2014 Underground Railroad Conference Detroit, MI

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 P14AS00102
Project Title 2014 Underground Railroad Conference Detroit, MI
Recipient Organization of American Historians
Principle Investigator / Program Manager Aidan Smith
Total Anticipated Award Amount $52,514.00
Cost Share none
New Award or Continuation? Continuation of Cooperative Agreement H2261100002
Anticipated Length of Agreement From Date of Award until 4/15/2015
Anticipated Period of Performance From Date of Award until 4/15/2015
Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement
Statutory Authority 16 USC 1(g)
CFDA # and Title 15.946 Cultural Resources Management
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation
NPS 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 2014 annual Underground Railroad conference sponsored by the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and its local partners. Through this task agreement, OAH will become a key co-sponsor and provide scholarly and logistical support to the July 2014 Conference in Detroit, Michigan, to bring together academic scholars, grass roots researchers, site stewards, and community advocates.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT
OAH Agrees to:
1. Participate on the program committee, and as such work with NPS in identifying potential keynote speakers, developing a website for accepting proposals, 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. Identify possible hotel venues, negotiate contract with hotel for meeting space, catering, and AV; provide on-site liaison with the hotel during the conference. Funding for paying the hotel and other vendors will come from registration revenue.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

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:

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 planning itineraries for conference related tours and events.
2. Assist with planning for conference logistics, develop the conference budget, develop program books and conference materials, including provide a point of contact to work with the hotel and OAH, provide input to graphic identity, and compile materials for the program book.
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.

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 (P14AC00614) under Cooperative Agreement (H2261100002) in the amount of $52,514.00 with a period of performance from date of award until 04/15/2015.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

16 U.S.C. §1g 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.