National Park Service Grant: Citizen Engagement in Night Sky Stewardship

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 P14AS00184
Project Title Engaging & Training of Citizens in Stewardship of Night Skies
Recipient Colorado State University
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Dr. Jenny Hand
Total Anticipated Award Amount $38,778.00
Cost Share None
New Award or Continuation? Continuation of Cooperative Agreement P14AC00728
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award until 08/31/2015
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award until 08/31/2015
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 16 USC 1(g) 16 USC 1a-2(j) 16 USC 5933
CFDA # and Title 15.945 Cooperative research & Training Programs ¿ Resources of the NPS CESU¿s
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

Under this Task Agreement, titled ¿Engaging and Training Citizens in Stewardship of Night Skies,¿ Colorado State University Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere and the NPS will collaborate on the training and coordination of citizen volunteers who in turn conduct extensive public education. This Night Sky Ambassador Program has been a successful program for several years. In this particular task, the training of these volunteers will add components for connecting with youth in addition to preparing these volunteers for engaging general public audiences.

Public interest in stargazing and their desire to seek out dark night skies has been documented through individual park visitor statistics and academic research. Recently other organizations beyond the NPS, such as state parks, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas, and wildlife refuges, have begun to offer similar astronomy programs and draw upon the experience of CSU and NPS in making those programs more effective. A key focus of these programs is to include educational elements that explain the problem of light pollution, its affect upon human and natural landscapes, and outdoor lighting solutions to minimize impacts.

This project will benefit the public by providing greater understanding of the scope of light pollution and the social, ecological, and economic advantages of a natural night sky. The loss of starry skies is a topic of serious concern and has been covered by hundreds of popular media articles. It is of increasing concern to national park visitors, and also to other state and federal land managers, state offices of tourism, and even the business, military, and academic sectors.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

1. Assist the NPS in public education and understanding of the science of light pollution, how artificial light can impact the human and natural environment, and solutions for minimizing light pollution.
2. Coordinate the placement, deployment, and tracking of volunteers in the Night Sky Ambassador Program.
3. Provide training for Night Sky Ambassadors (a volunteer program stationed in parks) on scientific, communication, and other skills in order to better engage the public. Provide training for Night Sky Ambassadors in engaging youth audiences.
4. Create and distribute communication tools for engaging youth audiences, such as outdoor activities, workbooks, and web resources.
5. Coordinate with other informal educators in the realms of air quality, astronomy, and conservation in order to leverage resources and expand public outreach.

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:

1. Collaborate with CSU in public education and understanding of the science of light pollution, how artificial light can impact the human and natural environment, and solutions for minimizing light pollution.
2. Work closely with CSU in the recruitment of volunteers, provide park contacts and other NPS liaisons to place volunteers, and provide administrative support in the tracking of volunteer efforts.
3. Assist CSU in the development of training curriculum and support materials in support of the Night Sky Ambassador program.
4. Provide strategic input, graphic design support, and background information for the creation of communication tools and educational products for youth and general public audiences.
5. Provide financial support for CSU to carry out this task agreement. Provide office space and office resources for CSU staff to conduct operations.

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 (P14AC01230) under Cooperative Agreement (P14AC00728) in the amount of $38,778.00 with a period of performance from date of award until 08/31/2015.

“This proposed project between Colorado State University and the NPS is authorized to go through the Rocky Mountains CESU at the negotiated overhead rate of 17.5% because it passes the test of substantial involvement by the NPS, public purpose and consistency with the mission of the CESU Network”.

Also, on the SF 424 forms that the partner sponsored programs office fills out for each project, requires a CFDA number – 15.945, which is the number associated with the CFDA Title: COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMS – RESOURCES OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (CESU).

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

A. 16 U.S.C. §1g authorizes the NPS to enter into cooperative agreements that involve the transfer of NPS appropriated funds to state, local and tribal governments, other public entities, educational institutions, and private nonprofit organizations for the public purpose of carrying out National Park Service programs.

B. 16 U.S.C. §1a-2(j) Cooperative research and training programs authorizes the NPS to enter into cooperative agreements with public or private educational institutions, states, and their political subdivisions, for the purpose of developing adequate, coordinated, cooperative research and training programs concerning the resources of the national park system. Pursuant to such agreements, the cooperator may accept from or make available to the NPS technical and support staff, financial assistance for mutually agreed upon research projects, supplies and equipment, facilities, and administrative services relating to cooperative research units as the Secretary deems appropriate (research projects subject to Federal Acquisition Regulation excluded).
Modified 5/31/05 ¿ Agreement Handbook Memorandum Number 2

C. 16 U.S.C. §5933 Cooperative agreements. The Secretary is authorized and directed to enter into cooperative agreements with colleges and universities, including but not limited to land grant schools, in partnership with other Federal and State agencies, to establish cooperative study units to conduct multi-disciplinary research and develop integrated information products on the resources of the National Park System, or the larger region of which parks are a part.