The National Park Service is offering the Artist in Residence Program to establish and administer a cultural preservation initiative at Sitka National Historical Park.

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service (NPS), intention to fund the following project activities.

ABSTRACT

Funding Announcement: P12AC10084

Project Title: Artists in Residence Program

Recipient: Alaska Geographic

Principle
Investigator: Lisa Oakley
Total Anticipated
Award Amount: $80,000

Cost Share: N/A

New Award
Or Continuation: New

Anticipated
Length of
Agreement: 5 years

Anticipated
Period of
Performance: December 30, 2011 – December 30, 2016

Award
Instrument: CESU Task Agreement

Statutory
Authority: Agreements Concerning Cooperative Research and Training on NPS Resources (16 U.S.C. § 1a-2(j)): The Secretary may enter into agreements with public or private educational institutions, States and their political subdivisions, for the purpose of developing adequate, coordinated, cooperative research and training programs concerning the resources of the National Park System, and pursuant to such agreements, to accept from and make available to the cooperator such technical and support staff, financial assistance for mutually agreed upon research projects, supplies and equipment, facilities, and administrative services relating to cooperative research units as the Secretary deems appropriate.

CFDA: 15.945 – Cooperative Research and Training Programs – Resources of the National Park System
Develop and Implement Artist-in-Residence Program at Sitka National Historical Park

Project Abstract: Through this agreement, the National Park Service (NPS) will work with Alaska Geographic (AKGEO) to set up and administer a pilot Artist in Residence Program at Sitka National Historical Park. This collaboration will ensure that Native cultural demonstrations and interpretive programming at Sitka National Historical Park’s cultural center will continue uninterrupted through September of 2012.

Background: Sitka National Historical Park’s Foundation Statement expressly states that the park will “foster the preservation and interpretation of Southeast Alaska Native culture.” Historically, this goal had been achieved through a longstanding partnership with the non-profit Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center (SEAICC). Since a cooperative agreement with SEAICC was not signed in 2011, the park is developing an alternative strategy for successfully meeting the same objective. Artist-in- Residence program will be established in 2012, then evaluated and adapted for future years to fulfill SITK’s mission and meet the public interest in the culture of Southeast Alaska. This program has been designed to recruit four volunteer artists; two of the artists will be Sitka Native artists volunteering for four months each and the other two Native artists (either local or non-local) who will volunteer for two months each.

Over the years, Alaska Geographic has played a substantial role in supporting the park’s demonstration arts program. The NPS and Alaska Geographic wish to continue their support of this educational programming by creating Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program at Sitka National Historical Park. An AIR program will ensure that Alaska Native cultural demonstrations and interpretive programming at the park’s cultural center will be featured during 2012.

Project Description: Alaska Geographic will partner with the National Park Service to develop an Artist-in-Residence program that targets Southeast Alaska Native artists skilled in traditional arts.

Alaska Geographic will play a substantial role in supporting the cultural demonstration program at Sitka National Historical Park by:
• Publicizing and advertising the program throughout Southeast Alaska;
• Assisting the AIR program coordinator, a National Park Service employee, with the juried selection process;
• Facilitating logistics of artists’ visits and attendant travel and housing details;
• Purchasing of supplies and materials;
• Developing, coordinating, and sponsoring workshops, conference and symposia on southeast Alaska Native cultures.
Objectives of the project will be:
• To establish and administer a prototype Artist-in-Residence program, evaluate, adapt, and operate an Artist-in-Residence program or similar program in succeeding years if deemed desirable;
• To enable Sitka National Historical Park to continue to succeed in fostering the preservation and perpetuation of Southeast Alaska Native arts and traditions;
• To provide local residents and visitors with opportunities to learn about Southeast Alaska cultural values and activities.

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN
COMPETITION (or SINGLE SOURCE) FOR DISCRETIONARY COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS
_______________________________________________

TITLE: Develop and Implement Artist-in-Residence Program at Sitka National Historical Park

BACKGROUND:
For the past 42 years, Sitka National Historical Park had a cooperating partner, the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center. The Center housed resident and demonstration arts programs, provided workshops, generated art for displays and acted as a key resource for perpetuating Southeast Alaska Native art and culture. Its function and mission was closely aligned with the park’s own mission of perpetuating key elements of Southeast Alaska Native culture, as embodied in totem poles, metal-working art forms and weaving art forms. In 2011, after several years during which the Center had a constantly-rotating board and executive director, and was not able to generate funding to support its operations and programs, the National Park Service decided not to sign a new agreement, and the relationship ended. Because the mission of the park involves the perpetuation of Native culture and art, and because the visitor experience at the park is closely intertwined with the presence of Native artists, the park has sought a partner who can manage the strategy and execution of a Native Artist-in Residence program during the peak visitor season in the summer of 2012 and potentially generate a prototype model which can be used in the future.

Single Source Justification:
1) 505 DM 2 Single Source – Only one responsible source will satisfy agency requirements.

• Alaska Geographic is a cooperating agency of the Sitka National Historical Park, and is uniquely positioned to act as a partner with Sitka National Historical Park’s Interpretive and Cultural Resource Teams on this Artist-in-Residence project. Alaska Geographic has recently partnered with the park on three of the park’s major Centennial events, the March 2010 birthday celebration, the 2010 International Conference on Russian America and the installation of the Kiks.adi Survival March Plaque. All three events had deep involvement of Tlingit artists, elders and clans. Alaska Geographic has for many years maintained a bookstore and/or kiosk at the park, and has reviewed, edited, selected and sold many works of literature and art associated with the work of Native artists. Alaska Geographic knows our public and the Native art forms. Alaska Geographic knows Alaska history. It has intimate knowledge of the park, the clans and the Native tradition, all of which will figure prominently in this proposed program of Artists in Residence. In addition, Alaska Geographic has membership, web outreach and publications which will make possible the widest possible dissemination of information about this program, and about the park and the people which define its historic and present-day connections and importance to perpetuation of Native art.

2) Nature and description of the deliverables required to meet the agency’s needs:

• Description of the deliverables and the required delivery schedule.
o Alaska Geographic will develop with the park a program plan, to ensure the visiting artists program is set up to be a successful element of the park visitor experience. This program plan should be completed by February 15, 2012.
o Alaska Geographic will develop with the park a plan for soliciting and selecting the visiting artists, and scheduling the sequence of their tenures at the park. These steps should be completed by March 1, 2012.
o Alaska Geographic will work with Sitka National Historical Park to manage the inauguration of the program through on-site presence as the summer visitor season begins, on May 5, 2012.
o Alaska Geographic will develop and forward an after-action report and detailed expenditures report at the completion of the program, by October 31, 2012.
• The minimum essential characteristics or unique features of the item(s). If requesting a service, fully describe all services to be performed.
o Joining with park planners to lay out essential features of the visiting artists program – who should be invited based on artistic merit and reputation, how the program should be conducted, and what public events should be included as elements of the summer visiting artists program.
o Joining with park planners to identify key clan leaders to identify the key support to be provided each artist, including studio space, supplies, connections to clan, tribe and other native organizations, public notice of the program and their presence, housing, honoraria and other support.
o Consulting and advising the park planners on how the program can most effectively be recorded and then made available to the public, including through traditional and social media, including NPS and Alaska Geogrpahic publications and web sites.
• State the price of the requirement – base year and every additional anticipated agreement period thereafter.
o Base year FY 2012: For visiting artist travel: $1500
o Base year FY 2012: For Alaska Geographic staff travel and accommodation at the event: $1,000
o For visiting artists’ honoraria: $4,500
o For artists’ supplies and studio maintenance: $1,000
o For four months of artists’ housing: $7,670 (please note—the price reflects elevated summer rates)
o For program events: $500
o Base Year FY2012: For indirect costs at 17.5%: $2830

3) Criteria for justifying award without competition. In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria. Please explain which criterion specifically addresses the proposed agreement.

• Unique Qualifications
Alaska Geographic is uniquely qualified to work as Sitka National Historical Park’s partner in this event because of a combination of factors that is possessed by no other organization: years of experience working with the park; years of experience working with Native issue and specifically with the culture and history of Southeast Alaska Native people; a reach and depth of audience that is deeply invested in preserving the cultural, historic and natural resources of Alaska, such as is embodied in the park itself; specific expertise on programs with such roots in culture and history; specific experience with and support of the park’s Centennial events already completed; and specific expertise with a highly successful Artist-in-Resident program with another national park, Denali.

4) A description of the market research that was conducted and the results, or a statement of the reason a market research was not conducted:

• The type and degree of market survey conducted.
o A market research was not formally conducted. Sitka National Historical Park did, however, discuss other organizations with some potential to partner with us. None has the capacity to execute such a program.

5) Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

Although the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center has provided a connection with Southeast arts by housing demonstration projects and some workshops, the Artist in Residence program is an established NPS program which is not comparable.

6) A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers for competition before any potential future agreement award:

• If known, provide information on any new technology or new source that will be available in the future.
• Describe any measures being taken to foster competition for future acquisitions of the same item or service.
o During the past 18 months, Sitka National Historical Park has managed or co-managed seven major events – the March 2010 100th anniversary celebration, the June 2010 Alutiiq-Tlingit Cultural Sharing, the August 2010 International Conference on Russian America, the October 2010 Alaska Day Festival whose theme was the park’s centennial, the February 2011 Survival March Plaque dedication and installation, the May 2011 Centennial Totem Pole Raising, and the August 2011 Tlingit-Alutiiq Cultural Sharing. Each of the events had partners. And each event had a primary partner that was different, although some partners have participated in more than one event, Alaska Geographic among them. The park staff has sought to built and strengthen partnerships with a variety of non-profit agencies. For example, Sitka Historical Society was a major partner for the Russian American Conference. Sitka Cultural Center and the National Park Foundation were primary partners for the Alutiiq-Tlingit Culural Sharing, while the Woody Island Tribe of Kodiak was the partner for the reciprocal event, the Tlingit-Alutiiq Culutral Sharing. We are consciously trying to engage as many quality partners in these events, of which Alaska Geographic and the Artists in Residence program is another example. Our goal as outlined in the GPRA partnership metrics is to build the park’s relationships with community organizations and non-profits. This will continue into the future.