National Park Service: Glacier Bay Sea Otter Monitoring Design Grant

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Serviceâ¿¿s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition.

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement Number P16AS00591
Project Title Glacier Bay Sea Otter Monitoring Design
Recipient Colorado State University
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Dr. Mevin Hooten
Total Anticipated Award Amount $80,000
Cost Share None
New Award or Continuation? New
Anticipated Period of Performance 9/1/2016 â¿¿ 7/1/2018
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 10703 – Cooperative Study Units
CFDA # and Title 15.945 â¿¿ Cooperative Research and Training Programs
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited CESU â¿¿ Already competed â¿¿ P14AC00749 â¿¿ Rocky Mountains CESU
NPS ATR Point of Contact Mike Bower

OVERVIEW

This project entails continued collaborations towards development of new methods and sampling designs for monitoring sea otters as a keystone species within the Glacier Bay marine ecosystem. Efforts under this agreement will focus primarily on testing of preliminary methods and documentation of procedures for incorporation into a formal monitoring protocol.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Southeast Alaska Network (SEAN), Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GLBA), and Colorado State University have been collaborating to develop refined methods for sea otter monitoring. This collaboration has leveraged the strengths of individual partners to produce a contemporary framework that would not have been possible by working independently. Project objectives have been developed to advance educational, academic, and resource management goals relevant to the two partner institutions.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

Colorado State University will take lead responsibility for 1) development of an adaptive monitoring design for sea otters, 2) mentorship and support for a post-doctoral student to lead project analyses and preparation of manuscripts.

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 1) guiding the development of monitoring designs and field methods to align with Inventory and Monitoring program policies and capacity, 2) planning and implementing trials to test preliminary methods, and 3) leading the development of a formal monitoring protocol for documentation of final methods.

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.

The National Park Service did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: CESU units were competed prior to this announcement.