Sea Bird Youth Network

The summary for the Sea Bird Youth Network grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the National Park Service, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Sea Bird Youth Network: NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

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 Number To be filled out by Contracting
Project Title Beringia Seabird Youth Network
Recipient Northern Research Technical Assistance Center (NORTAC)
Principle Investigator / Program Manager NORTAC
Priscilla Wohl
President
11233 W Yucca
Littleton, CO 80125
[email protected]
907-441-1000
Total Anticipated Award Amount $48,912
Cost Share $3,000
New Award or Continuation? To be filled out by Contracting
Anticipated Period of Performance June 1, 2015 – June 1, 2016
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 16 USC 1g, 31 U.S.C. 6305
CFDA # and Title 15.946-Cultural Resource Management
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (4) Unique Qualifications
NPS ATR Point of Contact To be filled out by Contracting





OVERVIEW

The Beringia Seabird Youth Network will work closely with the school districts on the Commander and Pribilof Islands to develop an understanding of the close similarities (and differences) of the wildlife and subsistence practices and develop inter-island community relationships. The project includes the sharing of a seabird curriculum; the development of pen-pal communication between youth; the sharing of natural and cultural resource information; and a weeklong camp that will bring the youth together.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The objectives of the proposed project are concentrate on 4 major areas:

1) Seabird Curriculum:
The seabird curriculum will be created during the first two years of the proposed three-year project. The curriculum for 5/6th grade will be designed as an “Introduction to Seabirds”, including information on breeding and feeding ecology, conservation, and why we study seabirds. The curriculum activities will be adaptable for older or younger students making it more appealing to rural communities with multi-age classrooms such as the Pribilof School District and Nikolskoye. The unit will be an integrated cross-curriculum (including writing, math, geography etc.) so that it can have greater use in schools on both sides of the Bering Sea.
2) Pen-pal communication:
Pen-pal communication between students on St. Paul, St. George and Nikolskoye will be initiated in year one, and continue for the three project years. Communication will be facilitated by teachers, and focus on students aged 8-14.
3) Sharing information about natural and cultural resources:
• Information about each community, school, and local wildlife will be shared on the Seabird Youth Website in both English and Russian;
• Interviews with elders and the learning and participation in subsistence practices at the annual Seabird Camp will be facilitated by the St. Paul, Pribilof Islands Aleut Community of Saint Paul Island, St George Traditional Council, and the St. George Institute.
• Nikolskoye students will share traditional songs and dance using video footage shared via the Seabird Youth Network website with Pribilof students.
4) Pribilof Island Seabird Camps:
Seabird Camp is a weeklong day camp dedicated to learning about seabirds through hands-on activities, such as field trips, art, theatre, games, and guest lectures by staff members. Daily blog posts will be shared with students on the Commander Islands and translated into Russian. An annual camp program on the Pribilof Islands is vital for continuity with student relationships and learning, and the hosting of students from Nikolskoye during the third year of the proposed project will cement relationships through shared experiences and provide a deeper level of understanding of the globally important natural and cultural resources of these two island groups.


RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

Recipient’s activities to be funded by the award include:

1) Creating of a school curriculum on an “Introduction to Seabirds” that will be translated into Russian, and can be used in coastal communities on both sides of the Bering Sea;

2) Continuing for the duration of the project annual summer Seabird Camps held on the Pribilof Islands and integration of seabird activities;

3) Establishing pen-pal communication between students on both the Pribilof and Commander Islands;

4) Teaching students through sharing information about community, school and wildlife between through web posts, photos, and video documentary;

5) Organizing students’ exchange for the Commander Islands youth to attend summer Seabird Camp on the Pribilof Islands;

6) Working directly with organizations and individuals in Alaska and Russia to complete the deliverables outlined under this project;

7) Working with local organizations and individuals to incorporate the project’s results into the greater context of the Beringia Program to show the importance of exchanges, youth involvement, work with local people, and knowledge transfer.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT


Substantial involvement on the part of 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) Act as liaison with the partner and possible individuals or groups in the Beringia region whom may be interested in Seabird project, especially youth.

2) Utilize the Beringia Program’s contacts in Alaska and Russia (especially in native communities) to inform communities and organizations about the project. Assist with the dissemination of information working with local park units to post information, advertise presentations, and share curriculum and project activities on the NPS Beringia Program website and Alaskan National Parks Facebook page.

3) Use the network of contacts, the program website, and the program Facebook page to share information from the final and interim reports with the public, as well as with targeted audiences through the development of a project-specific distribution plan. This will be targeted toward youth in Beringia.

4) The Beringia Program will act as a liaison when needed to facilitate exchanges, enhance communication, provide translation services when necessary, assist with organizing trainings and seminars, and provide logistical support.

5) Provide technical assistance and expertise to the project including help with travel arrangements, and safety briefings related to project and geographic location. Also, will provide translation and interpretation when necessary through our network of translators, as well as bilingual staff members.

6) Assign the Shared Beringian Heritage Program, National Park Service, staff as the Agreements Technical Representative (ATR) for the administration of this Cooperative Agreement; and as Liaison between the NPS and NORTAC for the implementation of the program(s) identified within this agreement.

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: The recipient of this award is uniquely qualified to carry out this project based on the established working relations and volunteer support capacity by the Pribilof School District, St. Paul, Pribilof Islands Aleut Community of Saint Paul Island, St. George Traditional Council, and the St. George Institute. The recipient’s primary camp organizer possesses more than 20 years of experience working with seabirds and linking research and education.