Department of the Interior Grant – Accessibility Training and Research at Indiana University National Accessibility 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 P15AS00184
Project Title Base Cooperative Agreement ��� Indiana University National Accessibility Center
Recipient Indiana University on behalf of National Center onAccessibility
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Dr, Sherril York
Total Anticipated Award Amount Over five years expect to expend approximately $1,034,535.00
Cost Share None
New Award or Continuation? New Award
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award for 5 years
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award for 5 years
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(a)
CFDA # and Title 15.954 Conservation, Protection, Outreach and Education
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (4) Unique Qualifications
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

All federal, state and local park and recreation agencies are required to ensure that people with disabilities have access to park and recreation facilities and receive the benefits received by visitors without disabilities. While the Service has improved the accessibility of its facilities and services, there is an ongoing need for accessibility training, technical assistance (TA) and research. This cooperative effort between the University and the Service is established to address this need and provide nationwide leadership and training to park and recreation professionals throughout the Service and the country. The University and the Service have successfully participated in a similar cooperative agreement since 1992.

The cooperative partnership between the Service and the University will be carried out through the programs and facilities of the National Accessibility Branch (AXS Branch) within the Park Facility Management Division and the University���s National Center on Accessibility (NCA). NCA is one of the nation���s premiere resources promoting access for people with disabilities in the park and recreation environment and has a national and international reputation for excellence in recreation-related education programs, in research, and in providing TA. The staff of educators and researchers has a long record of successfully working with Federal, State and local agencies, as well as with private recreation providers in the area of accessibility for citizens with disabilities. These activities have demonstrated how a cooperative partnership has been an effective method for providing the TA, information, research, and training needed by the Service and other agencies and organizations.

B. Objectives

The objective of this Agreement is to partner with the Cooperator to deliver a program of technical assistance, education, and research in the area of accessibility for people with disabilities in park and recreation environments.

Under this Cooperative Agreement, the University (through NCA) and the Service (through the National Accessibility Branch), will develop a collaborative program to:

��� Develop and implement a national training and education program for the Service and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels, designed to increase awareness and knowledge of how to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to park and recreation facilities, programs and opportunities.
��� Develop and implement a national TA, information and consultation program for the Service and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels designed to assist them in ensuring that their facilities, programs and opportunities are accessible to people with disabilities, consistent with applicable laws, standards and regulations.
��� Develop and implement a field-based research program designed to identify research issues relative to improving accessibility for people with disabilities in the park and recreation environment and initiate strategies to promote and conduct that research.

��� Develop and maintain an outreach program to park and recreation agencies and professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels designed to ensure that the programs and services of NCA are responsive to their needs, and that ���best practices��� implementing accessibility and universal design are identified and shared with others.
��� Develop and maintain an outreach program to agencies and organizations representing individuals with disabilities at the federal, state, local and private levels designed to ensure that the programs and services of NCA are responsive to their needs, and that ���best practices��� implementing accessibility and universal design are identified and shared with others.
��� Develop and implement a strategy to evaluate the effectiveness of NCA training, technical services, research and modify the programs and services as determined by that evaluation.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

A. The University (through NCA) agrees to collaborate with the Service (primarily through the AXS Branch but also with specific parks and other units of the Service as necessary and appropriate) to:

��� Evaluate the current status of the Service���s programs, facilities and services to determine the needs for education, TA and research that improve the accessibility.
��� Evaluate the current status of education, TA and research in the area of accessibility in order to determine where changes and additions are needed.
��� Develop and implement a national training and education program for the Service and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels to increase awareness and knowledge of methods to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to park and recreation facilities, programs and opportunities.
��� Provide TA, information and consultation for the Service and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels to assist and to ensure their facilities, programs and opportunities are accessible to people with disabilities, consistent with applicable laws, standards and regulations.
��� Undertake a field-based research program related to improving accessibility for people with disabilities in the park and recreation environment and initiate strategies to promote and conduct that research.
��� Evaluate the effectiveness of the education, TA and research efforts conducted under this agreement and modify them products as determined by that evaluation.

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:

The Service (primarily through the AXS Branch but also with specific parks and other units of the Service as necessary and appropriate) agrees to collaborate with the University (through NCA) to:

��� Evaluate the current status of the Service���s programs, facilities and services in order to assess the needs for training, TA and research to improve the level of accessibility.
��� Evaluate the current status of training, TA and research in the area of accessibility to determine where changes and additions are needed.
��� Develop and implement a national training and education program for the Service and other federal, state, local and private park and recreation professionals, to increase awareness and knowledge of methods to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to park and recreation facilities, programs and opportunities.
��� Develop and implement a national TA, information and consultation program for NPS and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels to assist them to ensure that their facilities, programs and opportunities are accessible to people with disabilities, consistent with applicable laws, standards and regulations.
��� Undertake a field-based research program related to improving accessibility for people with disabilities in the park and recreation environment and to initiate strategies to promote and conduct that research.
��� Evaluate the effectiveness of the education, TA and research efforts conducted under this agreement and modify them as determined by that evaluation.

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:

(4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

SINGLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION DESCRIPTION:

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD
This is a Cooperative Agreement (P15AC00795) in the amount of $0.00 with a period of performance from date of award for five years.

IU-NCA is uniquely qualified to conduct this project because their body of work focuses on accessibility in outdoor and recreation environments under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) standards that apply to Federal entities and outdoor recreational areas. Other organizations that do accessibility work focus on a different set of standards (Americans with Disabilities Act) and other environments (employment, housing, education) that are not applicable to the needs of the National Park Services

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

54 USC 101702(a) Cooperative Agreements, Transfer of Service Appropriated Funds

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 P15AS00184
Project Title Base Cooperative Agreement ��� Indiana University National Accessibility Center
Recipient Indiana University on behalf of National Center onAccessibility
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Dr, Sherril York
Total Anticipated Award Amount Over five years expect to expend approximately $1,034,535.00
Cost Share None
New Award or Continuation? New Award
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award for 5 years
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award for 5 years
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(a)
CFDA # and Title 15.954 Conservation, Protection, Outreach and Education
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (4) Unique Qualifications
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

All federal, state and local park and recreation agencies are required to ensure that people with disabilities have access to park and recreation facilities and receive the benefits received by visitors without disabilities. While the Service has improved the accessibility of its facilities and services, there is an ongoing need for accessibility training, technical assistance (TA) and research. This cooperative effort between the University and the Service is established to address this need and provide nationwide leadership and training to park and recreation professionals throughout the Service and the country. The University and the Service have successfully participated in a similar cooperative agreement since 1992.

The cooperative partnership between the Service and the University will be carried out through the programs and facilities of the National Accessibility Branch (AXS Branch) within the Park Facility Management Division and the University���s National Center on Accessibility (NCA). NCA is one of the nation���s premiere resources promoting access for people with disabilities in the park and recreation environment and has a national and international reputation for excellence in recreation-related education programs, in research, and in providing TA. The staff of educators and researchers has a long record of successfully working with Federal, State and local agencies, as well as with private recreation providers in the area of accessibility for citizens with disabilities. These activities have demonstrated how a cooperative partnership has been an effective method for providing the TA, information, research, and training needed by the Service and other agencies and organizations.

B. Objectives

The objective of this Agreement is to partner with the Cooperator to deliver a program of technical assistance, education, and research in the area of accessibility for people with disabilities in park and recreation environments.

Under this Cooperative Agreement, the University (through NCA) and the Service (through the National Accessibility Branch), will develop a collaborative program to:

��� Develop and implement a national training and education program for the Service and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels, designed to increase awareness and knowledge of how to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to park and recreation facilities, programs and opportunities.
��� Develop and implement a national TA, information and consultation program for the Service and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels designed to assist them in ensuring that their facilities, programs and opportunities are accessible to people with disabilities, consistent with applicable laws, standards and regulations.
��� Develop and implement a field-based research program designed to identify research issues relative to improving accessibility for people with disabilities in the park and recreation environment and initiate strategies to promote and conduct that research.

��� Develop and maintain an outreach program to park and recreation agencies and professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels designed to ensure that the programs and services of NCA are responsive to their needs, and that ���best practices��� implementing accessibility and universal design are identified and shared with others.
��� Develop and maintain an outreach program to agencies and organizations representing individuals with disabilities at the federal, state, local and private levels designed to ensure that the programs and services of NCA are responsive to their needs, and that ���best practices��� implementing accessibility and universal design are identified and shared with others.
��� Develop and implement a strategy to evaluate the effectiveness of NCA training, technical services, research and modify the programs and services as determined by that evaluation.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

A. The University (through NCA) agrees to collaborate with the Service (primarily through the AXS Branch but also with specific parks and other units of the Service as necessary and appropriate) to:

��� Evaluate the current status of the Service���s programs, facilities and services to determine the needs for education, TA and research that improve the accessibility.
��� Evaluate the current status of education, TA and research in the area of accessibility in order to determine where changes and additions are needed.
��� Develop and implement a national training and education program for the Service and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels to increase awareness and knowledge of methods to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to park and recreation facilities, programs and opportunities.
��� Provide TA, information and consultation for the Service and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels to assist and to ensure their facilities, programs and opportunities are accessible to people with disabilities, consistent with applicable laws, standards and regulations.
��� Undertake a field-based research program related to improving accessibility for people with disabilities in the park and recreation environment and initiate strategies to promote and conduct that research.
��� Evaluate the effectiveness of the education, TA and research efforts conducted under this agreement and modify them products as determined by that evaluation.

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:

The Service (primarily through the AXS Branch but also with specific parks and other units of the Service as necessary and appropriate) agrees to collaborate with the University (through NCA) to:

��� Evaluate the current status of the Service���s programs, facilities and services in order to assess the needs for training, TA and research to improve the level of accessibility.
��� Evaluate the current status of training, TA and research in the area of accessibility to determine where changes and additions are needed.
��� Develop and implement a national training and education program for the Service and other federal, state, local and private park and recreation professionals, to increase awareness and knowledge of methods to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to park and recreation facilities, programs and opportunities.
��� Develop and implement a national TA, information and consultation program for NPS and other park and recreation professionals at the federal, state, local and private levels to assist them to ensure that their facilities, programs and opportunities are accessible to people with disabilities, consistent with applicable laws, standards and regulations.
��� Undertake a field-based research program related to improving accessibility for people with disabilities in the park and recreation environment and to initiate strategies to promote and conduct that research.
��� Evaluate the effectiveness of the education, TA and research efforts conducted under this agreement and modify them as determined by that evaluation.

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:

(4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

SINGLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION DESCRIPTION:

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD
This is a Cooperative Agreement (P15AC00795) in the amount of $0.00 with a period of performance from date of award for five years.

IU-NCA is uniquely qualified to conduct this project because their body of work focuses on accessibility in outdoor and recreation environments under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) standards that apply to Federal entities and outdoor recreational areas. Other organizations that do accessibility work focus on a different set of standards (Americans with Disabilities Act) and other environments (employment, housing, education) that are not applicable to the needs of the National Park Services

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

54 USC 101702(a) Cooperative Agreements, Transfer of Service Appropriated Funds