P24AS00337 FAQ_v2.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can programming occur under this notice of funding opportunity?

For this effort, programming can occur in national parks, public lands, and waterways including parks, lands, and waters managed by federal, state, regional, and local jurisdictions.

2. How is “substantial involvement” by the National Park Service defined for this effort?

Substantial involvement by NPS is a requirement for all cooperative agreements. The substantial involvement aspect of this effort will be developed further with the awardee, to provide for a coordinated approach, with clear roles and responsibilities established for the NPS and the awardee. Substantial involvement for this effort as described within the Notice of Funding Announcement, is envisioned to include, but not be limited to the following:

• 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.

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

• 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. NPS Program Coordinator will help facilitate contact with national parks and utilization of various NPS outreach, education, and communication resources.

• NPS will work collaboratively with the non-federal entity to create opportunities for military families to optimize engagement with public lands. Examples may include distributing the Annual Military Pass, hosting a national park ranger as part of program delivery to share about NPS resources, providing materials such as Junior Ranger booklets or trip planning resources, and supporting outreach and communications on the health benefits of connecting with nature and the great outdoors.

• The NPS will provide subject matter expertise and technical assistance in coordination with DHA to ensure federal substantial involvement in the development of a health-outcomes approach to this work, and to provide for a cohesive, coordinated effort in the establishment of an outdoor recreation wellness program to serve active military service members and their families.

3. Are Veterans and their families considered eligible participants?

Given the congressional appropriation that is funding this particular effort, our primary target audience is the Defense Health Agency current beneficiary population of Active Duty Service Members and their families. The effort is funded by DHA and will be administered with substantial involvement by the National Park Service. As such, recruitment and engagement should be limited to current DHA beneficiaries from the five branches of the military within the DoD (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force). While veterans and their families may not be turned away, they are not the intended target audience for this initiative.

4. Are Reservists and/or members of the National Guard and their families considered eligible participants?

Given the congressional appropriation that is funding this particular effort, our primary target audience is the Defense Health Agency current beneficiary population of Active Duty Service Members and their families. Recruitment and engagement should be limited to current DHA beneficiaries from the five branches of the military within DoD (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force). While Reservists or Members of the National Guard and their families may not be turned away, they are not the intended target audience for this initiative.

5. Are members of the Coast Guard and their families considered eligible participants?

The U.S. Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security. Given the congressional appropriation that is funding this particular effort, our primary target audience is the Defense Health Agency current beneficiary population of Active Duty Service Members and their families. Recruitment and engagement should be limited to current DHA beneficiaries from the five branches of the military within DoD (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force).

6. How is “Active Duty” defined for this effort? Specifically, does “Active Duty Service Members” include full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance while in the active service at a school designated as a Military Service school?

For this effort, Active Duty includes Service Members on Active Duty status within the DoD (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force), including those on temporary Active Duty as through a school or other deployment.

7. How are “family members” defined for this effort?

For this effort, family members would be the Active Duty Service Member’s direct dependents.

8. My organization has a current Master Cooperative Agreement with the National Park Service. Are we automatically approved for a National Park Service Cooperative Agreement award for this effort?

No. This is a separate announcement and all organizational responses to this announcement will be reviewed by the NPS in accordance with the policies and regulations of the NPS and Federal government.

9. Can a for-profit business apply for this opportunity?

No. This announcement is for State, local, and tribal governments, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations.For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply to this announcement.

10. Can an organization submit more than one application?

An applicant may submit more than one application, if each application proposes a different project in response to the solicitation. Also, an entity may be proposed as a subrecipient or subgrantee in more than one application. The NPS will consider applications under which two or more entities would carry out the federal award. However, only one entity may be the applicant.

Any others must be proposed as subrecipients or subgrantees.

The NPS may provide additional funding in future years to awards made under this solicitation through continuation awards. The NPS will consider amongst other factors: NPS’s strategic priorities, a recipient's overall management of the award, and the award funded work’s progress when making continuation award decisions. This solicitation and awards under this solicitation are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modification or additional requirements that may be imposed by the agency or by law.

11. Can I apply for this NOFO if my organization is already receiving funding from the National Park Service?

Yes.

12. Can you clarify who needs to register with SAM.gov? Do entities who serve as subawardees need to register?

The Lead Applicant needs to register with SAM.gov to receive a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Any subrecipients or collaborating entities that will receive subaward funding must also have a valid UEI.

13. Are you looking for programs in certain states or are you seeking proposals for a national program?

This effort is focused on promoting the health and wellness of Active Duty Service Members and their families through positive engagement experiences with national parks, public lands, and waterways. Programming should focus on geographic areas that have both Active Duty Service Members and their families as well as national parks, public lands, or waterways.

14. For the grant opportunity, are you considering multi-year programs or are you looking for just a 1-year program cycle?

Agreement terms for funded projects can range between one and five years, depending on the negotiated project statement of work. Proposals and budgets should be based on a one-year period of performance. Agreements are not effective until fully executed by the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

15. Is there a list of eligible projects/expenditures that we can review?

There are no specific projects in the works at this time, but past projects have focused on outdoor education, recreation, outdoor skills-building, or outdoor conservation projects.

Typical expenditures include recipient personnel costs (program development), related travel, supplies (recreation gear, water, first aid kits, etc.), and event costs (rentals, permits, signage etc.).