Not a Request for Proposals - Assist with Hydrographic Surveys and Other Aquatic Studies at Sleeping Bear Dunes and Lake Superior National Parks

The summary for the Not a Request for Proposals - Assist with Hydrographic Surveys and Other Aquatic Studies at Sleeping Bear Dunes and Lake Superior National Parks 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.

Not a Request for Proposals - Assist with Hydrographic Surveys and Other Aquatic Studies at Sleeping Bear Dunes and Lake Superior National Parks: NOTICE OF INTENT TO FUND WITHOUT COMPETITION - NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications.
This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service (NPS), intention to fund the following project activities without competition.

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement NPS-MWRO -P15AC00808
Project Title Assist with Hydrographic Surveys and Other Aquatic Studies at Sleeping Bear Dunes and Lake Superior National Parks
Recipient Northwestern Michigan College (NMC)
Total Anticipated Award Amount Not to exceed $128,000 over 5 years
Cost Share $0
Anticipated Length of Agreement 5 years
Anticipated Period of Performance July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2020
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC §101702(b)(Formerly16 USC § 1a-2(j)):Cooperative Agreements, Cooperative Research and Training Programs
CFDA # and Title 15.944 – Natural Resources Stewardship
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited Unique Qualifications, Continuation
Point of Contact Jay Glase – NPS Fishery Biologist
[email protected] 402-661-1512
Julie Hendricks, Lead Grants Mgmt Specialist,
[email protected] 402-661-1662


OVERVIEW
This project involves nearshore mapping and monitoring activities at multiple Great Lakes national parks and engages faculty and students from a technical college near Sleeping Bear Dunes. The project will result in gains in scientific knowledge about the structure of the lake bottom and the health of nearshore ecosystems, which will be shared broadly with the public and scientific community through a range of technical reports, interpretive products, and student presentations. Two student interns from the college’s Great Lakes Water Studies Institute will be hired in the first year of the agreement, providing them with invaluable real-world experience and creating new pathways for communication about NPS resources.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
The overall objective of this agreement is to secure assistance from the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute at Northwest Michigan College for lake bottom mapping and monitoring, in National Park units of Lakes Superior and Michigan. Assistance will be provided through two internship position and occasional assistance from the P.I. with selection of and guidance for the interns. One intern will work with an NPS boat operator and a hydrographic surveyor to collect bathymetric and benthic habitat data via multi-beam sonar and photo/video imagery. A second intern will assist with water quality data collection and aquatic system monitoring. Training in the field on the use of the NPS sonar system and water quality monitoring will be provided, but the ability to work independently on data collection by the interns is ultimately expected.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT
NMC will provide an intern to assist with data collection in the field and with data processing and analysis. Professor Hans VanSumeren of NMC will also assist NPS with technical advice and with collection of lake bottom video and photo imagery data at Sleeping Bear Dunes using a Remotely Operated Vehicle in areas of significant interest to NPS and other agencies including USGS and Michigan DNR.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT
The project involves ongoing work being conducted by NPS. NPS is the primary party responsible for carrying out the objectives of the project and will provide programmatic oversight, student orientation, and technical assistance throughout. NPS will facilitate integration of project findings into interpretive and outreach products. NPS is involved with the recipient in describing the goals, jointly developing the scope and the activities to be accomplished. NPS staff will assist the recipient in selecting projects, provide orientation to park resources, oversee assignments, teach new skills, distribute tools and equipment and provide technical assistance and safety training. NPS will provide a work leader and skilled maintenance staff to mentor and train the youth employed through this program

NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based on the following criteria:
Continuation, Unique Qualifications.

The Great Lakes Water Studies Institute at NMC is the only institution in the upper Great Lakes region providing a course of study for students to prepare them for the very specific type of work required by the project. It uses multi-beam sonar technology to create lake bottom maps at several parks and students that study at the Institute have gained experience using several different types of this technology. Additionally, the Project Investigator, Hans VanSumeren, NMC professor has worked closely with NPS staff at Sleeping Bear Dunes on this and other projects and has demonstrated his expertise in the use of Remotely Operated Vehicles for collection of lake bottom imagery to describe substrate and habitat.
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.