Quantifying habitat selection & predicting habitat use by Whooping Cranes
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 P14AS00016 Project Title Quantifying habitat selection and predicting habitat use by Whooping Crane Recipient New Mexico State University Principle Investigator / Program Manager James Cain III Total Anticipated Award Amount $85709.00 Cost Share none New Award or Continuation? Continuation of Cooperative Agreement H2370114000 Anticipated Length of Agreement From date of award until December 1, 2016 Anticipated Period of Performance From date of award until December 1, 2016 Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 16 USC 1a-2j and 16 USC 5933 CFDA # and Title Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (2) Continuation NPS Point of Contact June Zastrow, 303-987-6718, june_zastrow@nps.gov OVERVIEW The Aransas-Wood Buffalo whooping crane (Grus americana) population is one of the most successful endangered species recovery stories of our time. Despite this success, the status of this wild population is still precarious due to its small size and single viable population. To further complicate the whooping crane¿s success story, urban and energy development combined with an incomplete understanding of whooping crane habitat requirements during their annual migration and on their wintering grounds will likely further jeopardize its stability. Scientists and resource managers have applied the best available science to define habitat requirements for whooping cranes during migration and the crucial wintering months, but this information is limited due to the rarity of whooping cranes, their often-undetected occurrences, and the low resolution of spatial data associated with sightings reported by members of the public. However, new information gained on movements of whooping cranes with GPS satellite tracking technology has the potential to advance our knowledge of whooping crane breeding, wintering, and migration ecology. To date, the Whooping Crane Tracking Program (WCTP) have followed movements of 57 whooping cranes (over 20% of the estimated wild population), recording up to four locations of individuals per day, thus greatly expanding our knowledge of sites used by whooping cranes during migration and the overwinter period. The use of GPS satellite tracking technology overcomes many of the limitations of direct sightings and offers an unprecedented opportunity to learn about habitats selected by whooping cranes. This project aims to leverage existing information generated by GPS tracked birds to identify locations of crane use and quantify habitat at those sites and associated habitat requirements during two critical times in the cranes lifecycle¿migration and overwintering. To effectively manage for this endangered species and thereby provide the greatest chance of successful recovery, a comprehensive understanding of their habitat requirements is paramount. In doing this project, data from other species in this ecosystem will be collected, and potentially analyzed in concert with whooping cranes. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT NMSU agrees to: Coordinate all field activities related to the two following tasks: a. Refine understanding of habitat use by cranes including roosting sites on and off Refuge. This work will involve identifying locations used by cranes, visiting those sites and documenting vegetation parameters and water quality measures associated with crane use sites. b. Ground control points for validation of vegetation map and LiDAR data. 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 and FWS staff will work with the NMSU technicians, graduate students, professor, and other partners to provide guidance and support for all aspects of the project including providing expertise in study design, data collection and analysis. FWS has specific expertise in whooping crane autecology and habitat assessments. NPS has in-house expertise in data processing and management that is directly pertinent to the project ¿ skills that are difficult to obtain through a cooperator or contractor. 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 Single Source Justification Description: THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD This is a Task Agreement (P14AC00059) under Cooperative Agreement (H2370114000) in the amount of $85,709.00 with a period of performance from date of award until December 1, 2016. STATUTORY AUTHORITY 16 U.S.C. §1a-2(j) authorizes the NPS to enter into cooperative agreements with public or private educational institutions, states, and their political subdivisions, for the purpose of developing adequate, coordinated, cooperative research and training programs concerning the resources of the national park system. Pursuant to such agreements, the cooperator may accept from or make available to the NPS technical and support staff, financial assistance for mutually agreed upon research projects, supplies and equipment, facilities, and administrative services relating to cooperative research units as the Secretary deems appropriate (research projects subject to Federal Acquisition Regulation excluded). 16 USC §5933. Cooperative agreements The Secretary is authorized and directed to enter into cooperative agreements with colleges and universities, including but not limited to land grant schools, in partnership with other Federal and State agencies, to establish cooperative study units to conduct multi-disciplinary research and develop integrated information products on the resources of the National Park System, or the larger region of which parks are a part.
Office: National Park Service
June_Zastrow@nps.gov
