National Park Service: Internship Grant for Midwest Archeological Center

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
Project Title Interns for Midwest Archeological Center
Recipient National Council for Preservation Education
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Cari Goetcheus
Total Anticipated Award Amount $41,280.00
Cost Share none
New Award or Continuation? Continuation Task Agreement under Cooperative Agreement P12PA30140
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award to 9/30/2014
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award to 9/30/2014
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 16 USC 1g & 16 USC 470
CFDA # and Title 15.915 Technical Preservation Services
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

To create additional training opportunities for qualified students. Interns will assist Federal government professionals involved in historic preservation and allied fields such as archeology, history, museum management and landscape architecture, in directed assignments focusing on Federal efforts in cultural resources management and protection. Duties may include archeological, architectural or landscape surveys; historical research and resource documentation; technical writing and publication development; artifact and records cataloging, conservation and management; database and Web page creation and maintenance; and hands-on condition assessment and repair of historic structures.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

Six (6) internships with the Midwest Archeological Center. These training opportunities will allow the interns to learn about and participate in national historic preservation programs by working directly with Federal cultural resource professionals on the projects:

1. Archeological Information Management Team: Working with Archeologists, creates Geographic Information System (GIS) maps for archeological sites monitoring and condition assessment program. Create queries in database systems to determine sites for monitoring and work with MWAC staff to update site information and inspection schedules. Researches history of archeological work and archeological resources in Midwest Region parks and uses the information to update GIS data such as site and project locations. Enters attribute data for new sites and revise data for existing records. Duties include archeological site and project database data entry; GIS mapping; project documentation; and other duties as assigned (800 hours).

2. Archeological Collection Documentation: Duties include completing a thorough inventory of a large archeological collection containing materials from archeological sites in Southeast Missouri, and associated with Ozark National Scenic Riverways, donated recently to NPS. Research will be conducted to identify potential owners of the material. Additional responsibilities with the collection may include rehousing artifacts; identifying archival project documents; photographing and describing diagnostic artifacts; and other duties as assigned (800 hours)

3. Archeological Collections Management Program: Works with Center staff to meet National Park Service (NPS) curation standards for managing archeological collections. The intern will gain experience in a variety of curatorial activities such as cataloging archeological collections using official NPS cataloging software (ICMS); packaging and preparing artifacts and archives for storage; and tracking environmental conditions for the storage repository. Other tasks may be assigned as needed. The collections reflect a wide range of past human occupation from the earliest Native Americans through the fur trade and frontier eras, the Civil War, and presidential homes (400 hours).

4. Great Plains Archeological Research: Assists Midwest Archeological Center staff with a variety of tasks associated with research conducted on the Great Plains. Duties may include synthesizing past research in parks such as Badlands National Park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Scottsbluff National Monument, and others; preparing geomorphological analyses from archeological sites in the region; processing and curation of artifacts and archives; and other duties as assigned (400 hours).

5. Archeological Outreach and Education Program: Works with Center staff to maintain and grow MWAC¿s online presence via website and social media content development. This will involve coordination with Archeologists, Collections specialists, Library, GIS team, and Publications team to write short articles and updates related to all aspects of Center activities. Other tasks may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

6. Archeological Research: Assists MWAC Park Program Archeologists in compiling information for archeological research in Midwest Region Parks. Research topics will include the geoarcheology of landforms and the historic archeology of logging activities. Other park specific topics may be added at the discretion of the supervising archeologist. Tasks will include compiling information such as site records, historic photographs, historic records, aerial photography, and archeological reports. Additional tasks will include the development of information databases and digitizing maps into a project GIS. This information will be used as a basis for archeological fieldwork and compliance activities. Other tasks may be assigned as needed (400 hours).

NCPE agrees to:

1. Use the existing format to recruit and select additional trainees, or, in limited circumstances, extend existing training projects, for the program currently being offered. Every effort will be made to match the candidates’ qualifications with NPS needs.

2. Make financial and technical arrangements for the additional trainees to work in Washington, DC and other locations as necessary.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

Substantial involvement on the part 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. Assist with selection of prospective interns, as identified by NCPE, based on qualifications.

2. Provide a project mentor, materials, specialized tools and training, and related supplies for completion of the internship project.

3. Work with interns in conduct of the internship, assigning tasks, based upon each trainee’s interest, knowledge and skills, providing guidance and direction as needed for completion of duties, and reviewing work products to ensure they meet the goals of the internship.

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.

The National Park Service did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:

(2) CONTINUATION

Single Source Justification Description:

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD
This is a Task Agreement (P13AC01111) under Cooperative Agreement (P12PA30140) in the amount of $41,280.00 with a period of performance from date of award until 12/31/2014.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

16 U.S.C. §1g authorizes the NPS to enter into cooperative agreements that involve the transfer of NPS appropriated funds to state, local and tribal governments, other public entities, educational institutions, and private nonprofit organizations for the public purpose of carrying out National Park Service programs.
This section provides broad authority for NPS to enter into cooperative agreements with most recipients for a public purpose. Although broad, this authority must be read in conjunction with the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 and other authorities that prescribe whether a particular relationship should be a procurement contract or a cooperative agreement. Thus, in making this determination, one must always consider whether the principal purpose of the work is to acquire goods and/or services for NPS¿s direct benefit in furtherance of its mission or for a public purpose.

16 U.S.C. 470a (1) (A) The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to expand and maintain a National Register of Historic Places composed of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture.