National Park Service: Conducting Oral History Interviews at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

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

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement P16AS00606
Project Title Conduct Oral History Interviews of Individuals with Important Historical Information about Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
Recipient University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF)
Total Anticipated Award Amount $74,716
Cost Share None
Anticipated Length of Agreement Approx. 1 year
Anticipated Period of Performance 9/30/2016-09/30/2017
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 U.S.C. §100703 ⿿ Cooperative Study Units
CFDA # and Title 15.945 â¿¿ Cooperative Research and Training Programs â¿¿
Resources of the National Park System
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited 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.
Point of Contact Erica Cordeiro
Grants/Agreements Specialist
National Park Service
Alaska Regional Office
240 Fifth Street
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: 907-644-3315
Fax 907-644-3802
Erica_cordeiro@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

The Klondike Gold Rush of 1896-1899 was a story of individuals pitted against the elements, the terrain, and the rest of swarming humanity. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (KLGO) was established because of the historical event, the people who passed this way during the stampede and the detritus they left behind (artifacts, buildings, trails, and their stories). Unfortunately, in the 40 years since the parkâ¿¿s founding, KLGO never established a formal oral history program to try and preserve this important aspect of the human story â¿¿ the oral history story. This project is an attempt to remedy that situation by conducting new professional level oral history interviews with people that have important historical knowledge and information of value to the park.

Cooperative Agreement Number P13AC01025 was entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, (NPS), and University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) for the purpose of conducting at least fifty (50) new oral history interviews of longtime residents and former residents of the local area including visitors to the community (Skagway, Alaska) and present or former NPS / KLGO employees that have important knowledge and information of value to the park using NPS professional oral history protocols and standards. Travel to Skagway, Alaska is required to meet with park personnel and interview current residents. Travel may be required to interview former residents, visitors, and former NPS / KLGO employees. In person interviews are best although telephonic interviews may be substituted in consultation with KLGO staff. These new oral histories are to be made available to the public. 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

UAF and NPS staff will collaborate to accomplish the following specific objectives:

1. Conduct at least fifty (50) new oral history interviews of longtime residents and former residents of the local area including visitors to the community (Skagway, Alaska) and present or former NPS / KLGO employees that have important knowledge and information of value to the park. The interviews will be conducted by professional Oral Historians using NPS professional oral history protocols and standards;

2. Record the interviews using high quality digital recording devices (24bit/96Khz recording quality) in WAV files. The digital files from each interview recorded shall be transferred to archival quality DVDs (M-DISC media). Each DVD shall be properly labeled with the name of the interviewer, the name of the person(s) being interviewed, the date(s), time(s), and place(s) of the interview and if the DVD is the ⿿original master⿝ or ⿿copy⿝ DVD. Each digital file shall have an accompanying MD5 checksum file located in the same directory. Both ⿿master⿝ and ⿿copy⿝ archival quality DVDs (M-DISC media) of each interview will be supplied to the government;

3. Ensure that NPS Oral History legal release forms (in original hard copy and digital formats) for each individual interviewed are properly signed, dated, and filled in and submitted to the government;

3. Prepare a typed interview log sheet of the subject matter of each interview as soon as possible after the interview, based on notes taken during the actual interview and submit each log sheet (in digital and hard copy formats and properly labeled) to the government;

5. Take high resolution (300 dpi +) photographs of all the people interviewed and submit the images (in digital and hard copy formats and properly labeled) to the government;

6. Transcribe the contents of all interviews conducted. Transcriptions are to be produced by UAF or a professional transcription service. Allow the persons interviewed to review the transcriptions of their interviews. Submit the reviewed and corrected transcriptions to the government in digital and hard copy formats and properly labeled;

7. Transfer five (5) previously recorded oral history interviews conducted by KLGO staff to archival quality DVDs (M-DISC media). Transcribe all five (5) of these interviews. Work to be done by UAF or a professional transcription service. Allow KLGO staff to review the transcriptions of the interviews. Submit the reviewed and corrected transcriptions to the government in digital and hard copy formats and properly labeled;

8. Write progress reports and submit these at specific intervals to the government in digital format;

9. Write a final report summarizing the project and documenting each oral history interview that was conducted and submit that report to the government in digital and hard copy formats and properly labeled;

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

UAF will engage the services of a professional Oral Historian with all the skills necessary to plan, organize, and carry out this project of conducting professional oral history interviews of individuals with important historical knowledge and information on the history of KLGO and the surrounding area. The professional Oral Historian UAF engages will have extensive, relevant, and progressively significant professional experience in an academic or public oral history program; working knowledge of current oral history technology; experience providing digital access to oral history materials; knowledge of oral history methodology and theory; strong organizational skills; strong oral and written communication skills; ability to conduct historical research in both primary and secondary sources; patience and tact in dealing with sensitive matters; strong interpersonal skills; ability to build successful working relationships with a wide variety of individuals; and an American Library Association (ALA) accredited Masters of Library Science (MLS) or a Masters of Arts (MA) in United States History with an archives emphasis, or an advanced degree in a closely related discipline such as Anthropology, Folklore, or History.

The UAF professional Oral Historian will conduct the interviews using NPS professional oral history protocols and standards. UAF will ensure that the joint objectives listed above are accomplished in a professional manner and in the time frame specified.

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. Provide the initial orientation to KLGO, the surrounding area including Skagway, Alaska, the history, and to the project for UAF project personal and to provide project oversight and direction as needed throughout the term of the project;

2. Provide a list of potential individuals with important historical knowledge and information to be interviewed. The actual individuals to be interviewed, including individuals not on the Government list, will be determined by the individuals to be interviewed and UAF and KLGO staff. Some of these individuals will be present or former NPS employees.

3. Provide NPS Oral History legal release blank forms. At the end of the project, there shall be one form for each person interviewed and each form shall be properly filled in, signed, and dated.

4. Provide a list of potential themes, topics and / or questions to ask the individuals being interviewed but UAF project personnel will not be limited to these themes, topics and / or questions and may ask any questions relevant to the subject matter of the interview.

5. Provide five (5) oral history interviews conducted by KLGO staff since the last oral history contract (2009-2010) and recorded in mp3 digital files. These interviews shall be transcribed by UAF or a professional transcription service as specified above.

6. Provide access to all the other oral history interviews KLGO staff, UAF staff, and others have created over the years.

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: No requirement – CESU task agreement which was already competed.