Subtidal and Intertidal Habitats and Invertebrate Biota in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
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 P15AS01028 Project Title Subtidal and Intertidal Habitats and Invertebrate Biota in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska Recipient COOK INLET REGIONAL CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL Total Anticipated Award Amount 10000 Cost Share 0 Anticipated Length of Agreement 1 year Anticipated Period of Performance 1 year Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 54USC§101702(d) Cooperative Agreement CFDA # and Title 15.954 Single Source Justification Criteria Cited Point of Contact OVERVIEW The objective of this Agreement is to support the development of a publicly available, updated, and readily accessible 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 understanding and future assessment capabilities of potential impacts of an oil spill in Cook Inlet. 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. This agreement with Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council advances the public purpose of maintaining healthy Cook Inlet intertidal ecosystems by bringing historical data on intertidal work in Western Cook Inlet together and making it easily publicly accessible via a public website (Alaska Ocean Observing System - AOOS), and supporting additional intertidal surveys, analyses, and reporting. The National Park Service is already 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, 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 and historical studies on the region. Benthic invertebrates and their habitats are susceptible to effects from industry exploration and development activities. The subtidal invertebrates and habitats adjacent to the oil and gas operations are particularly susceptible to oil spills and updated information, particularly in western Cook Inlet, is needed to more fully project impacts from a potential oil spill 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 (CIRCAC) in 2000. Subtidal and intertidal communities are an important conduit of energy, nutrients, and pollutants between terrestrial and marine environments; 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, 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 are ubiquitous and critical components of the nearshore intertidal environment, and have been used widely as sentinels in monitoring programs. Community monitoring for bivalves for potential contaminants would be an important component to address concerns about release of contaminants, most notably polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), into the environment. It is important to improve our understanding of the extent and details of benthic habitat that support subsistence resources; hydrocarbon loads in these 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. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT A. The Recipient agrees to: 1. Provide necessary work time for Susan Saupe, Director of Science and Research, to support historical data extraction and through source identification, support field survey efforts through site recommendations, and provide expert advice and support on study reporting efforts. 2. Identify and provide any additional historical data from CIRCAC or CIRCAC known sources that NPS does not have and may be viable and available for adding into the historical database. 3. Provide in-kind support of historical database transfer to Axiom to incorporate into the Cook Inlet Response tool hosted on the Alaska Ocean Observing System website. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT B. NPS agrees to: 1. Conduct historical database development 2. Ensure database functionality and layout is appropriate for delivery to Axiom for inclusion in the Cook Inlet Response tool hosted on the Alaska Ocean Observing System website. 3. Charter appropriate aircraft and/or vessels for intertidal and/or subtidal invertebrate and flora survey operations in lower Cook Inlet. 4. Ensure space availability on field site visits for CIRCAC participation as requested. 5. Conduct sampling covering the intertidal, rock ramps, and reefs for vegetation and invertebrate biota including areas: Tuxedni, Chinitna Kamishak Bays, Nordyk Island, Tignagvik Pt. and St. Augustine 6. Provide personnel for analysis and final report and recommendations development. 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 â₏“ 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 â₏“ 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 â₏“ The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congressâ₏™ intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose; (4) Unique Qualifications â₏“ 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 â₏“ 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
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Phone 907-644-3315
