National Park Service & Student Conservation Association Spring Break Orientation Program Grant

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 P14AS00024
Project Title NPS & SCA 2014 Academy Spring Break Orientation Program
Recipient Student Conservation Association
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Leslie Peabody
Total Anticipated Award Amount $293,509.00
Cost Share $91,563.20
New Award or Continuation? Continuation under Cooperative Agreement P09AC00402
Anticipated Length of Agreement From Date of Award to March 31, 2015
Anticipated Period of Performance From Date of Award to March 31, 2015
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 16 USC 1g & 16 USC 1723©
CFDA # and Title 15.931 Youth conservation activities
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718, june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

Cooperative Agreement P09AC00402 was entered into for the placement of high school and college-aged individuals and other qualified persons who volunteer their services through the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in exchange for training and educational experience in resource management and conservation programs.

This Task Agreement is entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS) and the Student Conservation Association (SCA) under the provisions of Cooperative Agreement P09AC00402. Unless otherwise specified herein, the terms and conditions of P09AC00402, shall apply to this Task Agreement.

Project Description: The overall mission of the NPS Academy and Spring Break Program is to support Secretary Jewell¿s 21st Century Youth Conservation Corp Initiative which strives to energize youth involvement in public lands and create informed citizens and stewards of those lands. It is designed to get young people to aspire for careers in the National Park Service while diversifying the overall workforce. While including college aged students 18-25, in the program, we are ensuring that we provide for the necessary training, career development and education of young people with a keen interest in the National Park Service.

The purpose of the Academies is to provide young adults from diverse backgrounds with an introduction to the National Park Service and the various employment opportunities within the service. The program will begin to build a pathway for students which lead them to a career with the NPS and/or will assist in creating the next generation of conservation stewards. Students will then be assisted in securing relevant summer employment in participating parks throughout the Service.

A week long Spring Break Orientation Academy will be held in each of three Regions:
Intermountain Region ¿ Grand Teton Host Park
Southeast Region ¿ Great Smoky Mountains Host Park
Northeast Region ¿ National Parks of New York Harbor Host Park

The Washington Office, Youth Programs Division will provide overall coordination of the program. A full-time employee secured via this agreement will serve as the Coordinator. This person will be stationed in the WASO Youth Programs Division Office and will receive direction from the Youth Programs Division Manager.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

SCA agrees:

1. To assist promote and stimulate public purpose such as education, job training, development of responsible citizenship, productive community involvement, furthering the understanding and appreciation of natural and cultural resources through the involvement of youth and young adults in care and enhancement of public resources.

2. Continue the long standing efforts of the NPS to provide opportunities for public service, youth employment, minority youth development and training, and participation of young adults in accomplishing conservation related work.

3. Recruit and hire youth and young adults from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.

4. Manage and carryout administrative functions associated with the provision of services under this agreement.

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. To provide financial assistance in accordance with Article VI.

2. To provide general orientation to the NPS, park/site operations and its mission to interns.

3. To provide NPS technical representatives on site at each of the Academy sites to assist with specifics of the project as needed.

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 (P14AC00123) under Cooperative Agreement (P09AC00402) in the amount of $293,509.00 with a period of performance from date of award until March 31, 2015.

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. § 1723(c) authorizes the Secretary to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with any qualified youth or conservation corps to perform appropriate conservation projects referred to in subsection (d) of section 1723. The Secretary may also authorize appropriate conservation projects and other appropriate projects to be carried out on Federal, State, local, or private lands as part of disaster prevention or relief efforts in response to an emergency or major disaster declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).