2013 Underground Railroad Conference

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. The purpose of this Task Agreement is to support the 2013 annual conference on the Underground Railroad sponsored by the NPS National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program and its local partners..

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement P13AS00037
Project Title 2013 Underground Railroad Conference
Recipient Organization of American Historians
Total Anticipated Award Amount $88,305.36
Cost Share N/A
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award to March 31, 2014
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award to March 31, 2014
Award Instrument Task Agreement P13AC00027 under Cooperative Agreemne H2261100002
Statutory Authority 16 U.S.C. 1g; 16 U.S.C. §461-4467
CFDA # and Title 15.946 Cultural Resources Management
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited Unique Qualifications
Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718; june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

Cooperative Agreement Number H2261100002 was entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, (NPS), and Organization of American Historians (OAH) for the purpose of promoting the greater public and private understanding of American history for their mutual benefit and for the people of the United States as well as for future generations, so that they can enjoy the historic resources of the NPS. Unless otherwise specified herein, the terms and conditions as stated in the Cooperative Agreement will apply to this Task Agreement.

This task agreement is entered into in order to support the 2013 annual conference on the Underground Railroad sponsored by the NPS National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program and its local partners. Through this task agreement, OAH will become a key co-sponsor and a provider of scholarly and logistical supports to the June 2013 Conference in Little Rock, Arkansans, to bring together academic scholars, grass roots researchers, site stewards, and community advocates.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

OAH agrees to:

1. Participate on the program committee, and as such work with NPS in identifying potential keynote speakers, developing the call for proposals, reviewing submissions, creating the session schedule, and providing input to the development of conference related tours or historic sites.

2. Work with NPS in order to assist with the logistics of conference planning such as arranging for keynote speakers to participate in the conference and coordinating the participation of these speakers.

3. Work with NPS in order to undertake the videotaping and audio recording of key note addresses, conference sessions, and panels, and then manage the editing and production of these recordings for use on the OAH and NPS websites so as to make them available to a wider community.

3. Publicize the conference to OAH members and its network of historians and scholarly communities, and cover the event and in OAH publications and its website.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

NPS agrees to:

1. Participate in the program committee, identifying potential keynote speakers, developing the call for proposals, reviewing submissions, creating the session schedule, and providing input to the development of conference related tours or historic sites.

2. Assist with planning for conference logistics, development of program books and conference materials.

3. Identify community and local partners, Underground Railroad sites and venues for tours and events, and coordinate conference planning.

4. Post detailed information about the conference schedule to the Network to Freedom website and publicize the conference to the Underground Railroad research and preservation communities.

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:

The conference addresses a legislated mandate of the Network to Freedom to educate the public about the Underground Railroad by providing a scholarly forum for the exchange of new research and best practices for site stewardship. Expanding the knowledge about the role of African Americans in the development of the nation will enhance the preservation of historic places associated with this history. The project will benefit students and visitors to these sites. Additionally it will add substantially to the growing body of knowledge about the Underground Railroad.