OpportunityTitle: 2016 Conservation Land Management Intern for Wrangell St. Elias National Park &amp; Preserve
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 P16AS00097 Project Title 2016 Conservation Land Management Intern for Wrangell-St. Elias National Park &amp; Preserve Recipient The Institute for Plant Conservation at the Chicago Botanic Garden Total Anticipated Award Amount $49,435 Cost Share 25% Anticipated Length of Agreement 1.5 years Anticipated Period of Performance 5/1/2015-12/31/2016 Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 54 USC 101702(2) (B) (i) (ii) CFDA # and Title 15.931, Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations Single Source Justification Criteria Cited Continuation Point of Contact Erica Cordeiro 907-644-3315 OVERVIEW The objective of this Agreement is to support and stimulate work and/or education and training opportunities for young adults through collaborative participation in the exotic plant management program projects at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (WRST). These projects include identifying, monitoring, and inventorying for both terrestrial and aquatic invasive plants, assisting with seed collection in the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark (NHL), outreach to the local community regarding invasive plants, and invasive plant control work. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN &#226;&#191;&#162; Develop a program involving cooperative efforts in cultural and natural resource conservation related to projects such as trail development and maintenance, historic, cultural, forest and timber management, archeological conservation, and native plant habitat restoration and rehabilitation. &#226;&#191;&#162; Promote and stimulate public purposes such as education, job training, development of responsible citizenship, productive community involvement, and furthering the understanding and appreciation of natural and cultural resources through the involvement of youth and young adults in care and enhancement of public resources. &#226;&#191;&#162; Continue the longstanding efforts of the NPS to provide opportunities for public service, youth employment, minority youth development and training, and participation of young adults in accomplishing conservation-related work. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT The Exotic Plant Management Team (EPMT) Intern will assist with many aspects of the program at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, including: survey areas within park boundaries for invasive plants with Trimble GPS; control invasive plant populations via hand or herbicide; organize and assist with a native seed collection volunteer effort in Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark (KM NHL); assist with outreach events and preparation of educational materials regarding invasive; participate in Copper Basin Cooperative Weed Management Area (CB-CWMA) weed pulls; data management and entry relating to data collected in the field; write field reports and assist with an end of year report; extensive fieldwork including hiking, camping, bicycling, pack rafting and potentially ATV; some within park field sites will be accessed via air (OAS or fleet aircraft); plant identification and voucher collection; native seed collection, cleaning, and storage; assist with phenology monitoring and invasive moth trapping; To assist with the recruitment and selection of one 5 month Conservation and Land Management (CLM) intern between to participate in the work described in Article III and throughout this document; Provide $750.00 travel expenses to and from Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (Copper Center, AK); Provide a stipend during the tour of duty; Transportation for roundtrip travel for the CLM Training Workshop, an orientation including an overview of federal agencies, policies, and a series of refresher courses in relevant topics; Maintain a current Health and Safety plan for all personnel in the field; Manage and carry out all administrative functions associated with the provisions of services under this agreement; Oversee, direct and take corrective measures including but not limited to issues of conduct for all interns, crews, team leaders provided to the NPS; Follow all NPS policies and regulations regarding the placement of participants at NPS sites. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT Provide meaningful conservation assignments to youth participants (interns) in-the-areas of resource management, interpretation, visitor services, community outreach and education, historic preservation and recreation programs; Provide appropriate project oversight and direction to projects assigned to participants; Provide appropriate direction to the Chicago Botanic Garden regarding qualifications and skills required for the positions. Identify interested NPS employee mentors and all necessary contact information; To provide general orientation to park operations, NPS mission and safety training. Will provide safety training for proper use of operating a government vehicle and ATV. Will provide a week long training specific to exotic plant management at the regional office; Provide all necessary tools, equipment (including safety equipment and facilities) work site transportation, work specifications and applicable rules regulations for all participants and team leaders; Provide housing for intern; Promptly upon notification or otherwise becoming aware of an existing or potential problem of health or safety, take corrective action to cure such existing or potential problems; To provide a NPS technical representative to be on-site and to assist with specifics of the project as needed; To provide all necessary equipment and supplies applicable for the project; Provide for in-service park to park related travel using government vehicles and government planes. 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: 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;
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 the Institute for Plant Conservation at the Chicago Botanic Garden