Department of the Interior Grant: Air Quality Study Analysis & Research Project

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 P14AS00175
Project Title Analysis of findings from the Bakken Air Quality Study and the Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Experiment (FRAPPE) and Reactive Nitrogen Deposition Monitoring in Rocky Mountain National Park
Recipient Colorado State University
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Dr. Jeffery Collett
Total Anticipated Award Amount $318,398.00
Cost Share None
New Award or Continuation? Continuation of Cooperative Agreement P14AC00728
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award until 08/31/2015
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award until 08/31/2015
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 16 USC 1(g) 16 USC 1a-2(j) 16 USC 5933
CFDA # and Title 15.945 Cooperative Research & Training Programs ¿ Resources of the NPS CESU¿s
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

The goal of the project is to improve our understanding of the sources, transport, atmospheric transformation, deposition, and impacts of air pollutants in U.S. National Parks. The project efforts are designed to complement measurements from routine monitoring networks (e.g. Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE), Ammonia Monitoring (AMon), National Atmospheric Deposition Program, (NADP), Clean Air Status and TrendsNetwork (CASTNet)) to provide more detailed characterization of air quality problems in particular parks and regions and to identify key gaps associated with current air quality and deposition monitoring strategies.

This project serves the public by developing sound scientific data that informs air quality management at the local, state, and federal level. The ozone, visibility and particulate air quality data and analyses produced by this project are directly used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state and local air quality management agencies in informing their implementation of regulations under the Clean Air Act. Similarly, data and analyses produced under this project on atmospheric deposition are informing these agencies about the role of regulated and non-regulated pollutants in atmospheric deposition and their effect on ecosystems. Nongovernmental organizations, representing a wide variety of public interests, as well as industry groups utilize the information developed under this project.

CSU directly benefits from this project in both the research and teaching functions of the university. The project will result in various peer-reviewed publications by the university research staff and will further the university¿s position as a leader in disseminating credible scientific information. The university research staff benefit by their collaboration with NPS scientists, who are leaders in the fields of aerosol and deposition science, monitoring in remote environments, and assessing which sources of air pollution lead to air quality degradation. The CSU and NPS scientists working on this project interact with university students on dissertation and thesis projects and further enhance their educational experience through collaborative projects. NPS scientists and university research staff also communicate research results to other university scientists and students through departmental seminars. This provides a unique opportunity to communicate with students and young scientist on the importance of applying their research results to policy relevant issues.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

1. Analyze and report findings from the winter 2013/14 Bakken field study. Collaborate and support NPS Bakken air quality modeling and source apportionment efforts.
2. Continue assessment of total reactive nitrogen deposition in sensitive areas throughout the United States. This includes the analysis of U.S. nationwide patterns in oxidized and reduced nitrogen wet and dry deposition and historical trends in reduced vs. oxidized nitrogen wet deposition.
3. Analyze samples and findings from the July/Aug 2014 Front Range Pollution and Photochemistry (FRAPPE) deployment in Rocky Mountain National Park.
4. Continue efforts to assess the importance of organic nitrogen (ON) as a contributor to reactive nitrogen deposition in the Rocky Mountain region. Complete analyses and summarize findings from ON measurements in RoMANS, GrandTReNDS, and the USGS snowpack analyses to prepare an overview publication of the occurrence and deposition of ON in the Rocky Mountain region.
5. Initiate long-term monitoring of reactive nitrogen species concentrations and deposition in RMNP. Measurements will be conducted at the Long¿s Peak air quality monitoring site Sept. 1 ¿ Oct. 15, 2014 and March 15 ¿ August 31, 2015.
6. Continue to maintain the NPS Mobile Air Sampling Laboratory.

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. Participate in data analysis and/or modeling, report writing, and co-author peer reviewed publications with CSU personnel.)
2. Provide access to air quality monitoring locations, equipment shelters, and specialized monitoring equipment; where applicable.
3. Assign an Agreement Technical Representative and a NPS Technical Lead to the project.
4. Work closely with the CSU scientists in the interpretation of project measurements of fine particle composition, volatile organic compounds and reactive nitrogen gas phase species measured during the FRAPPE field campaign.
5. Conduct air quality modeling analyses in conjunction with CSU scientists to evaluate the influence of different regional emission sources on observed airborne concentrations and deposition fluxes observed in the field studies.
6. Provide meteorological fields to drive the air quality models and oversee and conduct aspects of the temporal and spatial analyses.

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 (P14AC01196) under Cooperative Agreement (P14AC00728) in the amount of $318,398.00 with a period of performance from date of award until 08/31/2015.

“This proposed project between Colorado State University and NPS is authorized to go through the Rocky Mountains CESU at the negotiated overhead rate of 17.5% because it passes the test of substantial involvement by the NPS, public purpose and consistency with the mission of the CESU Network”.
Also, on the SF 424 forms that the partner sponsored programs office fills out for each project, requires a CFDA number – 15.945, which is the number associated with the CFDA Title: COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMS – RESOURCES OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (CESU).

STATUTORY AUTHORITY
A. 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.

B. 16 U.S.C. §1a-2(j) Cooperative research and training programs authorizes the NPS to enter into cooperative 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. Pursuant to such agreements, the cooperator may accept from or make available to the NPS 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 (research projects subject to Federal Acquisition Regulation excluded).
Modified 5/31/05 ¿ Agreement Handbook Memorandum Number 2

C. 16 U.S.C. §5933 Cooperative agreements. The Secretary is authorized and directed to enter into cooperative agreements with colleges and universities, including but not limited to land grant schools, in partnership with other Federal and State agencies, to establish cooperative study units to conduct multi-disciplinary research and develop integrated information products on the resources of the National Park System, or the larger region of which parks are a part.