Department of Conservation: Youth Conservation Program

Promote and stimulate public purposes such as education, job training, development of responsible citizenship, productive community involvement, and furthering the understanding and appreciation of natural and cultural resources through the involvement of local youth and young adults in the care and enhancement of public resources.

Continue the long-standing efforts of Reclamation to provide opportunities for public service youth employment, minority youth development and training, and the participation of young adults in accomplishing conservation related work which clearly represents public benefit as exemplified through Reclamation support of programs such as the Federal Youth Conservation Corps, and state and local Conservation Corps.

Build upon the good record established by each Corps, of restoring and maintaining Reclamation resources in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Cooperate with one another for mutual benefit and for the general benefit of the people of the United States and future generations.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The Recipient shall carry out the Scope of Work in accordance with the terms and conditions stated herein. The Recipient shall adhere to Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and codes, as applicable, and shall obtain all required approvals and permits. If the Scope of Work contains construction activities, the Recipient is responsible for construction inspection, oversight, and acceptance. If applicable, the Recipient shall also coordinate and obtain approvals from site owners and operators.

The following are specific Recipient Responsibilities to this award:

1. Maintain its current general liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage, subject to the usual and customary policy conditions (including standard exclusion on vehicles licensed for highway use and on property in the care, custody and control of the policyholder.) In addition, SCC shall maintain its current accidental death and dismemberment and accidental medical expense policy and injury insurance for the CI. For the purpose of the workers compensation claims, responsibility and coverage are borne by Reclamation.

2. Provide 24-hour, 7 days a week risk management support to all SCC volunteers and partners. On call duty officers will monitor and respond to any type of accident and injury.

3. Provide assistance to Reclamation for review of recipient program descriptions that Reclamation may wish to participate. This includes program listings, samples of program request forms, and application forms.

4. Provide a comprehensive annual performance report of all activities and achievements along with participant demographic information.

5. Treat each project or activity under this agreement individually, with more detail included in project statements, project plans and budgets.

6. Provide Conservation Interns to undertake work projects under the supervision of Reclamation employees where appropriate. Team Leaders, if required, are to be aware of appropriate and necessary safety regulations pertaining to work projects.

7. Provide crew leaders for conservation crew projects to work under the project direction of the Reclamation program. Crew leaders must fully understand appropriate and necessary safety regulations concerning work projects.

8. Provide conservation crews with food, camping equipment, and all education, first aid, recreation and general supplies required by group.

9. Manage and carry out all administrative functions associated with services under this cooperative agreement, except those related to the performance and work assignments for the participants or as otherwise specified herein.

10. Process all administrative procedures and maintain all administrative records required for operation and management of National conservation crew program participants and conservation intern program.

11. Working with Reclamation, recruit, appoint place and retain qualified U.S. citizens for Conservation Intern positions defined above.

12. Any government furnished equipment will be used for the statement of work identified in the Task Agreement. All such items shall be turned in the same condition received except for normal wear and tear in project use.

13. Coordinate with Reclamation to locate alternative housing if Reclamation furnished housing is not available at the site. Reclamation is not responsible for direct payment for housing when a housing allotment is provided as part of the financial assistance for the project.

14. Oversee, direct and take corrective measures including, but not limited to, issues of conduct for all interns, crews, and team leaders provided to Reclamation.

RECLAMATION INVOLVEMENT

Substantial involvement by Reclamation is anticipated during the performance of activities funded under this cooperative agreement. In support of this Agreement, Reclamation will be responsible for the following:

1. Recipient participants, be they Conservation Interns, or participants, are covered under the terms of this agreement, including required insurance coverage, workers compensation and tort claim provisions, if they have filled out a recipient application and an acceptable form enrolling them in a project covered by this agreement. Upon reporting at their duty station, all SCC participants must sign a Reclamation volunteer services agreement.

2. Reclamation will be responsible for federal monitoring and oversight of activities performed under this agreement. Such responsibilities include review and approve of financial status and performance reports, payment requests, and any other deliverables identified as part of the individual scopes’ of work. Additional monitoring activities could include site visits, conference calls, and other on and off-site monitoring activities. At the Recipient’s request, Reclamation may also provide technical assistance to the Recipient in support of the scope of work and objectives of this agreement.

3. Provide a scope of work for individual tasks in the areas of resource management, education, interpretation, community outreach, and recreation programs as they are identified and as funding allows to the Recipient. Reclamation will work collaboratively and substantially with the Recipient to develop and manage youth conservation activities including providing oversight and technical assistance to the Recipient and the youth participants in the activities funded through Task Agreement under this MCA.

4. Provide projects for two to five weeks duration as agreed upon and overall project supervision for conservation crew program participants. Conservation crew projects will generally involve repair and maintenance, including repairing bridges, repair and stabilizing structures, repairing and maintenance of recreation facilities and trails, habitat improvement stream clearance and other projects suitable for crews. Participants should receive academic credits when appropriate. East task agreement is included a separate job description detailing each participants or groups responsibilities and the period of time required.

5. Provide appropriate staff oversight for work assigned to conservation interns and conservation intern teams and provide appropriate specifications for work projects and appropriate oversight to recipient’s crew leaders of conservation crew projects and to team leaders of conservation intern teams.

6. Provide transportation when possible to carry out assigned projects during the project period.

7. Provide conservation crews appropriate camping sites with access to potable water. Safety equipment will include a radio at remote locations.

8. Provide a written performance evaluation for each project on forms provided by the Recipient for each conservation intern, intern teams or conservation crew under this agreement.

9. Make available training opportunities to participants and crew leaders that will make their service more effective and ensure proper training for all activities covered by this agreement and task agreements.

10. Determine the acceptability of applicants for conservation intern positions serving in conservation intern teams. Select and notify the Recipient of names of candidates appropriate for the proposed projects. Alternatively and whenever mutually agreed, the Recipient will make the selection of the individual intern or those conservation intern team member which Reclamation asks the recipient to provided recipient team leaders.

11. Ensure the availability of camping locations (facilities or backcountry) for the duration of each project. The final dispensation of appropriate lodging arrangements will be outlined in each Task agreement, as appropriate.

Joint (Reclamation and Recipient) Responsibilities:

1. Design and implement conservation related projects.

2. Create a cooperative partnership to maximize the benefit from the project accomplished by Reclamation and the Recipient.

3. Complete all projects in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

4. Provide educational programs to the young people working on the conservation related projects at Reclamation sites.

5. The recipient may issue recipient uniforms for conservation interns at the recipient’s expense. The recipient’s uniform shall have no similarity to Reclamation’s logo.

6. Upon notification or otherwise becoming aware of existing or potential problems of health and safety, the crew leader of the conservation intern or conservation crew will promptly notify the recipient personnel of the situation and provide the recipient an opportunity to eliminate the existing or potential problems. If the recipient does not take corrective action promptly, Reclamation may order a stop of all or part of the project activity. Upon satisfactorily corrective action the recipient will be notified they may resume work.