Public Involvement in River Conservation and Recreation

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 P14AS00074
Project Title Public Involvement in River Conservation and Recreation
Recipient American Rivers
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Jean Moyer
Total Anticipated Award Amount 0.00
Cost Share none
New Award or Continuation? New Cooperative Agreement
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award for five years
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award for five years
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 16 USC 1(g)
CFDA # and Title 15.921 Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (4) Unique Qualifications
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

American Rivers (AR) is a national non-profit conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring healthy natural rivers and the variety of life they sustain for people, wildlife and nature. The organization is headquartered in Washington, DC, with regional operations in the Northwest and Southeast and field offices in California, Colorado, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. AR works with a network of strategic partners, such as the Hydropower Reform Coalition, to implement innovative solutions and promote our rivers as valuable assets that are vital to our health, safety, and quality of life.

Through this Agreement, NPS and AR will work jointly to promote and enhance public involvement in river conservation and use for recreation. The specific objectives of this Agreement are:

1. To encourage public involvement in river conservation and recreation.
2. To develop new guidance materials and update and enhance existing tools to promote effective river conservation and management.
3. To produce and disseminate educational materials to promote river conservation and public use of rivers.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

American Rivers agrees to:
1. Cooperate and collaborate with the NPS to carry out activities of mutual interest and public benefit in areas of preservation and enhancement of conservation and recreational opportunities on rivers around the country
2. Participate and provide assistance in activities related to research, interagency coordination, technical assistance, and trainings related to opportunities for conservation and recreation with special emphasis on hydropower, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and water trails.
3. Participate in and provide assistance in public outreach, including development of educational materials, to promote river conservation and public use of rivers for recreation

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT

Substantial involvement on the part 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:

National Park Service agrees to:
1. Cooperate and collaborate with AR in mutually beneficial activities related to river conservation as well as enhancement of recreational opportunities for public use
2. Encourage NPS areas, regions, and programs, and other federal agencies to support, as fully as possible, public involvement in river conservation and management
3. Provide assistance to AR in planning and execution of activities that promote river conservation and recreation
4. Provide assistance to AR in planning and producing educational materials to promote river conservation and recreation

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:

Websites for organizations that work nationwide were reviewed to identify their target audience and how they engage the public; their expertise in specific areas for anticipated tasks (i.e., hydropower, wild and scenic rivers, water trails); and relationships with river recreation organizations. Results are shown in the table below, highlighting responsive qualifications. American Rivers has unique qualifications for this procurement. NPS has successfully worked with American Rivers on similar tasks under a previous Cooperative Agreement, which provides additional continuity benefits to the government.

ORGANIZATION TARGET AUDIENCE/FOCUS AREAS OF EXPERTISE RELATIONSHIPS WITH RIVER CONSERVATION GROUPS
AMERICAN RIVERS
https://www.americanrivers.org/
¿ Public
¿ Advocacy
¿ On the ground projects
¿ Protecting rivers through recreation
¿ Advocating new Wild and Scenic rivers
¿ Tools/training ¿ Water pollution
¿ Protecting water supplies
¿ Dams & Hydropower
¿ River cleanups
¿ Climate change
¿ Flooding
¿ Blue (water) trails
¿ Wild & Scenic Rivers ¿ Hydropower Reform Coalition - administrative lead for 150 conservation, recreation organizations
¿ National Wild and Scenic Rivers Network
#1 ¿ Public
¿ Campaign development
¿ Tools/training ¿ Leadership training
¿ Health & Environment
¿ Water quality & habitat
¿ Rivers, Energy & Climate (water conservation) ¿ Local grassroots watershed organizations
#2 ¿ Public
¿ Tools
¿ Expert witness services ¿ Public river rights (recreation)
¿ Riparian land conservation
#3 ¿ Professional development
¿ Networking
¿ Training/tools ¿ Recreation
¿ Water quality
¿ Riparian health
¿ Watershed management

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

16 USC §1(g) authorizes the NPS to enter into cooperative agreements that involve the transfer of NPS appropriated funds to state, local and tribal governments, other public entities, educational institutions, and private nonprofit organizations for the public purpose of carrying out National Park Service programs.

16 USC 1271 et seq. Specific authorities of the Secretary of Interior under Section 11 (b) the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, as amended, to enter into cooperative agreements including provisions for limited financial or other assistance to encourage participation in the protection and management of river resources. These authorities are delegated to the Director of the National Park Service by Part 245 of the Department of the Interior Manual