Grooundworks Richmond CA Project and Program Development
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 P14AS00054 Project Title Groundwork Richmond CA Project and Program Development Recipient Groundwork Richmond, CA Principle Investigator / Program Manager Sarah Calderon Total Anticipated Award Amount 0.00 Cost Share none New Award or Continuation? New Cooperative Agreement Anticipated Length of Agreement From Date of Award for five years Anticipated Period of Performance From Date of Award for five years Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 16 USC 1g and 16 USC 460.1-1(d) CFDA # and Title 15.921 Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation and (4) Unique Qualifications NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov OVERVIEW The NPS and the US Environmental Protection Agency have signed an Interagency Agreement, EPA # DW 14-95766101, to help communities impacted by brownfields and other derelict land issues to improve their quality-of-life and encourage economic regeneration through the development and stewardship of parkland, recreation areas, nature reserves, trail systems and other environmental improvements. Also, the clean-up of brownfields and other derelict lands offers an extensive opportunity to create needed green space in dense urban communities and to restore degraded natural resources such as open space and river corridors. The Interagency Agreement furthers the intent of the March, 2005 Memorandum of Understanding between EPA¿s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (EPA) and the USDOI-NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (NPS), to support development of the Groundwork model in the United States, which has successfully developed and supported sustainable community-based environmental improvement efforts in Great Britain through the establishment of locally based Groundwork Trust organizations. This success is now being replicated in the United States through the development of the Groundwork USA network of Groundwork Trusts. The City of Richmond CA was selected for the Groundwork USA program through a competitive RFP process. The city has received funding from the EPA Brownfields Program, a prerequisite of the program. To build on their commitment to improve green space opportunities and reclaim brownfields for community benefit and economic redevelopment, the City and the Richmond Greenway Coalition convened the Groundwork Richmond Steering Committee representing citizens, neighborhood groups, businesses, nonprofits, civic groups and the city to evaluate the Groundwork model for Richmond CA. Based on that evaluation and the completion of a Groundwork Richmond Feasibility Study and Strategic Plan, the City, the Richmond Greenway Coalition, NPS, EPA and the GW Richmond Steering Committee deemed the Groundwork model to be appropriate and endorsed the establishment of Groundwork Richmond (GW RCA) as a nonprofit organization designated by the Internal Revenue Service under its 501c3 regulations. Working in partnership with NPS, the GW Richmond Steering Committee and the City, established GW RCA as a nonprofit organization and projects and programs have been initiated to achieve the goals of the Feasibility Study. Funding will be provided through separate task agreements by NPS from the EPA ¿ NPS Interagency Agreement to support the further development of GW RCA. The Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program of NPS will provide technical assistance and direction to GW RCA on the development of Groundwork Richmond and its work to improve and care for parkland, recreation areas, nature reserves, trail systems and other green space amenities, to develop conservation and environmental stewardship ethics in local communities, especially youth, to support the reuse of Brownfields and other derelict lands for community benefit and to engage youth and their families from diverse communities with the National Park Service. Objective - The specific purpose of the Interagency Agreement is to support the establishment of local Groundwork organizations in Brownfield communities to improve their environment, economy and quality of life through community-based environmental improvement activities. The objective of this cooperative agreement is to support the development of Groundwork Richmond CA and its projects and programs that facilitate community led conservation and stewardship of parks, natural areas and other public lands, brownfield remediation and green space improvements. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT A. Groundwork Richmond CA agrees: 1. That Groundwork Richmond CA will work to improve the quality-of-life and opportunities for economic regeneration through the development and stewardship of parkland, recreation areas, nature reserves, trail systems and other environmental improvements in the City of Richmond CA in accordance with the Groundwork model. 2. That Groundwork Richmond CA will assist with the transformation and reuse of brownfields and other derelict sites for conservation, recreation, economic development and other community benefits in Richmond CA. 3. That the funds that will possibly be made available through subsequent task agreements will be used to support the development of Groundwork Richmond CA and its projects and programs in partnership with the City of Richmond and other public, private and nonprofit partners in accordance with the Groundwork model. Activities can include, but are not limited to: a. Organizational planning, development and operation, b. Project and program planning, development and implementation, c. Community involvement and youth engagement, education, public outreach, networking and partnerships, d. Strategic planning, e. Project and program outreach materials, case studies and reports, f. Documenting and reporting results, accomplishments and outcomes, and g. Network meetings, conferences, trainings, staff and information exchanges and site visits 4. That funds provided under this Agreement cannot be used for construction documents and construction of specific projects. 5. To document all funding, in-kind services, volunteer hours, materials and equipment leveraged by Groundwork Richmond CA for projects, programs and operations and provide this information to NPS upon request. 6. To maintain a photographic record and list of accomplishments for all projects undertaken by Groundwork Richmond CA and provide to NPS and Groundwork USA upon request. 7. To leverage additional resources to support the development of Groundwork Richmond CA as well as resources for project and program development and implementation. 8. To submit quarterly narrative reports and quarterly financial status reports as specified by NPS. 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: B. NPS agrees: 1. That funding under this Agreement may be used for planning, organizing and promoting the development of Groundwork Richmond CA, its projects and programs and its participation in the Groundwork USA network. 2. To support the work of GW RCA with funding from the Interagency Agreement, subject to availability, to promote the development and stewardship of parkland, recreation areas, nature reserves, trail systems and other environmental improvements and the transformation and reuse of brownfields and other derelict sites for conservation, recreation and economic development. 3. To advise in the development of GW RCA projects and programs that meet the needs of the communities they serve in Richmond CA. 4. To provide ongoing technical assistance and direction to support and guide the development of Groundwork Richmond CA projects and programs, especially those related to engaging communities in the conservation of natural resources and developing and caring for new or improved parks, recreation areas, nature reserves, trail systems and other green space amenities and the reuse of brownfields and derelict lands for these purposes. 5. To provide review and input to plans and strategies for building the capacity of Groundwork Richmond CA to deliver these projects and programs and expands its service to new communities in the Richmond area. 6. To link GW RCA with NPS sites and programs, EPA, and the Groundwork USA network to benefit from their expertise as GW RCA undertakes the work of this Cooperative Agreement. 7. To provide staff support through the Rivers & Trails Conservation Assistance Program to assist with the development of GW RCA and its projects and programs in partnership with the City and the Groundwork USA network. C. The projects or activities under this Agreement will be individually authorized by separate task agreements, with each project or activity having a separate work plan and budget developed cooperatively between the NPS and GW RCA. 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 AND (4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS SINGLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION DESCRIPTION: (2) Continuation: The new CA will continue the work begun with the City of Richmond and the GW Richmond Steering Committee to establish GW Richmond CA. The City and its partners were selected through a competitive RFP, in accordance with the EPA-NPS Interagency Agreement which will provide funding for the work under this Cooperative Agreement in future task agreements. The funding being provided is in accordance with the description of the original RFP, which the City and its partners applied under. Now that GW Richmond is a 501c3 organization, and has developed, in accordance with the GW Richmond Feasibility Study, a new CA will enable NPS to work directly with GW Richmond. Shifting responsibility to a new entity that is unfamiliar with the Groundwork model and its development in Richmond CA would not benefit the communities being served or be cost effective. The Interagency Agreement stipulates that the funds be used to support the development of the Groundwork organizations. (4) Unique Qualifications: GW Richmond is uniquely qualified based on the significant planning and community outreach that the City and the GW Richmond Steering Committee undertook with NPS to evaluate the feasibility of developing GW Richmond and identify the projects and programs the organization would undertake to address the needs identified for conservation, recreation and environmental restoration in communities impacted by brownfields, derelict land and environmental justice issues. Groundwork Richmond was established in accordance with the findings of that planning process and with the support of the communities involved. The work that NPS will undertake with GW Richmond under this Cooperative Agreement will strengthen the effectiveness of GW Richmond to deliver these projects and programs. Their selection builds on the significant effort that has been made to establish Groundwork Richmond. Shifting responsibility to a new entity that is unfamiliar with the Groundwork model and its development in Richmond CA would not benefit the communities being served or be cost effective. The tasks of the CA are the types of work that GW Richmond should be taking on to fulfill its role in accordance with the Groundwork model that NPS, EPA, Groundwork USA are working with local communities to develop in the United States. STATUTORY AUTHORITY 16 U.S.C. 1g. NPS authority to enter into cooperative agreements and transfer appropriated funds to nonprofit organization for the public purpose of NPS programs. 16 U.S.C. 460.1-1(d) of the Outdoor Recreation Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical assistance and advice and to cooperate with States, political subdivisions, and private interests, including nonprofit organizations, with respect to outdoor recreation.
Office: National Park Service
June_Zastrow@nps.gov
