is in effect for an award, the ASAP system will notify the FA Recipient when they submit a request for payment. The Recipient must then notify the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer that a payment request has been submitted. The NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer may request additional information from the Recipient to support the payment request prior to approving the release of funds, as deemed necessary. The FA Recipient is required to comply with these requests. Supporting documents may include invoices, copies of contracts, vendor quotes, and other expenditure explanations that justify the reimbursement requests.

B. In order to receive a financial assistance award and to ensure proper payment, it is required that Recipient maintain their registration with the System for Award Management (SAM), accessed at http://www.sam.gov. Failure to maintain registration can impact obligations and payments under this Agreement and/or any other financial assistance or procurements documents the Recipient may have with the Federal government.

C. Any award beyond the current fiscal year is subject to availability of funds; funds may be provided in subsequent fiscal years if project work is satisfactory and funding is available.

D. Allowable and Eligible Costs. Expenses charged against awards under the Agreement may not be incurred prior to the beginning of the Agreement, and may be incurred only as necessary to carry out the approved objectives, scope of work and budget with prior approval from the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding. The Recipient shall not incur costs or obligate funds for any purpose pertaining to the operation of the project, program, or activities beyond the expiration date stipulated in the award.

E.…