Sitka Youth Expedition to Glacier Bay (Find your Parks)

The summary for the Sitka Youth Expedition to Glacier Bay (Find your 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.

Sitka Youth Expedition to Glacier Bay (Find your Parks):

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 P15AS11111
Project Title Sitka Youth Expedition to Glacier Bay (Find your Parks)
Recipient Alaska Geographic
Total Anticipated Award Amount $29,587
Cost Share 0
Anticipated Length of Agreement 9/30/2016
Anticipated Period of Performance 1.5 years
Award Instrument CESU Task Agreement
Statutory Authority 54 USC§101702(a)

CFDA # and Title 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs – Resources of the National Park System
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited Unique Qualifications
Point of Contact Erica Cordeiro


OVERVIEW

The primary purpose of this federal assistance award is to more effectively connect local communities with their National Parks and engage the next generation of leaders, stewards, and supporters of Alaska’s National Parks by building a collaborative partnership between Sitka National Historical Park, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, and Alaska Geographic. More specifically, this project is to foster a stronger connection between the youth of Sitka and surrounding communities with neighboring Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

The objectives are to develop a replicable, Alaska Geographic-led youth program that includes strong educational content aligned with NPS themes and local native knowledge, immersive field experiences, and hands-on work with local experts and NPS professionals to foster interest in jobs with the NPS and in the fields of natural and cultural resource conservation. An additional objective is to foster partnerships between the NPS, Alaska Geographic, Alaska Native organizations, local schools, and other community organizations, to build capacity to provide local youth with meaningful opportunities connected to National Parks.

This project will produce:

1) One, multi-day expedition into Glacier Bay with teens from Sitka and other nearby Alaska communities. Documentation of the program to facilitate additional trips in the future, including risk management plans, safety plans, educational content, student recruitment strategies, roles of partners, and logistical planning---including travel and student preparation.
2) Media and public communication about the expedition to help share accomplishments and expand outreach.


RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT
Alaska Geographic agrees to:

1. Coordinate overall management of the expedition, documentation, and communication, working in close collaboration with NPS staff (Superintendent of Sitka National Historical Park). This will include:
a. providing risk management oversight and participant liability,
b. providing one trip leader for the expedition trained in youth leadership, Wilderness First Responder or higher, and emergency communications,
c. coordinating with entities providing services like kayak outfitting and transportation,
d. assisting with recruiting youth participants,
e. managing program budget and leveraging contributions from partners,
f. leading program debrief and assessment with partners, and
g. collecting and sharing media and any evaluation materials with program partners.
2. Alaska Geographic will complete goals of the project as outlined in the objectives, participate in planning meetings with partners, and submit reports in a timely manner.


NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT
The NPS, operating through staff of Sitka National Historical Park, agrees to:

1. Collaborate in program planning, implementation, and assessment, to assist in meeting the goals and objectives of this project, including:
a. identifying and coordinating with subject matter experts and NPS staff in Sitka, Glacier Bay, Gustavus, and Hoonah, to assist with risk management and program content and provide guest speakers during the expedition,
b. providing one or two trip co-leaders (either NPS or partner staff)
c. assisting with recruiting student participants,
d. providing educational content,
e. assisting with partnership development, and
f. assisting with housing, transportation, and supplies through the NPS and partners.


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.


NPS did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:
Cooperative Agreement Number P13AC01025 was entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, (NPS), and Alaska Geographic for the purpose of developing a program of research, technical assistance and education among federal land management, environmental and research agencies, and their potential partners. This task agreement is under the umbrella agreement P13AC01025 which was competed in 2012/2013.