National Alliance of Faith and Justice
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 P13AS00081 Project Title Provide Opportunities for social research on history education youth-centered programming. Recipient National Alliance of Faith and Justice Principle Investigator / Program Manager Addie Richburg Total Anticipated Award Amount $40,000.00 Cost Share none New Award or Continuation? New Cooperative Agreement Anticipated Length of Agreement Five years from date of award. Anticipated Period of Performance Five years from date of award Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 16 USC 1g CFDA # and Title 15.954 National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (4) Unique Qualifications NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow 303-987-6718 june_zastrow@nps.gov OVERVIEW The objective of this Agreement is to establish and sustain an external partnership between NPS and NAFJ in order to augment social research studies on the impact of history education, complemented by mentoring, and service learning on public lands and in communities using NPS learning resources. NAFJ is a non-profit organization that sponsors, administers, and operates several youth programs in sixteen community affiliate sites and military bases nation-wide. NAFJ also partners with federal agencies to plan and implement educational initiatives that increase the access and use of public lands and historic landmarks by diverse and special needs youth for academic enrichment and success. NAFJ is an official affiliate of the NPS Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and a national program partner with the National Park Foundation (NPF) to promote inclusion and participation in the preservation and interpretation of the NPS African-American and Latino historical units. The work of NAFJ is evident through the NPF sponsorship of their national ¿Justice Sunday¿ Martin Luther King Jr. service learning initiative which has been conducted utilizing NPS educational curriculum to enhance Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics (STEM) education and service learning. The NAFJ national programs provide access and education to thousands of underrepresented youth and military families yearly on the values and resources of the NPS. NAFJ shall allow for the planning, administration and evaluation to provide and ensure future generations experience and appreciate their cultural and natural heritage. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT NAFJ agrees to: A. Serve as lead sponsor in carrying out planning and execution of the ¿To Serve This Present Age¿ Youth Summit, a commemorative activity honoring the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (1963), to be held in Washington, D.C. August 25-27, 2013; B. Assist NPS in the planning and execution of youth centered 2013-2018 civil rights commemorative events in sites to be determined. Supplement NPS efforts for reaching diverse communities with service learning and volunteer opportunities that bring history to life, promote health and wellness. C. Produce an annual report and interim publications which will provide participation and evaluation data with visual documentation of audiences reached, contacted, and served using various program models, NPS resources, and visiting NPS park sites; D. Authorize full usage and open publication rights to NAFJ research, images, and materials that are created under this agreement; E. Integrate PEN or PENCILTM, a signature initiative of NAFJ, into various NPS park sites, and with other NPS cooperative agreement partners as deemed appropriate by both NAFJ and the Washington Support Office of NPS, through service learning, student mentoring, training, summits, technical assistance, cultural diversity civic engagement, volunteerism, and research studies; F. Collaborate, plan, and execute an annual service learning project with NPS, Washington Support Office, and NPS park sites; share list of winners or educational organizations that participate in an annual service learning projects through NAFJ and its affiliates through NPS park sites on NAFJ and affiliate webpages and websites, G. Seek additional opportunities to foster interagency and productive relationships for the promotion and appreciation for the study of civil rights history to be commemorated between 2013 through 2018; H. Utilize NPS resources in order to provide technical assistance, educational activities, cultural resource stewardship, and professional development and training workshops designed to increase the knowledge and understanding of under-represented youth communities within NAFJ affiliates, mentors, military base communities, and at NAFJ youth summits, I. Collaborate in the development and presentation of a teacher symposium and greater outreach and applicability of PEN or PENCILTM to Hispanic youth in commemorating civil rights anniversaries, 2013-2018 events; 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: NPS agrees to: A. Collaborate in planning and provision of support for the ¿To Serve This Present Age¿ Youth Summit, a commemorative activity honoring the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (1963) to be held in Washington, DC, August 25-27, 2013, B. Provide agency liaison for planning and execution of the 2013 March on Washington for Mentors and No Violence on the National Mall designed to commemorative the 1963 civil rights march for the Birmingham Children¿s Crusade; C. Assist NAFJ in the planning, execution, and support for youth centered 2013-2018 civil rights commemorative events in sites to be determined; D. Seek additional opportunities to foster interagency and productive relationships for the promotion and appreciation for the study of civil rights history to be commemorated between 2013 through 2018, E. Serve as primary federal partner and collaborate in planning and execution of annual service learning project conducted by NAFJ to include but not exclusive to annual sponsorship of the Justice SundayTM: To Serve This Present Age service learning competition within NAFJ affiliates and at NPS park sites, F. Share list of winners or educational organizations that participate in an annual service learning projects on various NPS websites and park sites, and other social mediums, G. Cooperate with the National Park Foundation to assist in electronic promotion and distribution of competition materials for the annual service learning projects and contest incentives awards for a variety of activities, to include but not exclusive to annual sponsorship of the Justice SundayTM: To Serve This Present Age service learning competition; H. Integrate PEN or PENCILTM, a signature initiative of NAFJ, into various NPS park sites, and with other NPS cooperative agreement partners as deemed appropriate by both NAFJ and the NPS Washington Support Office through group and peer mentoring, training, summits, technical assistance, cultural diversity civic engagement, and research studies; use of NPS park site educational materials and initiatives such as ¿Journey to Greatness;¿ I. Coordinate national Junior Ranger program participation as well as Network to Freedom Initiative program participation for PEN or PENCILTM program; J. Provide NPS printed materials, technical assistance, and or professional development workshop presentations at PEN or PENCILTM coordinator training workshops and or youth summits; K. Partner with NAFJ partners and affiliates on technical assistance, educational activities, cultural resource stewardship, and professional development and training workshops designed to increase the knowledge and understanding of civil rights history; L. Encourage involvement in signature projects from diverse youth populations as well as K-12 students through participation and dialogue on programs such as health and wellness issues, environmental health care in parks, historic sites, rivers and trails, and the ¿Ticket to Ride¿ program. M. Provide NPS staff to serve on NAFJ Military Advisory Group (Interpretation and Education or Network to Freedom personnel), N. Provide an annual distribution of Discovering the Underground Railroad Junior Ranger Activity Booklets as needed, and other Network to Freedom Initiative materials for PEN or PENCILTM participants and NAFJ affiliates; 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: (4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS Single Source Justification Description: NAFJ operates Pen or Pencil¿, a national youth program that focuses on history and mentorship. The program Pen or Pencil¿ provides opportunities for education, research, mentorship, training summits, technical assistance and cultural and civic diversity, engagement and volunteerism. NAFJ focuses its national historical scope on civil rights history for educational opportunities throughout the nation. STATUTORY AUTHORITY 16 U.S.C. §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. This section provides broad authority for NPS to enter into cooperative agreements with most recipients for a public purpose. Although broad, this authority must be read in conjunction with the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 and other authorities that prescribe whether a particular relationship should be a procurement contract or a cooperative agreement. Thus, in making this determination, one must always consider whether the principal purpose of the work is to acquire goods and/or services for NPS¿s direct benefit in furtherance of its mission or for a public purpose.
Office: National Park Service
June_Zastrow@nps.gov
