NPS AK Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna International Secretariat Grant

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement P16AS00336
Project Title NPS AK Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna International Secretariat
Recipient INTERNATIONAL SECRETARIAT
Total Anticipated Award Amount $400,000
Cost Share 0.00
Anticipated Length of Agreement 5 years
Anticipated Period of Performance August 1, 2016 â¿¿ July 30, 2021
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 U.S.C. §101702(a) Cooperative Agreements, Transfer of Service Appropriated Funds;
CFDA # and Title 15.944, Natural Resources Stewardship
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited Unique Qualifications
Point of Contact Erica Cordeiro, 907-644-3315

OVERVIEW
(1) The objective of this Agreement is to support goals and objectives for the effective implementation of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna, Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) and related conservation activities. The CAFF International Secretariat, located in Akureyri, Iceland, was established by the Arctic Council as a body through which the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna and its program are coordinated and administered. Development and implementation of the CBMP are a response to a number of Arctic Council recommendations that have called for improved and better coordinated, long-term Arctic biodiversity monitoring. The CBMP has been further highlighted as an Arctic Council priority in the Kiruna (2013), Tromso (2009), Salekhard (2006), Reykjavik (2004), Inari (2002), Barrow (2000) and Iqaluit (1998) Declarations.
(2)
(3) The CAFF Secretariat will assist with the implementation of the current, and development of the next, four-year strategic plan for the CBMP. Further, the CAFF Secretariat will provide program guidance and communications, coordination, travel and administrative support. The National Park Service (NPS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) cooperatively co-lead the CBMP for the United States, along with the Kingdom of Denmark. With this agreement the NPS will provide funding and staff support toward further development and implementation of the CBMPâ¿¿which focuses on the monitoring of biodiversity elements throughout the Arcticâ¿¿ and related conservation activities. The NPS staff support for CBMP includes co-leadership and expertise on Arctic monitoring and information gained from the NPS Arctic Inventory and Monitoring Network.
(4)
(5) Co-leading such a high profile program comes with challenges, including considerable collaboration and communication between the co-leads to ensure tasks are well coordinated and not duplicated. The co-leads have jointly agreed with the CAFF Secretariat to share facilitation of CBMP elements in a fashion that is both efficient and economically feasible with respect to attendance at meetings and coordination with outside organizations.
(6)
(7) Enhanced coordination of Arctic biodiversity monitoring via the CBMP will ultimately yield an improved ability to detect important trends, link these trends to their underlying causes, predict future trends and scenarios for Arctic biodiversity, and thereby provide more timely and credible information to support responsible decision making at multiple scales (local, regional, national and global). While most Arctic biodiversity monitoring networks are, and will remain, national or sub-national in scope, there is immeasurable value in establishing circumpolar connections among monitoring networks. Further, knowledge about how resources in Alaska national parks compare to Arctic ecosystems around the globe provides a foundation for interpretation materials and enhanced visitor experience.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

1. Facilitate implementation of the CBMP Strategic Plan, 2013-2017: Phase 2;
2. Facilitate development of the CBMP Strategic Plan, 2017-2021;

For each year of NPS co-leadership:

3. Post all CBMP documents for discussion to the CAFF website at least 30-days prior to each CAFF Working Group and Management Board meeting;
4. Coordinate and prepare CBMP input to the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials and Ministerial meetings;
5. Provide support for expert workshops, venue acquisition, travel, interpretation/education, and communications, coordination, and administrative services consistent with the goals and objectives of the CBMP for meetings and technical papers/reports; and
6. Distribute funds for CBMP activities including, but not limited to, staff support, data management, creation of interpretation materials, venue acquisition, travel and per diem for CAFF staff or U.S. invited experts (e.g. university scientists and permanent participants others) to participate in CBMP and CAFF meetings, and other CBMP related conversation activities.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

1. Assist with development of the next CBMP Strategic Plan, 2017-2021;

For each year of NPS co-leadership:

2. Provide staff support, and attendance at related meetings as necessary and available, for co-leadership of CBMP, subject to annual funding availability;
3. Provide staff support, and attendance at related meetings as necessary and available, for implementation of the CBMP terrestrial plan and development of the coastal plan, subject to annual funding availability;
4. Assist the CAFF Secretariat in identifying mechanisms, institutions and individuals to carry out tasks and activities;
5. Work in conjunction with the CAFF Secretariat to publicize the work of CBMP, and the work of the Secretariat in fostering global habitat and species conservation;
6. Facilitate the communications needs of the Secretariat related to products, tasks and activities by relevant communications as may be required to carry out the purposes of this agreement;
7. Assist in the creation and dissemination of products and publications necessary for implementation of the CBMP; and
8. Attend CAFF board meetings as necessary and available, and subject to annual funding availability, to report on CBMP progress and to coordinate with other initiatives and projects as relevant.

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 â¿¿ 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 â¿¿ 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 â¿¿ The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congressâ¿¿ intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose;

(4) Unique Qualifications â¿¿ 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 â¿¿ 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.

NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:
The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) International Secretariat is designated by the Arctic Council as the working group that oversees the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP). There can be no competition because it is their program; no other parties administer the work. For the NPS to co-lead the CBMP for the United States, an agreement with the CAFF International Secretariat is required.

The CAFF International Secretariat, located in Akureyri, Iceland, was established by the Arctic Council as the body through which the CAFF working group and its programs are coordinated and administered. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management have entered similar agreement with CAFF in past years and have successfully produced work and products meaningful to both international and domestic conservation goals.