OpportunityTitle: Subtidal and Intertidal Habitats and Invertebrate Biota in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
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 P16AS00098 Project Title Subtidal and Intertidal Habitats and Invertebrate Biota in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska Recipient Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council (CIRCAC) Total Anticipated Award Amount $271,000 over 4 years Cost Share $27,500 Anticipated Length of Agreement Four Years Anticipated Period of Performance June 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019 Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 54 U.S.C. &#194;&#167;101702(d) Cooperative Agreements CFDA # and Title 15.954, National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach and Education Single Source Justification Criteria Cited Unique Qualifications/Continuation Point of Contact Tahzay Jones, tahzay_jones@nps.gov OVERVIEW This project is to support the development of a publicly available, updated, and readily accessible intertidal and subtidal habitat database to support environmental analyses for offshore continental shelf oil and gas development in Cook Inlet, ongoing spill response planning efforts, and to enhance future assessment capabilities of potential impacts of an oil spill in Cook Inlet. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN The objective of this Agreement is to support the development of a publicly available, updated, and readily accessible intertidal and subtidal habitat database to support environmental analyses for offshore continental shelf oil and gas development in Cook Inlet, ongoing spill response planning efforts, and to enhance future assessment capabilities of potential impacts of an oil spill in Cook Inlet. This agreement is a continuation of work that began with Cooperative Agreement P15AC01028. This agreement includes funding for the first year of a four year project, with funding to for future years subject to availability. Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory council (CIRCAC), established under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, has been the driving force behind improved oil spill prevention and response measures for Cook Inlet, based on their legal mandates for improving marine transportation and facility operations in Cook Inlet. Through this agreement CIRCAC advances the public purpose of maintaining healthy Cook Inlet intertidal ecosystems by bringing historical data on intertidal/subtidal work in western Cook Inlet together, and publishing contaminants data, making it easily accessible via a public website (Alaska Ocean Observing System &#226;&#191;&#191; AOOS); and supporting additional intertidal surveys, analyses, and reporting. The National Park Service is engaged in gathering historical information on marine intertidal and subtidal invertebrate surveys in western Cook Inlet, and conducting additional surveys in the intertidal and subtidal areas near National Park units in lower Cook Inlet. Because of the extensive expertise of the CIRCAC Science and Research staff in conducting intertidal field operations in Cook Inlet, their development of the Cook Inlet Response Tool with AOOS, and their historical data associated with intertidal surveys and contaminant (including hydrocarbon) studies, the National Park Service project operations will integrate with ongoing CIRCAC developments to improve response capabilities throughout Cook Inlet, and provide an opportunity for the National Park Service to cohesively integrate with ongoing historical studies on the region. Benthic invertebrates (intertidal and subtidal) and their habitats are susceptible to effects from industry exploration and development activities, with those adjacent to oil and gas operations particularly susceptible to oil spills. Updated information, particularly in western Cook Inlet, is needed to more fully consider impacts from a potential oil spills or other marine incidents in Cook Inlet. Previous research on intertidal and subtidal habitats in Cook Inlet includes the Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program (OCSEAP) begun in 1975, as well as work done by the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council in 2000. Subtidal and intertidal communities are an important conduit of energy, nutrients, and pollutants between terrestrial and marine ecosystems; provide resources for subsistence, sport, and commercial harvests; and are important for recreational activities such as wildlife viewing and fishing. Changes in the structure of the intertidal community serve as valuable indicators of disturbance, both natural and human induced. Further, changes in overall and relative abundance of intertidal species may have serious consequences for the bird and mammal species that forage in nearshore areas. Marine bivalves (clams and mussels) and chitons are subsistence species for Alaska residents. Native communities in Port Graham and Nanwalek have noted a substantial decline in shellfish populations and have expressed concern over the potential loss or contamination of subsistence resources. Bivalves and chitons are ubiquitous and critical components of the nearshore intertidal environment, and have been used widely as sentinels in monitoring programs. Community monitoring of bivalves and chitons would be an important component to address concerns about contaminants and contaminant bioavailability, most notably polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), in the environment. It is important to improve our understanding of the extent and details of benthic habitat that support subsistence resources; hydrocarbon loads in those resources; and the sources and extent of local contamination, particularly those where subsistence harvest continues. This study will be a collaborative approach to provide a better understanding of invertebrate biota including distribution, habitat, densities, productivity and larval transport of marine bivalves. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT 1. Provide Susan Saupe, Director of Science and Research, to support historical data extraction and through source identification; support field survey efforts through site recommendations, logistical support, and direct expertise in the field; and provide expert advice and support on study report efforts. 2. Charter appropriate DOI carded aircraft and/or vessels for intertidal and/or subtidal survey operations in lower Cook Inlet. 3. Identify and provide any additional historical data from CIRCAC or CIRCAC known sources that NPS does not have and may be available and available for adding into the historical database. 4. Incorporate historical hydrocarbon data from the study area into CIRCAC&#226;&#191;&#191;s existing project with AXIOM (through the Alaska Ocean Observing System, or AOOS) that has goals to compile, visualize, and serve on-line background hydrocarbon and other contaminants data from Cook Inlet. Ensure integration of data into existing on-line AOOS area data portals, such as the Cook Inlet Response Tool developed by CIRCAC and AOOS. 5. Work with NPS to develop recommendations for future hydrocarbon sampling in Cook Inlet and methods to ensure integration of future hydrocarbon data into the on-line data portals. 6. Meet with NPS staff after field seasons to discuss results and develop technical reports in either Anchorage or Fairbanks. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT 1. Provide in-kind GIS expertise, QA/QC assessments of data, and database testing of the CIRCAC historical contaminants data and database. 2. Provide database functionality testing and advice on visualizations for serving data as either stand-along data portal or incorporation into the Cook Inlet Response Tool currently hosted on the Alaska Ocean Observing System website. 3. Work with CIRCAC to develop recommendations for future hydrocarbon sampling and incorporation of future community monitoring project contaminants data into existing on-line data portals. 4. Ensure space availability on field site visits for CIRCAC participation as project partner. 5. Provide overall project management for the subtidal and intertidal habitats and invertebrate biota assessments in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska to ensure coordination among all project partners that include BOEM, NPS, CIRCAC, NOAA, and UAF. 6. Provide personnel for analysis and final report and recommendations development. 7. Work with CIRCAC and AOOS to ensure project data are incorporated into on-line data portals for the area, such as the AOOS-hosted Cook Inlet Response Tool. 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: Unique Qualifications and Continuation Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory council (CIRCAC), established under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, has been the driving force behind improved oil spill prevention and response measures for Cook Inlet, based on their legal mandates for improving marine transportation and facility operations in Cook Inlet. Through this agreement CIRCAC advances the public purpose of maintaining healthy Cook Inlet intertidal ecosystems by bringing historical data on intertidal/subtidal work in western Cook Inlet together, and publishing contaminants data, making it easily accessible via a public website (Alaska Ocean Observing System &#226;&#191;&#191; AOOS); and supporting additional intertidal surveys, analyses, and reporting. The National Park Service is engaged in gathering historical information on marine intertidal and subtidal invertebrate surveys in western Cook Inlet, and conducting additional surveys in the intertidal and subtidal areas near National Park units in lower Cook Inlet. Because of the extensive expertise of the CIRCAC Science and Research staff in conducting intertidal field operations in Cook Inlet, their development of the Cook Inlet Response Tool with AOOS, and their historical data associated with intertidal surveys and contaminant (including hydrocarbon) studies, the National Park Service project operations will integrate with ongoing CIRCAC developments to improve response capabilities throughout Cook Inlet, and provide an opportunity for the National Park Service to cohesively integrate with ongoing historical studies on the region. CIRCAC has a combination of expertise, historical information, and a publically available GIS based delivery tool for incident/spill response that no other entities possess. Development of the response tool exceeded $50,000, and the NPS gains the advantage of the already developed tool for data delivery. In addition, CIRCAC possesses a substantial volume of unpublished historical data that would require significant effort to obtain independently. CIRCAC is providing $63,500 in-kind to the project including salary and travel costs. By supporting this agreement, NPS is leveraging significant infrastructure and costs to reduce total cost of the project. Finally, this proposed agreement is a continuation of work that began with Cooperative Agreement P15AC01028 with CIRCAC.
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 Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council, a non profit 501(c)(3).  Applications will not be accepted from any applicants for this project other than Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council.