National Park Service Conservation Grant: Education Projects Internship

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement P16AC00110
Project Title Conservation Intern for Education projects
Recipient Student Conservation Association
Total Anticipated Award Amount $28,284.34
Cost Share $13,417.40
Anticipated Length of Agreement 33 weeks
Anticipated Period of Performance 2/07/16 – 9/24/16
Award Instrument Task Agreement
Statutory Authority 16 USC 1723 (c)(1)
CFDA # and Title 15.931
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited
Point of Contact James Cato

OVERVIEW

Cooperative Agreement Number P15AC00031 was entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, (NPS), and Student Conservation Association (SCA) for the purpose of Conservation Projects. Unless otherwise specified herein, the terms and conditions as stated in the Cooperative Agreement will apply to this Task Agreement.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

Project Title, Project Description; The objective of this Task Agreement is to support and stimulate work and/or education and training opportunities for young adults through collaborative participation in Anchorage Interagency Visitor Center’s Division of Interpretation and Education.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The Student Conservation Associate intern will work with park education staff at the Anchorage Interagency Visitor Center to complete the following projects during their seven month position:

• Assist in designing, developing, and presenting 2 to 4 week-long environmental education summer day camp for kids. Camps will involve activities at various locations in the Anchorage area.
• Assist in the designing, developing, and presenting 1-2 weeks of overnight camps for teenagers.
• Create an in school, curriculum based education program that ties into the fieldtrips offered to at the AK Public Lands Information Center.
• Work to create/implement distance learning programs.
• Update the content and materials included in the loanable Education Kits.

The majority of work will take place indoors, with the intern moving between multiple projects and working with many collaborators during their experience.

The intern will receive training in education principles and techniques, gain knowledge about the natural and cultural resources on Alaska’s parks and public lands, and be exposed to emerging issues (climate change, ocean degradation, wildfire, and invasive species). The intern will also learn about important safety and wildlife issues such as bear safety, Leave No Trace, and wildlife etiquette. The park does not provide housing.

SCA agrees to:

1. To assist with recruitment and selection of selected candidates as Conservation Associates to participate in the work described in the above Scope of Work.

2. To provide living allowance, insurance, and Americorps awards (when applicable).

3. To provide for in-service commercial travel during the project period of performance.

4. Provide 24/7 staffed hotline assistance, site visit, and performance evaluations.

B. NPS agrees to:

1. To provide financial assistance in the amount of $28284.38

2. To provide general orientation to park operations, NPS mission, and safety training.

3. To provide a NPS technical representative, Helen Fields to be on-site with the SCA
Intern to assist with specifics of the project as needed.

4. To provide all necessary equipment and supplies applicable for performing required tasks.

5. To provide funds for housing for the SCA volunteer.

6. To provide funds for travel required to $400.00 (in SCA budget) for the youth camping trip.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

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.

NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:

Rationale: The Student Conservation Association was selected because its internship program bet suited our needs. The Internship time durations for our needs (33 weeks), they could provide an intern at the right time of year (February _ September and with the education emphasis. Other internships considered; Groundwork USA, Waso funded internships such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities initiatives program, Latino Heritage program, & NPS Academy; These programs provide only summer interns, Environment for the Americas Interns were also considered, but there focus was to narrow and focused on birds only.