OpportunityTitle: Geophysical Sub-surface Surveys
CategoryExplanation: Cultural Resources
Description: 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 P16AS00139 Project Title Geophysical Sub-Surface Resource Survey at AK National Parks Recipient Cornell University Total Anticipated Award Amount $51,481 Cost Share 0.00 Anticipated Length of Agreement 1.5 Years Anticipated Period of Performance June 1, 2016 &#226;&#191;&#191; September 30, 2017 Award Instrument CESU Task Agreement Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702 CFDA # and Title 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs &#226;&#191;&#191; Resources of the National Park System Single Source Justification Criteria Cited None Point of Contact Erica Cordeiro OVERVIEW A priority of National Park Service Cultural Resource division is to identify and preserve cultural resources. Many of these include buried archaeological sites of which we have very little information about what is contained therein and how extensive the deposits are. Geophysical Sub-surface surveys employ Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology to detect cultural material buried beneath the surface, without having to dig holes, which further disturb the resources, to collect this data. Furthermore, GPR surveys have recently been used to locate human burials, which has been immensely important for park managers and planner that have ground disturbing projects in the works. Because of the effectiveness of the technology and methodology for identifying buried archaeological deposits and features many parks are looking to employ this technology in their parks to build a greater understanding of where archaeological resources are that we want to avoid and also in some cases to study. To make this research affordable and to maximize the cost-effectiveness of the fieldwork these parks have agreed to coordinate their efforts to bring a specialist in to conduct the GPR surveys. Each park has their own unique needs. Lake Clark National Park seek to identify burials and archaeological deposits in an area with high visitor use. Cape Krusenstern National Monument is conducting a study of permafrost to explore how climate change and permafrost thawing are affecting cultural deposits in northwest Alaska. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is also studying permafrost change but are also proposing to conduct a detailed study of house features and midden areas at Cape Espenberg, in conjunction with controlled excavations already taking place at this location. Denali plans to travel to Birch Creek to relocate a cemetery and identify grave plots. Finally, Sitka National Historic Park plans to use GPR to help identify the walls of the Tlingit fort where the Kiks.&#195;&#161;di battled the Russians in 1804. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN Cornell and the NPS will collaborate to accomplish the following objectives: 1. Use multiple geophysical techniques to locate and identify embedded cultural features and sediment layers at all depths for the full depositional range of the sites in each of the parks listed; 2. Produce a detailed report including maps, images and interpretations of the results for use by park management and researchers; 3. Produce both interpretive material of interest to Alaska National Park visitors and scientific research material of interest to an academic audience. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT A. Cornell University agrees to: 1. Collaboratively undertake a study titled &#226;&#191;&#191;Conduct geophysical Sub-surface resource Survey &#226;&#191;&#191; Archaeo-geophysical assessment of cultural resources in Alaska&#226;&#191;&#191;s National Parks&#226;&#191;&#157; as described throughout this Agreement. 2. Provide qualified personnel for field and laboratory work as per the approved work plan. 3. Comply with NPS training requirements associated with backcountry aviation and bear safety. 4. Undertake geophysical survey and mapping at the specified sites in each of the five park units listed, incorporating ground-penetrating radar (GPR), twin-coil electromagnetic induction (EM), and magnetic survey, along with limited invasive testing and sampling of archeological features. 5. Work with NPS archaeologists to develop a brief status report within a reasonable period of time after completion of the fieldwork. 6. Provide or participate in appropriate dissemination (conference or public presentations, reports, research articles) as dictated by the findings. 7. Cooperate with the Agreement Technical Representative (ATR) to ensure that the conduct of the project complies with the &#226;&#191;&#191;NPS Interim Guidance Document Governing Code of Conduct, Peer Review, and Information Quality Correction for National Park Service Cultural and Natural Resources Disciplines,&#226;&#191;&#157; and with any and all subsequent guidance issued by the NPS Director to replace this interim document. The ATR is the NPS peer review manager for this project. 8. Obtain, with the assistance of the AKR Archeologist, an accession number from each park visited so that research results can be accessioned into the respective parks&#226;&#191;&#191; museum collections. Following the completion of this project, provide the NPS with original field notes, maps, drawings, indexed images (digital and/or print), and other raw data accumulated in the course of the research project NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT 1. Interact directly with the Principal Investigator on a regular basis and collaborate in management decisions throughout the duration of the project. Facilitate environmental policy review and provide assistance with obtaining research permits and permission to access the project area. 2. Provide mapping and GPS technical expertise and equipment. 3. Contribute substantially to the design of the field-study plan. 4. Coordinate and enlist contributions from other specialists within and outside the NPS if necessary. 5. Contribute to the design of interpretive components of the project. 6. Take lead responsibility for data management, artifact cataloging and curation, and records archiving as necessary. 7. Co-author, review, edit, and approve reports, presentations, and interpretive materials. 8. Provide transportation to and from the parks and field sites for the 2016 field season. 9. Share an inventory of equipment and supplies that are available for project use prior to the 2016 field season. 10. Provide space for storage of project equipment for the duration of the project. 11. If possible provide transportation for collaborators when in Anchorage, Port Allsworth, Kotzebue, Sitka, and Denali. 12. Provide access to previously compiled research, data, and background materials for this project. 13. Provide at least one qualified NPS archaeological personnel to assist on each segment of the work throughout the 2016 field project. 14. Coordinate land vehicle, aircraft, and boat transportation throughout the duration of the project. 15. Provide logistical and safety support for the duration of fieldwork. This support will include, but is not limited to, pre-field training, daily safety check-ins via radio or satellite phone during the field season, assistance with flight scheduling, food, and equipment re-supplies. 16. Collaborate in the distribution of final project findings to local and research communities as appropriate. Provide a distribution list and contact information for community members and organizations that have a general interest in the project. 17. Provide an overview and an orientation associated with all park visits including: briefings on safety procedures; introductions to park staff; and logistical support for field work operations, which include coordination with the park and making safety a priority. 18. Assist with safe undertaking of fieldwork within the park and have appropriate NPS staff accompany Cornell researchers and students in the field as needed. 19. Properly credit and/or acknowledge the original author, photographer, or cartographer in future use of project photographs, maps, and written material. 20. Ensure that reports and other formal materials (including publications and presentations) resulting from this collaborative project acknowledge appropriate Cornell University participants and reference this Task Agreement number. 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 &#226;&#191;&#191; 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 &#226;&#191;&#191; 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 &#226;&#191;&#191; The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress&#226;&#191;&#191; intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose; (4) Unique Qualifications &#226;&#191;&#191; 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 &#226;&#191;&#191; 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: N/A to this agreement. CESUs were previously competitively awarded.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: work
GrantorContactText: Erica Cordeiro 907-644-3315&lt;br/&gt;Erica_Cordeiro@nps.gov&lt;br/&gt;
CloseDateExplanation: This is a notice of intent to award to a previously competed cooperative agreement.  This cooperator is a part of the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Study Unit.