National Park Service Grant for Cultural Resource Management at Kobuk Valley National Park

Funding Announcement: J979110K037

Project Title: Kobuk Valley National Park Cultural Resource Studies

Recipient: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Museum of the North

Principle
Investigator: Scott Shirar

Total Anticipated
Award Amount: $100,000

Cost Share: N/A

New Award
Or Continuation: New CESU award

Anticipated
Length of
Agreement: 5 years

Anticipated
Period of
Performance: September 10, 2010 – May 31, 2015

Award
Instrument: Cooperative Agreement/CESU

Statutory
Authority: 16 U.S.C. §1a-2(j) authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to enter into cooperative agreements that involve the transfer of NPS appropriated funds to educational institutions for the public purpose of carrying out NPS programs. More specifically, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), 16 U.S.C. Section 5933, authorizes the National Park Service 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.

CFDA# and 0.00 Not Elsewhere Classified
Title:

Single Source
Justification
Criteria Sited:

BACKGROUND: Archeological and Ethnographic Overview and Assessment for the Dunes Study Unit of Kobuk Valley National Park, and Onion Portage National Historic Landmark Archeological Inventory Report

The Archeology Department of the University of Alaska Museum of the North submitted a successful grant request to the NPS Challenge Cost Share Program in FY10 to conduct archeological surveys within the Onion Portage National Historical Landmark (NHL) and Archeological District (AMR0001) – located within Kobuk Valley National Park. In order to analyze the severity and implications of all these impacts on the NHL’s contributing elements, and in fulfillment of the National Historic Landmark Program protection, preservation and management responsibilities and objectives (36 CFR § 65), it is critical that NPS identify and evaluate previously unknown archaeological sites within the NHL. The project will enable NPS to target specific impacts and implement management stipulations, protective measures and preservation techniques in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation, under the authority of sections 101(f) (g), and (h), and section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. Additionally, the resulting project survey and final report will aid NPS in drafting the forthcoming Onion Portage National Historic Landmark preservation plan and programmatic agreement.

In addition to the Onion Portage NHL, additional archival and field research within the Kobuk Dunes Study Unit (of which Onion Portage is a part) will be undertaken by the cooperator with assistance from NPS staff in order to address cultural resource management needs. Combining these CR research efforts will increase efficiencies and result in the formulation of a comprehensive Archeological and Ethnographic Overview and Assessment for the Kobuk Dunes Study Unit of Kobuk Valley National Park. The O&A will assist management in making decisions that might affect the cultural resources within the most heavily visited area of the park.

1) 505 DM 2 Single Source – Only one responsible source will satisfy agency requirements.
• UAF Museum of the North (UAMN) Archeology Department staff are recipients of FY10 NPS Challenge Cost Share funds to conduct much needed field research at the most significant site within the Kobuk Dunes Study Unit of the park – Onion Portage NHL. The UAMN archeologists on staff have previously conducted field and archival research on archeological sites in northwest Alaska, focusing primarily on the prehistory of the region.
• Rasic and Shirar have completed PhD and MA degrees, respectively, based on archeological field research at prehistoric sites in northwest Alaska. The UAMN is the only accredited Cultural and Natural History Museum in Alaska and is the primary repository for archeological collections in the state. UAMN provides unique knowledge and experience working in Northwest Alaska, with historic and prehistoric sites, Alaskan culture, and paleo-environmental reconstructions. As stated above, the UAMN staff archeologists have previously conducted field and archival research on archeological sites in northwest Alaska, focusing primarily on the prehistory of the region.
• Their staff have experience conducting archaeological site condition assessments and updating database records in the ASMIS system, as well as cataloging museum collections to meet data standards required by the NPS museum collections database system (ICMS) (Museum staff recently participated in formal ICMS training) They have experience successfully carrying out remote field projects in Alaska meeting NPS safety standards (training such as B3, bear safety & shotgun certification), NPS backcountry protocols and Leave-No-Trace principles.
• The Archeology Department at UAMN will also be able to undertake XRF chemical source analysis and lab space for the artifacts collected in the course of the field research. UAMN staff are familiar with the NPS museum accessioning and cataloging protocols and procedures, having successfully cataloged thousands of artifacts from archeological contexts from northwest Alaskan NPS units.

2) Nature and description of the deliverable required to meet the agency’s needs:

• December 31, 2010 – Archeological fieldwork within the Onion Portage NHL and Dunes access zone shall be completed. Fieldwork is to include pedestrian survey to identify and record through notes, photographs and GPS, data necessary to complete Alaska Historic Resource Survey records as well as NPS site condition assessments. In addition to fieldwork, UAMN will complete exhaustive/multidisciplinary literature searches for known archeological and ethnographic resources within the area bounded by the Kobuk Dunes Study Unit of Kobuk Valley National Park. Artifacts collected will be recorded and processed to professional standards.
• March 31, 2011 – All artifacts, features, and samples collected during the field research will be accessioned and cataloged according to NPS museum standards and delivered to the NPS Alaska Regional Curatorial Center. Catalog records will be provided digitally, in an Excel spreadsheet format capable of being uploaded efficiently into the Interior Collections Management System (ICMS)
• March 31, 2011 – Project Report drafts due for 60 day review/comment period (includes all project related documentation, presentations and GIS data. Drafts include report on research specific to the Onion Portage NHL which shall include a summary of known resources, site maps, photographic documentation and any recommendations for future research and management. Draft O&A shall include synthesis of archeological and ethnographic data pertaining the land area encompassed by the Kobuk Dunes Study Unit as well as recommendations for future research and management concerns.
• May 31, 2011 – Final drafts to be submitted, along with related documentation materials, presentations and GIS data.
• October 1, 2011 – Final publications due, including management summaries for the Dunes Study Unit and Onion Portage; public-ready brochures for the Kobuk Dunes Unit O&A.
• (see CA for more detail on products, procedures, etc)

3) Criteria for justifying award without competition. In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria. Please explain which criterion specifically addresses the proposed agreement.

• 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;

• 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;

The UAMN Archeology Department staff proposed to conduct archeological inventory work within the Onion Portage NHL section of the KOVA Dunes Study Unit in an unsolicited Challenge Cost Share Application to the NPS in FY10 which was subsequently supported and funded by the NPS. The NPS also has need for archeological and ethnographic research (field and archival) to be conducted in the entire area encompassed by the KOVA Dunes Study Unit (this includes the Onion Portage NHL property). UAMN also has demonstrated a commitment to provide substantial in-kind services for this project (cost-sharing ability).

As stated above, the UAMN staff archeologists have previously conducted field and archival research on archeological sites in northwest Alaska, focusing primarily on the prehistory of the region. Rasic and Shirar have completed PhD and MA degrees, respectively, based on archeological field research at prehistoric sites in northwest Alaska. The UAMN is the only accredited Cultural and Natural History Museum in Alaska and is the primary repository for archeological collections in the state. UAMN provides unique knowledge and experience working in Northwest Alaska, with historic and prehistoric sites, Alaskan culture, and paleo-environmental reconstructions. The Archeology Department at UAMN will also be able to undertake XRF chemical source analysis and lab space for the artifacts collected in the course of the field research. UAMN staff are familiar with the NPS museum accessioning and cataloging protocols and procedures, having successfully cataloged thousands of artifacts from archeological contexts from northwest Alaskan NPS units.

4) A description of the market research that was conducted and the results, or a statement of the reason a market research was not conducted:

Market research was not conducted as in this case there was already a Challenge Cost Share project in place focused on a subset of the larger research goals within the KOVA Dunes Study Unit.

5) Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

16 U.S.C. §1a-2(j) authorizes the National Park Service 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 National Park Service 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.

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.

16 U.S.C. §5933 authorizes and directs the Secretary to inter 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 to develop integrated information.

National
Park Service
Point of Contact: Erica_Cordeiro@nps.gov