National Park Service Grant for Bering Land Bridge Educational Mobile Application Project

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 Number P16AC00113
Project Title Bering Land Bridge Educational Mobile App
Recipient University of Maryland College Park
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Dr. Allison Druin
Chief Futurist
University of Maryland, Division of Research
Co-Director Future of Information Alliance
iSchool & Human ��� Computer Interaction Lab
2116A Hornbake Library South
College Park, MD 20742
301 / 405-7406
allisond@umd.edu

Total Anticipated Award Amount $100,000
Cost Share None
New Award or Continuation? New Award
Anticipated Period of Performance 1 year
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(b)
CFDA # and Title
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (4) Unique Qualifications
NPS ATR Point of Contact Erica Cordeiro 907-644-3315

OVERVIEW

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve will partner with the University of Maryland College Park for the purpose of co-designing an educational mobile application for 3rd to 4th graders. This process will include brainstorming and ideation, the co-facilitation of up to six (6) design sessions using the Kids Design Team, and seeing the production and fabrication of the application. The project will be completed upon the public launching of the application on both iOS and Android platforms accessible via iTunes or Google Play.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

This project will create a digital educational experience for children who are unable to reach the preserve. Due to the remote and isolated nature of the preserve, many people are unable to visit. Two key components for this project include 1) creating a product that is unique to mobile devices; 2) creating a product that is non-site specific; many users are unable to reach the preserve. Nationwide users, regardless of their location, will be able to navigate an extension of their reality and forge a sense of place by closely examining the beauty, science, and/or human history of the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve will offer the services of the Visual Information Specialist (VIS) to act as a liaison between park managers and the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP). The UMCP Design Team and the Visual Information Specialist will work closely to develop goals, scope of work, and the activities to be accomplished.

Multiple design session will be held using the Kids Design Team and UMCP methodologies at UMCP facilities. Each set of design sessions will have their own focus, which include: brainstorming and ideation, design and architecture, and revision and iteration.

UMCP and the VIS will closely communicate during the production and fabrication of the application. A testing phase will be conducted in Nome, Alaska during which the VIS will report any unexpected crashes or bug on the app.

Completion of this will be signified by the publication of the app via iTunes and Google Play.

Our timeline is listed below:

Milestone Tasks completed Deadline
Winter 1) Identify key themes and concepts
2) Firm scheduling of ideation, design, and testing sessions.
March 2016
Spring 1) Conduct up to two ideation and brainstorming sessions with Kids Design Team at UMCP facilities.
2) Conduct up to two design session with Kids Design Team at UMCP facilities.
June 2016
Summer 1) Conduct two design sessions emphasizing ��� revision and iteration.
2) Wire-framing, architecture, and design. September 2016
Autumn 1) Development of application
2) Testing phase conducted in Nome, AK.
3) Publish application on iTunes and Android
November 2016

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The recipient will complete the following activities under this agreement:
1) Work closely with Bering Land Bridge Visual Information Specialist to identify key themes and concepts, develop goals, scope and activities to be accomplished.
2) Conduct six design sessions using UMCP methodologies, Kids Design Team, and facilities.
3) Coordinate the visual architecture, artwork, and coding of the app, seeking out subcontractors when needed.
4) Deliver an application that can be tested internally. Correct any bugs or crashes that may have been found.
5) Publicly launch the app via Google Play and iTunes.

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 the following:

1. NPS will provide the services of the Visual Information Specialist (VIS) to serve as a liaison to UMCP for the purpose of accomplishing the work under this agreement.
2. The VIS will be involved with UMCP in describing the goals, jointly developing the scope and activities to accomplish.
3. Provide access to previously compiled research, data, and background materials for this project.
4. Provide access to available maps, photographs, artwork, audio recordings, or other design elements need for the project.
5. Conduct a testing session of the app. Record and document any bugs or crashes and submit them to the UMCP design and development team.
6. Ensure that reports and other formal materials resulting from this collaborative project reference the Task Agreement number and acknowledge that the project was conducted through the Alaska Region Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit.
7. Properly credit and/or acknowledge the original author, photographer, or cartographer in future use of project photographs, maps, and written material.
8. Fully acknowledge UMCP in any published or formally presented material developed or derived from this Task Agreement.
9. Collaborate with UMCP, as appropriate, in a sixty-day wrap-up period following the due date of the last project product.