Amphibian Monitoring In Greater Yellowstone

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 P14AS00097
Project Title Amphibian Monitoring in Greater Yellowstone
Recipient Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Margaret Schilling
Total Anticipated Award Amount $42,000.00
Cost Share none
New Award or Continuation? Continuation of Cooperative Agreement # P14AC00027
Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award until 3/30/2016
Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award until 3/30/2016
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 16 USC 1(g)
CFDA # and Title 15.945 Cooperative Research & Training Programs Resources of NPS
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718, june_zastrow@nps.gov

OVERVIEW

The objective of this Task Agreement (TA) is to implement the Cooperative Amphibian Monitoring Protocol for the Greater Yellowstone Network. Specifically, this TA adds $42,000 in funding for field work, data management, analysis and reporting for the time period beginning as the date of final signature and going through 3/30/2016.

The collaborative relationship between the NRCC and NPS presents a unique opportunity for adults of all ages to become involved with the Cooperative Amphibian Monitoring project. Direct, hands-on- experience in data collection techniques will enhance and strengthen technical abilities involving GPS, databases, and digital photography as well as foster a sense of land stewardship. Collaborating in the data analysis, interpretation and reporting of monitoring results will add and enhance the body of knowledge about the status and trends of amphibian species in the Greater Yellowstone. This work is of great interest to a wide range of natural resource managers and scientists throughout the world who are dealing with declines in amphibian species. The project results will be shared with neighboring agencies who also manage amphibian species and to natural resource conservation groups dedicated to amphibian conservation.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

Work with the NPS GRYN to collaboratively implement the Cooperative Amphibian Monitoring Protocol for the Greater Yellowstone Network.
2. Provide a project coordinator to participate in all phases of project management, including but not limited to, planning, scheduling, and determining catchment assignments; training field crews on monitoring protocol Standard Operating Procedures (SOP¿s), completing visual encounter surveys for amphibians within assigned catchments, and supporting efforts to summarize, analyze and prepare reports.
3. Cooperatively determine which party will apply for or renew applications for the NPS Research Permit at each park unit and submit the annual investigator¿s report.
4. Recruit, train and supervise NRCC field technicians assigned to the project. Ensure that at least one member of a field team is current in basic first aid, that all field crew members have bear safety training and that crews exercise risk management during field surveys.
6. If the need arises, as in a safety emergency, drive the government owned vehicle, ensuring that drivers have a valid driver¿s license and have completed training in defensive driving.
7. Provide field equipment such as waders, nets, compass, field notebooks, clipboards, pepper spray and other consumable supplies such as batteries and latex gloves. Provide sanitization gear for washing and disinfecting waders and nets.
8. Fully acknowledge the NPS in any publications or presentations using materials derived from project conducted through this cooperative agreement.
9. Manage and deliver photos following protocol guidance and allow the NPS to use photographs taken during field monitoring (including those that show people) in presentations, publications, or education and outreach materials displayed on the web.
10. Collaborate with the USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative, the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, and other cooperators with statistical expertise to jointly analyze, interpret, co-author and publish results of data collected following the Cooperative Amphibian Monitoring Protocol.
11. Abide by the code of scientific and scholarly conduct established by NPS Director¿s Order #79: integrity of Scientific and Scholarly Activities (Section IV) available at: http://www.nps.gov/policy/Director¿s_Order_79.pdf.

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:

Provide financial assistance as provided for in Article VI.
2. Work with NRCC to collaboratively implement the Cooperative Amphibian Monitoring Protocol for the Greater Yellowstone Network.
3. Assign an aquatic ecologist to participate in all phases of project management, including but not limited to, planning, scheduling, securing accommodations, determining catchment assignments; training field crews on monitoring protocol Standard Operating Procedures (SOP¿s), completing visual encounter surveys for amphibians within assigned catchments; and leading the data analysis and report preparation.
4. Cooperatively determine which party will apply for or renew applications for the NPS Research Permit at each park unit and submit the annual investigator¿s report.
5. Issue government owned equipment for use by the NRCC project coordinator during the project, including but not limited to, Personal Data Assistants (PDA) for data collection, Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigation, Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) for daily check-in, and two-way digital park radios for communications with park dispatch (see DI-105)
6. Assign NPS data manager to provide database management and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) support for monitoring activities.
7. Provide statistical analysis and interpretation of data and ensure that results are peer reviewed and published in scholarly journals and the NPS National Resource Publication Management Series.
8. Conduct end of season reviews to exchange feedback on monitoring activities including safety and risk management. Revise, maintain and provide copies of the Cooperative Amphibian Monitoring Protocol whenever changes are made.
9. Provide NRCC personnel transportation (as a passenger) in the government vehicle when sampling together. Allow NRCC personnel to drive the government owned vehicle, if the need arises, and if licensing and defensive driving training requirements are met.
10. Work with the USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative, the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, and other cooperators with statistical expertise to jointly analyze, interpret, co-author and publish results of data collected following the Cooperative Amphibian Monitoring Protocol.
11. Abide by the code of scientific and scholarly conduct established by NPS Director¿s Order #79: integrity of Scientific and Scholarly Activities (Section IV) available at: http://www.nps.gov/policy/Director¿s_Order_79.pdf.

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:

(2) CONTINUATION

SINGLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION DESCRIPTION:

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD
This is a Task Agreement (P14AC00558) under Cooperative Agreement (P14AC00157) in the amount of $42,000.00 with a period of performance from date of award until 03/30/2016.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

16 U.S.C. §I g provides that the NPS may enter cooperative agreements that involve the transfer of NPS-appropriated funds to non-profit organizations for the public purpose of carrying out NPS programs pursuant to 31 US.C. 6305;

16 U.S.C. §593-1 - National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998- NPS Inventory & Monitoring Program.