SCA Single Source 3-2452_Tirpak Signed.pdf

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Determination for lssuing a Single Source Financial Assistance Award f nstructions: In accordance with Service policy 516 FW 6, /ssuing Discretionary Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards without Competition, complete this form to document the justification for issuing a single source grant or cooperative agreement award. This form must be signed by both a program representative and the empfoyee with signature authority for the award to be issued (see 516 FW 3, Signature Authority for Grant and Cooperative Agreement Awards). The completed and signed form must be maintained in the official award file.

Mississippi State UniversityRecipient Name:

Project Title:

Program Gontact:

Strategic Conservation Assessment of Gulf Coast Landscapes

John Tirpak

Select all criteria that 505 DM 2

(1) Unsolicited Proposal: The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited application that represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach that is not the subject of a current or planned award, but is found to be advantageous to program objectives.

(2) Continuation: The activity to be funded is necessary for the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of, an activity we are funding and holding a competition would have a significant adverse effect on continuing or completing the activity.

(3) Legislative lntent: The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates the intent of Congress to restrict the award to a particular recipient or purpose.

(4) Unique Qualifications: The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based on 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: Because of a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety, there is not enough time to follow adequate competitive procedures.

Expfain below why competition for this award is not practical. As applicable, summarize the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and any cost-sharing contribution offered bv the recipient. Be brief and

This projec{ represents an unsolicited proposal to develop tools and related resources critical to landscape-level conservation planning in the Gulf Coast

Region as part of a Strategic Conservation Assessment (SCA) for Gulf Coast Landscapes. Mississippi State University (MSU) was selected as a single source recipient for this award based on its unique gualifications stemming from both its location in a Gulf state (a requisite for these funds) and demonstrated ability to cost share and successfully coordinate with key entities associated with this project. MSU offers extensive expertise and experience in landscape-scale conservation planning and assessment in addition to on- and off-campus faculty with expertise in ecology, geospatial modeling, and socioeconomic valuation.

MSU has an excellent reputation for high-caliber research programs and offers the appropriate facilities and computing power necessary to carry out SCA project objectives. This includes supercomputing capacity at the MSU High Processing Computing Center, large-scale geospatial mapping and planning expertise ai the MSU Geosystems Research Institute, and generations of coastal expertise at the MSU Northern Gulf Institute and Coastal Research and

Extension Center. MSU also serves as a central hub for Gulf Coast LCC work, and currently hosts 2 full-time LCC staff and the Services' Southeast Region

Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System lnventory and Monitoring Network.

I have determined that this proiect meets the requirements for a single source award and recommend that it be awarded to the recipient named above.

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FrogrSm Representative Sign and Date./4 John Tirpak

I, as the Service employee with signature authority for this award under 516 FW 3, have reviewed this program recommendation and find that it meets the requirements for a single source award.

Authorized Signator Sign and Date

FWS 3-2452

11t2512013

Printed Name of Signator