R5322250001_SOW_Strategic_Plan.pdf

GULF ISLANDS NATIONAL SEASHORE

Statement of Work Development of 5-Year Strategic Action Plan

1. BACKGROUND

Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS) is a unit of the National Park Service (NPS).

GUIS was established as a unit of the NPS in 1971 and consists of 11 units/sites stretching across 160 miles from Cat Island, Mississippi to the eastern end of Santa Rosa Island in Okaloosa County, Florida. The seashore was set aside for the purpose of preserving areas possessing outstanding natural, historic, and recreational values for public use and enjoyment.

The resources range from remote wilderness islands with limited visitation to readily accessible white sand beaches and historic sites visited by several million people each year. It also includes bayou, salt marsh, live oak, and southern magnolia forests. The natural environment of Gulf Islands provides support for complex plant and animal communities, both terrestrial and aquatic, that characterize the northern Gulf Coast. More than 80% of Gulf Islands National Seashore is submerged land (open water), but the barrier island beaches are the most outstanding features for those who visit.

For administrative purposes, the national seashore is divided into the Florida District with six units and the Mississippi District with five units. Four out of the five Mississippi units are barrier islands: Horn Island, Petit Bois Island, Ship Island, and Cat Island. The fifth Mississippi Area, Davis Bayou, is on the mainland. Both Horn and Petit Bois islands are federally designated wilderness areas.

The Florida units in the western section of the panhandle, from west to east, include Perdido Key, the Pensacola Naval Air Station Historic Sites, Naval Live Oaks, Fort Pickens, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa. The Naval Live Oaks Area on the mainland was at one time used as a naval live oak plantation by the federal government. The Pensacola Naval Air Station Historic Sites are also on the mainland, southwest of Pensacola. The other units are all barrier islands or part of barrier islands.

Gulf Islands National Seashore contains a number of 19th century forts built to defend Pensacola Bay. Construction of Fort Pickens, the largest, was initiated in 1829 and completed in 1834. There are also forts on Perdido Key and the mainland, including Fort Barrancas. Other forts include Advanced Redoubt on the mainland, and Fort McRee, which is now submerged within the Pensacola Pass Area. In the Mississippi District, a fifth fort (Fort Massachusetts) is on the western edge of West Ship Island. These forts were built as part of a fortification effort to protect all major U.S. harbors after the War of 1812. In addition to the coastal defense forts, numerous artillery batteries can be found that span the time from the Civil War to World War II. Gulf Islands National Seashore also preserves numerous prehistoric and historic archeological sites.

GUIS has a requirement for a contractor to facilitate development of a comprehensive 5-year strategic action plan that includes a clear set of overarching priorities for the seashore and addressing, as well as integrating where applicable, site-specific issues and opportunities across both districts of the park and all 11 units.

Contributing operational dynamics include:

• Transition to new Superintendents in 2024 and 2021 after only two previous superintendents during the previous 38-year period 1982 – 2020

• New Administrative Officer in September 2024

• Approximately 35% new staff in the park within the last two fiscal years and near complete turnover during the previous decade (2014-2024).

• Not unlike many parks across the Service, significant upheaval and redirect of park operations occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Permanent base funding has plateaued/eroded over the last couple of years, which has had implications concerning reduced staffing levels to some operational disciplines

• Implementation of a concessionaire operated major passenger ferry system to the Fort Pickens area and associated tram system that has struggled with ridership being solvent since inception in 2019

• Linear composition of park inclusive of two states and two districts separated by 120 miles that have different characteristics and operational focal points

• The projected net adverse effects of climate change and sea level rise along with the increased frequency of repeated major storm events (e.g. tropical storms and hurricanes) upon coastal infrastructure

• Public discovery of the Crab Island Area within the Park’s Florida District resulting in substantial redirect of some aspects of park operations and senior park management time and effort to address commercial activities taking place, inappropriate visitor use, and inquiries by elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels.

• Evolving and non-structured position management and operational alignment

The seashore is looking for assistance to develop overarching vision and mission statements that encompass the entire park, as articulated in the enabling legislation, as well as identifying associated goals, management objectives, and tiered priorities for all 11 units that comprise GUIS in order to provide focus and cohesiveness for park staff across all five disciplines, including Administration, Visitor & Resource Protection/Law Enforcement, Science & Resources (natural and cultural) Stewardship, Facility Management, and Resource Education & Outreach.. Site/unit (11) specific issues and opportunities need to be recognized within the framework of the larger plan. The expectation in developing the plan is for all identified phases to be completed and a final product provided within 1-year of the execution of the contract. Additionally, the expectation is for all aspects in developing the plan that involves on-site work by the contractor to be fully facilitated, including note taking and providing draft documents for review and comment.

2. PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to provide external facilitation to GUIS in developing a comprehensive strategic plan for management of the three park units, including the FL and MS Districts and Naval Air Station, Fort Barrancas area. The contract will accomplish the following goals:

• Develop Vision and Mission Statements for the seashore based on input from park staff and the park Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

• Translate the Vision and Mission Statements into goals and management objectives that can be measured, tracked, and incorporated into divisional (team) work plans based on input from the park staff and the SLT.

• Create a working timeline for the following five years that balances specific new strategic action plan objectives against existing and anticipated workload.

• Provide finalized Strategic Action Plan and debrief the SLT on final contents and trajectory for plan implementation.

3. SCOPE OF WORK

The contractor shall provide the National Park Service with a series of facilitated in-person strategic planning sessions. The series shall consist of four sessions with park staff.

Between each planning session the contractor will provide detailed guidance to park leadership for purposes of review and vetting of session work with park staff that could not attend sessions. The contractor will provide the park with notes and a summary of the outcomes from each of the four sessions.

The contractor shall structure a milestone plan after award that shall be collaborated with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), that aligns with the following sessions:

Milestone Task #1 - Session One: Development of Draft of Vision Statement

Hold an up to 3.5 day in-person session, at GUIS, to solicit input from park staff and the SLT on what unites the park units in terms of values, themes, opportunities, and challenges. From this input, develop an initial draft vision statement. After the planning session, the initial draft Vision Statement will be provided to staff to review and respond

to. Staff feedback will be incorporated into the Vision Statement before the third planning session.

Additionally, the contractor shall allocate time during the planning session to work directly with the SLT on effective management team practices.

Milestone Task #2 - Session Two: Development of Goals, Objectives, and Strategic Action Plan

Hold an up to 3.5 day in-person session, at GUIS, with park staff and the SLT to formulate a Strategic Action Plan that translates the Vision Statement vetted in Session One into practical goals and objectives that can be measured, tracked, and incorporated into division work plans and programming. The draft goals will be presented to all staff for discussion and feedback.

Milestone Task #3 – Session Three: Review Draft Goals with Park Field Staff and Supervisors

Hold up to a5- day in-person session at GUIS with each individual park team (5, one day/team) to ensure that all park staff and operational focal and programmatic areas as generally outined within the park’s organizational structure are represented in final developed goals and strategic plans.

Milestone Task #4 – Session Four: Development of Prioritized Position Management through Attrition & Working Timeline

Hold an up to 3.5 day in-person session, at GUIS, with park staff and the SLT to create a working timeline of Vision Statement and Strategic Action Plan implementation for FY26-31. The timeline will consider existing and anticipated workloads alongside the Strategic Action Plan developed in Session Three. Conduct a dedicated 1-2 day session with the SLT pertinent to position management across all park operational platforms (5) and the Superintendent’s Office as aligned with the identified goals, objectives, and tiered priorities incorporated into the final strategic plan.

Staff Sessions

To aid the parks in staff engagement and support, the contractor shall hold all sessions in-person at Gulf Islands National Seashore. The contractor shall conduct four three-hour feedback sessions.

Optional Additional Meetings. The project may require the contractor to plan and facilitate additional in-person meetings with local stakeholders and partners. These may include park concessionaires, the park cooperating association, potentially various local political partners, or other cooperators and stakeholders identified through the planning process..

4. DELIVERABLES

The contractor shall submit documents (inclusive of meeting notes, Vision & Mission Statements, and Strategic Action Plan) produced in Sessions One, Two, Three, Four, and Optional Additional Meetings to the park Senior Leadership Team for review, comments, and written approval before proceeding onto the next task/session.

The contractor shall submit all document submittals to the parks via upload to a dedicated Microsoft Teams file sharing site provided by GUIS.

5. ADDITIONAL WORK/OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL MEETINGS

Should additional meeting(s) or additional work within scope need to occur, the contractor shall provide to the Contracting Officer (CO) a written change order request for the additional meeting(s) that shall include a written explanation of circumstances that warrant the additional meeting(s) or additional work within scope, timeframe for meeting(s) or completing additional work within scope – if requesting contract completion date be extended, and all associated costs.

Send the change order request package by email to CO Andre Ward at email address Andre_Ward@nps.gov.

Only the CO has the authority to agree to any additional meetings or additional work within scope. Should a change order request be approved, GUIS COR shall be responsible for ensuring funds are provided via a new FBMS purchase request in the agreed upon change order amount. Upon receipt of the approved purchase request, the CO will prepare and route for signature a bilateral modification, per mutual agreement of the parties.

6. TRAVEL

The contractor shall be responsible for all travel necessary to successfully perform the work outlined herein, specifically a minimum of four trips to:

Gulf Islands National Seashore 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway Gulf Breeze, FL 32563

Travel costs (air travel, rental car fuel, insurance, mileage, lodging, meals & incidentals):

Prices shall be calculated in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations. Prices shall be calculated based upon anticipated commercial rates at the time and location of travel.

See policy at Federal Travel Regulation | GSA and published per diem rates at Per Diem Rates | GSA.

Contractor shall include copies of travel receipts as part of request for payment (submittal of invoice) for invoices that include billing amounts for any travel that occurred.

Government shall only pay for travel costs in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation.

7. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

All work, including review and approval shall be completed and final end products provided on or before December 31, 2025.

8. PERFORMANCE BASED PAYMENTS PER PROJECT MILESTONES

Contract allows for performance-based payments in accordance with FAR 32.1004 (https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-32#FAR_32_1003). Contractor shall submit invoiced only for actual work performed and accepted by the COR. Invoices shall be prepared with sufficient detail to show phases of the work/tasks per the following established project milestones. Contractor may submit invoices at the completion of each milestone/session.

9. ATTACHMENTS

Gulf Islands National Seashore Final General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement and Foundational Document.

https://www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations/regulations/federal-travel-regulation https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-32#FAR_32_1003