OpportunityTitle: Community Histories
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: This is a Notice of Intent to award a cooperative agreement to Mount Sanford Tribal Consortium, Gakona, AK.  Applications will not be accepted from any cooperator other than Mount Sanford Tribal Consortium.
Description: 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 (NPS), intention to fund the following project activities. ABSTRACT Funding Announcement: P11AC90501 Project Title: Community Histories Recipient: Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium Principle Investigator: Evelyn Beeter Total Anticipated Award Amount: $50,000 Cost Share: N/A New Award Or Continuation: New Anticipated Length of Agreement: 1 Year Anticipated Period of Performance: July 25, 2011-July 31, 2012 Award Instrument: Cooperative Agreement/CESU Statutory Authority: 16 U.S.C. &#239;&#191;&#189;1(g): The National Park Service may in fiscal year 1997 and thereafter enter into cooperative agreements that involve the transfer of National Park Service 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 pursuant to section 6305 of title 31 to carry out public purposes of National Park Service programs. CFDA#: 15.946 Cultural Resources JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (or SINGLE SOURCE) FOR DISCRETIONARY COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS BACKGROUND: Community History of Former Village Sites in the Nabesna District NPS and the Cheesh&#239;&#191;&#189;na Tribal Council have had a formal, written government-to-government agreement since 2002. In that agreement the two parties have agreed to operate cooperatively in support of preservation of Upper Ahtna culture and to facilitate and sustain the Ahtna connection to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. At a recent government-to-government meeting between Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve and the Cheesh&#239;&#191;&#189;na Tribal Council, a federally recognized Indian tribe, the tribe proposed a partnership project to document the history of former village sites in the Nabesna District. This project builds upon an earlier community history project for Chistochina that was also undertaken by the NPS. It will meet the needs of both the tribe and the park. 1) 505 DM 2 Single Source - Only one responsible source will satisfy agency requirements. &#239;&#191;&#189; The source is the Mount Sanford Tribal Consortium (MSTC). MSTC (Kelt&#239;&#191;&#189;aeni) is a tribal consortium of two federally recognized Tribal Councils of Cheesh&#239;&#191;&#189;na (Chistochina) and Mentasta Lake. The consortium was established in 1992 under a joint effort by the villages to advance and protect common interests of the descendants of the Upper Ahtna indigenous people. Cultural heritage is one of MSTC&#239;&#191;&#189;s program areas. &#239;&#191;&#189; MSTC is on the list of tribes and tribal organizations that are qualified to enter into agreements with NPS units for cultural resource projects under the Self-Governance Act. It is the organization on this list that is most closely affiliated with the project area. &#239;&#191;&#189; The only other entity that might possibly be considered to fill that role would be the Cheesh&#239;&#191;&#189;na Tribe of Alaska, a federally recognized tribal government. However, MSTC has more direct direction to undertake programs related to cultural heritage, and in consultation with the tribe it was determined that MSTC was best qualified to carry out the project. 2) Nature and description of the deliverable required to meet the agency&#239;&#191;&#189;s needs: &#239;&#191;&#189; The base year is Fiscal Year 2011 and the cost is $29,961. This is a single year project. &#239;&#191;&#189; September 30, 2011: draft report outline due. &#239;&#191;&#189; January 31, 2012: draft community histories due, including a bibliography and any illustrations. &#239;&#191;&#189; May 31, 2012: final report due. 3) Criteria for justifying award without competition. In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria. Please explain which criterion specifically addresses the proposed agreement. &#239;&#191;&#189; Unsolicited proposal -- The proposed agreement is the result of an unsolicited proposal that represents an innovative idea that is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award. The proposed project is deemed advantageous to the objectives of the park&#239;&#191;&#189;s subsistence and ethnography programs. &#239;&#191;&#189; Unique Qualifications -- The applicant is uniquely qualified to accomplish this project based on location and technical expertise. MSTC has an office in Chistochina and is ideally situated to conduct the necessary interviews without expending more than minimal funds on interviewer travel. In addition, MSTC staff are uniquely qualified to carry out the project based on language skills, social contacts, and cultural knowledge. In addition, the elders to be interviewed will be more comfortable talking to people they know than strangers from outside their area. &#239;&#191;&#189; Continuation -- This Cooperative Agreement is a continuation and extension of a cooperative relationship between NPS and Cheesh&#239;&#191;&#189;na that has been ongoing since 2002. 4) A description of the market research that was conducted and the results, or a statement of the reason a market research was not conducted: NPS consulted with Cheesh&#239;&#191;&#189;na and MSTC in the development of this project, and Cheesh&#239;&#191;&#189;na concurred that MSTC is uniquely qualified to complete this project. 5) Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition: 16 U.S.C. &#239;&#191;&#189;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. 6) A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers for competition before any potential future agreement award: &#239;&#191;&#189; Not applicable DOCUMENTATION FOR USE OF A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT Project Title: Community Histories of Former Village Sites in the Nabesna District Cooperative Agreement Number or PR Number R9865110051 Type of funds to be used for this project (bold the type of funds) ONPS, NRC, Fee Demo, Fire, Donation, other (be specific _____________). ONPS funds. l. What type of competition is appropriate? This will be a sole-source cooperative agreement with a tribal consortium that is qualified to enter into agreements with NPS units for cultural resource projects. 2. Why was this cooperator selected? The cooperator is a tribal consortium that has the most direct cultural ties to the sites being documented. Work on the project will be carried out by Upper Ahtna Athabascans with ties to the region. 3. Who are the parties to the agreement? Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium and the National Park Service, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. 4. What is the purpose of the agreement? The agreement will result in the research for and production of community histories for former village sites in the Nabesna District of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The NPS requires this information to guide its future consultation and compliance requirements relative to American Indian tribes and other communities that have historically used the lands and resources at this Park and Preserve. Among other things, the information collected is needed for decision making about subsistence resources. 5. What are the deliverables expected? Deliverables for the project are an outline, a draft report, and a final report. 6. Explain the nature of the anticipated substantial involvement. What will NPS specifically do to carry out the project? The ATR and/or NPS staff designated to this project by the ATR will provide professional anthropological expertise to the cooperator and may also participate in some of the interviews. The ATR will also arrange for both internal NPS and external reviews and collaborate with the PI in project management decisions throughout the duration of the project. 7. Why is the substantial involvement considered to be necessary? NPS staffs have been working collaboratively with MSTC on the development of the project proposal and will continue to do so as the project progresses, because both agencies will make use of the data that are collected. Melding the cultural knowledge of MSTC with the technical anthropological expertise of NPS staff will produce better quality information than if either partner did the project on their own. Finally, direct participation in the project by NPS staff is important for the park&#239;&#191;&#189;s relationship with the community. 8. Explain why the project or activity entails a relationship of assistance rather than a contract. How will the NPS benefit from this collaboration? Principals at NPS and MSTC agree that the research activities for this project will be more productive and mutually beneficial in the context of a collaborative relationship than would be the case in a conventional contract. In the short-term, NPS and MSTC will share responsibility for the conduct of various research activities. In the long-term, NPS and MSTC will continue to develop a mutually beneficial institutional relationship. 9. What is the public purpose of support or stimulation? The public will benefit from this agreement because it will provide critical data to the park Superintendent that will guide federally mandated compliance with Alaska Native communities with historical associations with Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, as well as in managing this NPS unit in a manner consistent with its enabling legislation, including provisions of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Cumulatively, this will help the agency to achieve its mission of conserving the cultural resources and heritage of the park while providing for the enjoyment of the same in such manner that will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. 10. Which law or laws authorize granting of assistance for performance of this project or activity? This cooperative agreement is enabled by the following authorities and policy direction: 16 U.S.C. &#239;&#191;&#189;1g, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of December 2, 1980 (16 U.S.C. &#239;&#191;&#189;3119), the National Park Service Native American Relations Management Policy of 1987, and Public Law 104-208, the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997. 11. How was the determination made that the costs proposed are accurate and proper? Provide a breakdown of costs and rationale for determining they are acceptable.* On the basis of past experience on similar research projects and a critical evaluation of funding resources that are needed to conduct the research and produce final products that will be of great value to the NPS as well as the tribal partner.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: work
GrantorContactText: Erica Cordeiro &lt;br/&gt;Contract Specialist &lt;br/&gt;Phone 907-644-3303