Big Bend

Wrangell-St. Elias

Virgin Islands

Capitol Reef

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications.

This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service�s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition.

ABSTRACT Funding Announcement P15AS00054

Hot Springs National Park

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Project Title 70 Centennial Volunteer Ambassador Interns Recipient The Student Conservation Association Principle Investigator / Program Manager Diane Lischer-Goodband Total Anticipated Award Amount $1,800,00 0. 00 Cost Share $2,519,54 5. 90 New Award or Continuation? Continuation of P15AC00031 Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award until 10/1/2016 Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award until 10/1/2016 Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(a) and 54 USC 101701(b) CFDA # and Title 1 5. 931 Youth Conservation Activities Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov OVERVIEW The overall mission of the NPS Centennial Volunteer Ambassador Program is to support park units service-wide in expanding service-learning, service and community engagement programs and activities to new audiences and communities.

The program will allow the NPS, not only to meet Call To Action goals and mission goals, it also allows the agency to help meet the goals outlined in the Department of the Interior�s 21st Century Youth Conservation Corp Initiative to engage 1 million volunteers annually on public lands by increasing staff resources in parks to coordinate and manage service opportunities.

This program will also help develop the next generation of lifelong conservation stewards and ensure our own skilled and diverse workforce pipeline, through work and training opportunities for young adults and veterans.

The program is also designed to inspire young adults and veterans (21-35 years old) from diverse backgrounds who are service focused to aspire for careers in the National Park Service through exposure to the many difference career and leadership developmental opportunities.

We will ensure that we provide the necessary training, career development and education for program participates to be effective and supported in their role.

The Centennial Volunteer Ambassador Program will help to build a pathway which may lead to a career with the NPS and/or will assist in creating the next generation of conservation stewards.

SCA will provide support for 70 Centennial Volunteer Ambassadors through recruitment, enrollment, training, uniform/gear; background check, Risk Management, FICA, and program support.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT A.

SCA agrees to:
a) To recruit, appoint, and place qualified candidates (based upon the Service�s project specifications) who are acceptable to the Service, as SCA Conservation Interns (CI) and assign these CI�s to identified Service units (National Parks).

b) To work with the Service to plan, implement, lead and administer expenses for two, one week joint orientation and training sessions, which shall be considered a part of the CI�s overall service/learning experience.

c) To enroll selected intern candidates as SCA CI�s and administer all financial, tax, benefits (including weekly living allowance and travel grant), insurance (including worker�s compensation insurance), timekeeping and related personnel matters.

d) To obtain and maintain all appointment and administrative records for the CI�s sponsored under this Agreement.

e) To provide an AmeriCorps Educational Award to qualifying CI�s, as made available through SCA�s partnership with the Corporation for National & Community Service (AmeriCorps).

f) To coordinate with individual Service units in locating alternative housing (if furnished housing is not available at the site) and to administer a monthly housing allowance to the CI with (additional) funding that is obligated directly to SCA from the respective Service unit.

g) To collaborate with the Service in developing and implementing periodic and on-going program monitoring, professional development, training, team-building and evaluation protocols.

h) To provide a comprehensive annual report to the Service that captures all project activities, metrics and achievements, along with participant demographic information and other related data.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT Substantial involvement on the part the National Park Service is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award.

In particular, the National Park Service will be responsible for the following:
B.

NPS agrees to:
1. To provide financial assistance in accordance with Article VI.

2. To provide general orientation to the NPS, park/site operations and its mission and objectives of the Centennial Volunteer Ambassador Program and the role of the participates.

3. To provide NPS technical representatives to assist with specifics of the project as needed SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award.

The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable.

In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria:
(1) Unsolicited Proposal � The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives; (2) Continuation � The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity; (3) Legislative intent � The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress� intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose; (4) Unique Qualifications � The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon 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 � Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed.

The National Park Service did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:
(2) CONTINUATION SINGLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION DESCRIPTION:
THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD This is a Task Agreement (P15AC00247) under Cooperative Agreement (P15AC00031) in the amount of $1,800,00 0. 00 with a period of performance from date of award until 10/01/201 6. STATUTORY AUTHORITY A.

54 USC 101702(a) (previously 16 U.S.C.

l g), authorizes the NPS to enter into cooperative agreements and transfer appropriated funds to nonprofit organization for the public purpose of NPS programs.

B.

16 U.S.C.

�l 7j-2(e) authorizes the NPS to expend funds for educational lectures in the vicinity of and with respect to national parks and for the services of employees in cooperation with nonprofit, scientific, and historical societies engaged in educational work in parks.

C.

16 U.S.C.

�4601 -1, Subsection (f)(l ) authorizes the NPS to sponsor, engage in, and assist in research relating to outdoor recreation, directly or by contract or cooperative agreements, and make payments for such purposes.

Subsection (f)(2) authorizes NPS to undertake studies and assemble information concerning outdoor recreation, directly or by contract or cooperative agreement, and to disseminate such information.

Subsection (f)(3) authorizes cooperation with educational institutions and others to assist in establishing programs and activities to encourage public use and benefits from outdoor recreation (funds may even be advanced if in the public interest).

D.

16 U.S.C.

�1246(11)(1), National Trails System Act, authorizes cooperative agreements with states or their political subdivisions, landowners, private organizations, or individuals to operate, develop, and maintain portions of national trails located within or outside the boundaries of a federally administered area.

E.

16 U.S.C.

�1723(c), Public Lands Corps, authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with any qualified youth or conservation corps to perform appropriate conservation projects referred to in subsection (d) of section 172 3. The Secretary may also authorize appropriate conservation projects and other appropriate projects to be carried out on Federal, State, local, or private lands as part of disaster prevention or relief efforts in response to an emergency or major disaster declared by the President under the Robert T.

Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.

5121 et seq.).

F.

54 USC 101701(b) (previously16 U.S.C.

�If), Challenge-Cost Share authority, authorizes the NPS to enter into agreements with cooperators for the purpose of sharing costs or services in carrying out authorized functions and responsibilities of the Secretary with respect to any unit or program of the national park system, any affiliated area, or any designated National Scenic or Historic Trail.

This authority allows the agency to negotiate and enter into cooperative agreements with any State or local Government, public or private agency, organization, institution, corporation, individual, or other entity.

A cooperative agreement may be utilized if there is substantial involvement in the project on the part of the NPS.

This section principally gives authority for joint� funding arrangements entered into with non-federal partners ("cooperators"), although it also addresses "sharing...services in carrying out authorized functions and responsibilities ..."As with 16 U.S.C.

�l g, this authority must also be read in conjunction with the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 and other authorities to ensure that a Challenge Cost-Share agreement is not used when a procurement contract would be most appropriate.