Department of the Interior: Intermountain West Data Warehouse Grant

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 P15AS00092
Project Title Intermountain West Data Warehouse
Recipient Colorado State University
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Shawn McClure
Total Anticipated Award Amount $236,000.00
Cost Share none
New Award or Continuation? Continuation of Cooperative Agreement P14AC00728
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of final signature to 11/15/2016
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of final signature to 11/15/2016
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(a) 54 USC 100703
CFDA # and Title 15.945 Cooperative Research & Training Program Resources of NPS CESUs
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

The purpose of the agreement is for the two organizations to work together to support future air quality planning through making data available in the Intermountain West Data Warehouse that is consistent, comprehensive and is of good quality which CSU-CIRA has initially developed. The project is in collaboration with several federal and state government organizations, which includes: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, New Mexico Environment Department, Bureau of Land Management � Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico State Offices, U.S. Forest Service � Regions 2, 3 and 4, and Environmental Protection Agency � Region 8.

The project, the Intermountain West Data Warehouse, is to facilitate air quality planning, in particular planning under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), related to oil and gas development in the region. This effort is intended to make NEPA projects more consistent, more efficient and more cost effective while making better information more readily available to the public.
The primary objectives are to:

� Utilize the unique skills, resources, and expertise of each entity (NPS and CSU-CIRA) to better understand the relationship between air pollution emissions, meteorology and concentrations of pollutants in the atmosphere and a better understanding of atmospheric processes like transport, chemical conversion and deposition. This will be accomplished through operation and maintenance of a data warehouse previously developed by CSU-CIRA and the further creation of tools to analyze and quality assure air quality data housed there, as well as provide an efficient means for accessing large data sets that are inputs to air quality models for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other planning activities.
� Enhance coordination and collaboration between NPS and CSU-CIRA.
� Improve through this project access to data that are up-to-date, comprehensive and of known and documented quality.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

� Maintain and operate the data warehouse, keeping it up-to-date as to software and hardware;
� Comply with operational criteria established by the interagency Oversight Committee of the Intermountain West Data Warehouse Project in coordination with NPS;
� Collaborate with WESTAR which is providing coordination assistance to the project;
� Ensure project is fully leveraged with another similar NPS project, the Federal Land Manager Environmental database (FED);
� Provide regular brief progress reports and a summary of next steps to the NPS Contracting officer and the Agreements Technical Representative;
� Make status reports to the Oversight Committee of the Intermountain West Data Warehouse Project at least annually;
� Develop and deliver training and support on the use of the data warehouse on an as needed basis;
� Appropriately document the structure of the data warehouse to ensure continuity and openness.

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:

� Continue to participate in project implementation, providing regular input throughout;
� Provide data and work products like air quality modeling output with appropriate documentation for populating the data warehouse;
� Provide feedback on deliverables as they are available;
� Provide financial support to CSU-CIRA for work performed as outlined in this agreement;
� Interactively work with CSU-CIRA through operation and maintenance of the data warehouse and as tools are added over time.
� Assign (name) as Agreement Technical Representative (ATR)
� Supply funding as described

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 (P13ACXXXXX) under Cooperative Agreement (XXXX) in the amount of $XXX with a period of performance from date of award until XX/XX/XXXX.

“This proposed project between Colorado State Univeristy and the National Park Service 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. 54 USC 101702(a) previously 16 U.S.C.�1g NPS authority to enter into cooperative agreements and transfer appropriated funds to nonprofit organization for the public purpose of NPS programs.
B. 54 USC 100703 previously 16 U.S.C 5933 authorizes the NPS 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.

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 P15AS00092
Project Title Intermountain West Data Warehouse
Recipient Colorado State University
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Shawn McClure
Total Anticipated Award Amount $236,000.00
Cost Share none
New Award or Continuation? Continuation of Cooperative Agreement P14AC00728
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of final signature to 11/15/2016
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of final signature to 11/15/2016
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(a) 54 USC 100703
CFDA # and Title 15.945 Cooperative Research & Training Program Resources of NPS CESUs
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

The purpose of the agreement is for the two organizations to work together to support future air quality planning through making data available in the Intermountain West Data Warehouse that is consistent, comprehensive and is of good quality which CSU-CIRA has initially developed. The project is in collaboration with several federal and state government organizations, which includes: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, New Mexico Environment Department, Bureau of Land Management � Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico State Offices, U.S. Forest Service � Regions 2, 3 and 4, and Environmental Protection Agency � Region 8.

The project, the Intermountain West Data Warehouse, is to facilitate air quality planning, in particular planning under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), related to oil and gas development in the region. This effort is intended to make NEPA projects more consistent, more efficient and more cost effective while making better information more readily available to the public.
The primary objectives are to:

� Utilize the unique skills, resources, and expertise of each entity (NPS and CSU-CIRA) to better understand the relationship between air pollution emissions, meteorology and concentrations of pollutants in the atmosphere and a better understanding of atmospheric processes like transport, chemical conversion and deposition. This will be accomplished through operation and maintenance of a data warehouse previously developed by CSU-CIRA and the further creation of tools to analyze and quality assure air quality data housed there, as well as provide an efficient means for accessing large data sets that are inputs to air quality models for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other planning activities.
� Enhance coordination and collaboration between NPS and CSU-CIRA.
� Improve through this project access to data that are up-to-date, comprehensive and of known and documented quality.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

� Maintain and operate the data warehouse, keeping it up-to-date as to software and hardware;
� Comply with operational criteria established by the interagency Oversight Committee of the Intermountain West Data Warehouse Project in coordination with NPS;
� Collaborate with WESTAR which is providing coordination assistance to the project;
� Ensure project is fully leveraged with another similar NPS project, the Federal Land Manager Environmental database (FED);
� Provide regular brief progress reports and a summary of next steps to the NPS Contracting officer and the Agreements Technical Representative;
� Make status reports to the Oversight Committee of the Intermountain West Data Warehouse Project at least annually;
� Develop and deliver training and support on the use of the data warehouse on an as needed basis;
� Appropriately document the structure of the data warehouse to ensure continuity and openness.

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:

� Continue to participate in project implementation, providing regular input throughout;
� Provide data and work products like air quality modeling output with appropriate documentation for populating the data warehouse;
� Provide feedback on deliverables as they are available;
� Provide financial support to CSU-CIRA for work performed as outlined in this agreement;
� Interactively work with CSU-CIRA through operation and maintenance of the data warehouse and as tools are added over time.
� Assign (name) as Agreement Technical Representative (ATR)
� Supply funding as described

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 (P13ACXXXXX) under Cooperative Agreement (XXXX) in the amount of $XXX with a period of performance from date of award until XX/XX/XXXX.

“This proposed project between Colorado State Univeristy and the National Park Service 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. 54 USC 101702(a) previously 16 U.S.C.�1g NPS authority to enter into cooperative agreements and transfer appropriated funds to nonprofit organization for the public purpose of NPS programs.
B. 54 USC 100703 previously 16 U.S.C 5933 authorizes the NPS 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.