Department of the Interior Grant: JELA Classification & NATR Accuracy Assessment

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 P15AS00097
Project Title JELA Classification and NATR Accuraccy Assessment
Recipient NatureServe
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Rickie White
Total Anticipated Award Amount $294,126.00
Cost Share none
New Award or Continuation? Continuation of Cooperative Agreement P15AC00400 Legacy # P11AC26468
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award until April 30 2016
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award until April 30 2016
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(a)
CFDA # and Title 15.921 Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

Project Title: Classification at Jean LaFitte and Accuracy Assessment for the Natchez Trace; yielding public understanding and education of the vegetation types in these Gulf Coast Network Parks.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

Support an integrated effort with the USGS to map and check the maps for two Gulf Coast Network parks � JELA and NATR, detailed below. Specifically, the project manager will organize the most efficient, cost-effective approach to provide support for the vegetation mapping and accuracy assessment of the vegetation map for the Jean LaFitte National Historic Park and Preserve (JELA) and the Natchez Trace Parkway (NATR) during the FY15, and FY16 fiscal years. These roles and tasks correspond with those provided by the USGS (UMESC) in their draft study plan submitted in June 2014 for the Gulf Coast I&M Network. Two attached SOW proposals from NatureServe for JELA and NATR define the specific steps to the tasks summarized below.

Duties will focus on:
1. JELA Task 2 � Orientation / Classification meetings and Development of Preliminary Map Classifications. (Task 1 does not have a NatureServe component)
2. JELA Task 3 � Field Reconnaissance, Ground truthing, and Field Verification
3. JELA Task 4 � Develop Map Classification (+Subcontract with Louisiana Natural Heritage Program � local collaborator)
4. JELA Task 5 � Imagery Preparation, Processing, and Interpretation
5. NATR Task 7 — GIS Project Preparation (Tasks 1-6 done earlier, no role for NatureServe in Task 7 � all USGS)
6. NATR Task 8 � Formal Accuracy Assessment (Subcontracts with Alabama and Tennessee Natural Heritage programs for crews) Hiring and training field contractors and qualified seasonal / interns for accuracy assessment field work
7. NATR Task 9 � Prepare Geodatabase, Final Report, and Required End Products. NatureServe contributes sections on classification and accuracy assessment as needed to the final report.
8. NATR Task 10 � Project Close-out Meeting. NatureServe attends and presents final vegetation classification and its relationship to mapping units.

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. Provide substantial guidance and consultation to the Cooperator in connection with the project.
2. Provide the Cooperator with timely information on changes to park access, park boundaries or land ownership.
3. Provide the Cooperator with maps, reports, photography, and databases containing information relative to the biodiversity of JELA and NATR.

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 (P15AC00383) under Cooperative Agreement (P15AC00400) in the amount of $294,126.00 with a period of performance from date of award until April 30, 2016.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

A. 54 USC 101702(a) previously 16 USC �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. 54 USC 200103(g)(1) previously 16 USC 4601-1 �(f)(1-3) ) authorizes the NPS to sponsor, engage in, and assist in research relating to outdoor recreation, directly or by contract or cooperative agreements, and make payments for such purposes.

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 P15AS00097
Project Title JELA Classification and NATR Accuraccy Assessment
Recipient NatureServe
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Rickie White
Total Anticipated Award Amount $294,126.00
Cost Share none
New Award or Continuation? Continuation of Cooperative Agreement P15AC00400 Legacy # P11AC26468
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award until April 30 2016
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award until April 30 2016
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(a)
CFDA # and Title 15.921 Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

Project Title: Classification at Jean LaFitte and Accuracy Assessment for the Natchez Trace; yielding public understanding and education of the vegetation types in these Gulf Coast Network Parks.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

Support an integrated effort with the USGS to map and check the maps for two Gulf Coast Network parks � JELA and NATR, detailed below. Specifically, the project manager will organize the most efficient, cost-effective approach to provide support for the vegetation mapping and accuracy assessment of the vegetation map for the Jean LaFitte National Historic Park and Preserve (JELA) and the Natchez Trace Parkway (NATR) during the FY15, and FY16 fiscal years. These roles and tasks correspond with those provided by the USGS (UMESC) in their draft study plan submitted in June 2014 for the Gulf Coast I&M Network. Two attached SOW proposals from NatureServe for JELA and NATR define the specific steps to the tasks summarized below.

Duties will focus on:
1. JELA Task 2 � Orientation / Classification meetings and Development of Preliminary Map Classifications. (Task 1 does not have a NatureServe component)
2. JELA Task 3 � Field Reconnaissance, Ground truthing, and Field Verification
3. JELA Task 4 � Develop Map Classification (+Subcontract with Louisiana Natural Heritage Program � local collaborator)
4. JELA Task 5 � Imagery Preparation, Processing, and Interpretation
5. NATR Task 7 — GIS Project Preparation (Tasks 1-6 done earlier, no role for NatureServe in Task 7 � all USGS)
6. NATR Task 8 � Formal Accuracy Assessment (Subcontracts with Alabama and Tennessee Natural Heritage programs for crews) Hiring and training field contractors and qualified seasonal / interns for accuracy assessment field work
7. NATR Task 9 � Prepare Geodatabase, Final Report, and Required End Products. NatureServe contributes sections on classification and accuracy assessment as needed to the final report.
8. NATR Task 10 � Project Close-out Meeting. NatureServe attends and presents final vegetation classification and its relationship to mapping units.

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. Provide substantial guidance and consultation to the Cooperator in connection with the project.
2. Provide the Cooperator with timely information on changes to park access, park boundaries or land ownership.
3. Provide the Cooperator with maps, reports, photography, and databases containing information relative to the biodiversity of JELA and NATR.

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 (P15AC00383) under Cooperative Agreement (P15AC00400) in the amount of $294,126.00 with a period of performance from date of award until April 30, 2016.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

A. 54 USC 101702(a) previously 16 USC �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. 54 USC 200103(g)(1) previously 16 USC 4601-1 �(f)(1-3) ) authorizes the NPS to sponsor, engage in, and assist in research relating to outdoor recreation, directly or by contract or cooperative agreements, and make payments for such purposes.