National Park Service: Beringia Messenger Network Grant

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement Number To be filled out by Contracting
Project Title Beringia Messenger Network
Recipient Institute of the North
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Nils Andreasson
Managing Director
Institute of the North
(907)-786-6331
nandreasson@institutenorth.org
Total Anticipated Award Amount $54,000
Cost Share none
New Award or Continuation? To be filled out by Contracting
Anticipated Period of Performance June 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority The NPS Native American Relations Management Policy of 1987, Public Law 104-208, the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997. This agreement is awarded under Grants.gov federal opportunity announcement number P12AS11228.
CFDA # and Title I5.946-Cultural Resource Management
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS ATR Point of Contact To be filled out by Contracting

OVERVIEW

The Bering Strait (Beringian) Messenger Network is an international program that incorporates local concerns; the Shared Beringian Heritage Program faces obstacles in sustaining open and direct lines of communication with regional, national, and international partners. Developing and strengthening effective communication systems is the hallmark of this program, beginning at the community level and growing to incorporate regional and cross-border components. The Beringian Messenger Network emphasizes a value on traditional knowledge, respect for elders, and a commitment to youth and emerging leaders, while leveraging interest in the Arctic. These components of the program are augmenting existing efforts by the Beringia Program to open and maintain good communication with cooperators. Monthly international thematic teleconferences are an integral part of the effective communication system developed by the Institute of the North, which provides the necessary framework and guidance for the project.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

Through this project, the National Park Service collaborates with the Institute of the North in the development of a Bering Strait (Beringian) Messenger Network to expand and strengthen the connections within the Beringia region. The Beringian Messenger Network strengthens the communication system within and between communities. The Beringian Messenger Network responds to two of the stated goals of the Beringia program:

1) Fostering a climate of mutual understanding and cooperation between the United States and
Russia; and 2) Supporting efforts to increase understanding and knowledge of shared cultural traditions between indigenous people on both sides of the Bering Strait.

Communication remains a vital component of these goals, and the mission of the Shared Beringian Heritage Program cannot be accomplished without effective and frequent communication with cooperators and partners.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

Recipient Involvement:
The recipient’s activities in year 3 of the project include:
• Obtain feedback from “early adopters” – individuals, organizations and institutions who have been strong participants;
• Host monthly teleconferences;
• Press releases and editorials to local newspapers highlighting the project’s success;
• Invite local radio station (KNOM) to sit in on one of the teleconferences;
• Record of media and/or policy communications that reference the Network;
• Public presentations to the communities and schools in the Beringia Region and beyond;
• Work toward Kawerak partnership;
• Actively structure and facilitate the Network’s growth in participation;
• Transfer facilitation to the Network’s informal leadership when possible, for capacity-building and empowerment;
• Literature review, including review of recent Arctic Council guides to developing social license;
• Conduct the teleconference of Traditional Hunting & Fishing in conjunction with the Kawerak’s Eskimo Walrus Committee (EWC) workshop in Nome (tentative on the EWC project plans & arrangements);
• Host a forum in Nome to solicit feedback from participants in the Beringian Messenger Network on Bering Strait governance and communications and collect the information for the Beringia Messenger Network Communication Guide;
• Produce quarterly popular articles to the National Park Service to highlight project activities;
• Prepare a final report on project activities, achievement of milestones, and an introductory guide to the Beringian Messenger Network;
• Develop the Beringia Messenger Network Communications Guide; submit it to NPS, other collaborators, local stakeholders and other interested parties the print and electronic versions that include synthesis of the existing network structure;
• Share with stakeholders, including the NPS, a report on governance and communications in the Bering Strait region.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

Substantial involvement on the part of 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:

1. Facilitate and contribute to the building and expansion of the ION network by linking the Beringia program network of contacts in Alaska and Russia (especially in native communities). Use the network of contacts, the Beringia program’s website, and the NPS Alaska Region Facebook page to share information from the final and interim reports with the public, as well as targeted audiences through the development of distribution plan.
2. Assist ION in strengthening their relationship with native and other non-profit organizations in Chukotka, with the National Park Service facilitating the exchange of information and the process of writing international agreements. The NPS’ s Shared Beringian Heritage Program has experience in writing successful agreements with Russian organizations, and will provide essential support to ION during the negotiation and finalization of an international agreement with Russian native organizations.
3. The Beringia Program will act as a liaison when needed to facilitate exchanges, enhance communication, provide translation services when necessary, assist with organizing trainings and seminars, and provide logistical support.
4. By attending as many monthly teleconferences as possible, the Beringia program will support ION’s efforts with other parties. By attending relevant partner meetings, the NPS will support the mission and the objectives of the project by interacting with other organizations in order to strengthen the liaison role.
5. The NPS SBHP will also support the ION by presenting information about the project to other interested parties, as well as sharing the goals of the project with others in the NPS/SBHP network, thereby facilitating collaboration and cooperation between past and current partners.
6. Assign the NPS Shared Beringian Heritage Program staff member as the Agreements Technical Representative (ATR) for the administration of this Cooperative Agreement; and as Liaison between the NPS and ION for the implementation of the program(s) identified within this agreement.
7. Provide $54,000 during FY 2015 to the Institute of the North to carry out this project activities in its final year (year three).

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 – The year three of this project to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of Beringian Messenger Network project final year. The competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the project because the recipient already established the main framework for this project and developed trusted working relationships with main cooperators.