Rehabilitate Safety Portages

The summary for the Rehabilitate Safety Portages 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.

Rehabilitate Safety Portages: The NPS seeks an organizational partner who can provide a crew consisting of at least 2 leaders and 8 members with at least one of the leaders being sawyer qualified to operate a chainsaw and brush saw. The duration of the project will be 4 weeks. The partner will be responsible for providing skilled leaders and the leaders and crews expenses including training, travel, recruiting, administrative support, basecamp gear and PPE, liability coverage, personal accident insurance, and 24-hour emergency response. The NPS will provide a crew liaison, work project materials, tools, communication device and basecamp for crew. Basecamp will be located in the backcountry of the park most of the project.

The goals of the project are:
1) Provide safe and enjoyable trails for the visitors of Voyageurs NP.
2) Offer engaging opportunities for youth to have a work/learning experience with the NPS.

Background:
The National Park Service seeks to involve youth in the programs and operations of the park. This project will provide youth with a sense of the maintenance required to keep the assets within the park operating and in good condition. The project will repair several snowmobile and hiking trails within the park. Repairing the trail surface and removing vegetation that has encroached on the trail and impacted the view will greatly enhance visitor experience, satisfaction and enjoyment. Adding fill, removing root masses from uproot trees and brushing along the snowmobile safety portages is critical to providing safe routes for winter visitors by providing greater visual distances to see oncoming snowmobiles and providing adequate space for two snowmobiles to pass on the trails. It also provides a safer trail width for the trail grooming machine.

Skills desired:
• Experience working trail maintenance
• Experience working with chainsaws and brush saws
• Knowledge of backcountry camping
• Knowledge of canoeing

Materials Requested for Statement of Information/Qualifications:
Interested organizations should submit a Statement of Information (three-page maximum) including a summary of how you would implement and manage this project in conjunction with NPS staff. Include your name, organization, and contact information, a brief description of the organization and mission, as well as a description of relevant qualifications and experience with recruiting and placement of youth interns, past projects, and staff, faculty, or students who would be available to work on the project. Include a bid with the Statement of Information. The Statement of Information and bid will be reviewed by the NPS in order determine the organization best suited to provide services for this specific project. Submit electronic Request for Information to [email protected] by Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. CDT.

Note: This Request for Information seeks responses from organizations qualified to provide individual youth and young adults for internship opportunities with the National Park Service that provide environmental stewardship and service-learning opportunities through conservation, natural resource management, and emergency response work. Individuals interested in serving as an intern should contact the park directly. For general information on Youth Program opportunities visit: http://www.nps.gov/gettinginvolved/youthprograms/index.htm.