single source fa award.pdf

FWS 3-2452

11/25/2013

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Determination for Issuing a Single Source Financial Assistance Award

Instructions: In accordance with Service policy 516 FW 6, Issuing 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 employee 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.

Recipient Name:

Project Title:

Program Contact:

Select all criteria that apply (from 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 Intent: 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.

Explain 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 by the proposed recipient. Be brief and specific:

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

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.

Program Representative Sign and Date Authorized Signator Sign and Date

Printed Name of Program Representative Printed Name of Signator

The competitive process was developed by the CESU council of interagency representatives and was approved by the Department of Interior Solicitor’s Office (a letter is on file at the National CESU office). For each CESU, a formal Program Announcement and Request for Proposals was widely distributed in the states within a CESU biogeographical area. The RFP was published for 10 days in Commerce Business Daily as well as being posted on the CESU website. Proposal received by the assigned due date were technically evaluated according to criteria described in the RFP. Site visits to the applicants were organized and conducted. The CESU council of interagency representatives selected, by vote, the host and partners within each CESU. The competitive process is described further here: http://www.cesu.psu.edu/materials/fs-selecting.pdf.

This project is a Cooperative Agreement through the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystems Study Unit and is between the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Colorado State University and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program for the purpose of 1) Plan, host, facilitate, and document results of two Science/Management Connections Workshops – one in the Rio Grande focal area and one in the Four Corners focal area; and 2) conduct a synthesis to identify and document the suite of scientific data and tools needed to achieve SRLCC and Partner management objectives within each Geographic Focus Area of the Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperative (SRLCC). A CESU agreement allows for capitalization of an agreed upon low overhead rate from the recipient. Recipient has unique expertise and advanced, specialized knowledge related to the SRLCC. Colorado State University, Colorado Natural Heritage Program was selected as the service provider for this agreement because of their history with, ability and capacity for building/maintaining partnerships, managing large amounts of data and delivering a synthesis of large amounts of data/information. The Colorado Natural Heritage Program also has the unique ability to leverage support and expertise from other State Heritage Programs and their respective data management/information delivery services.