**FY 2008**

**National Park Service**

**National Trails System -- IMR**

**P.O. Box 728, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-0728**

**Contact: Sharon Brown**

**Phone: 505-988-6717, fax: 505-986-5214**

**Email: sharon_brown@nps.gov**

**Challenge Cost-Share Program**

**Guidelines and Procedures**

**Contents:**

General Information -- page 1

Types of Projects -- page 1

Project Selection -- page 2

Project Costs and the Value of Donated Services, etc. -- page 4

Project Proposal -- page 7

The Bureaucracy -- page 8

Getting Starting -- page 9

Instructions for Project Proposal -- page 11

Guidance for the Budget -- page 13

**Attachments:** Project Proposal (page 20) and Budget forms (page 23)

**General Information**

**What is Challenge Cost-Share?**

Challenge Cost-Share (CCSP) is a program for funding joint projects that
further the National Historic Trail programs and the partner\'s
programs. These are projects that the National Park Service and a
partner will undertake together. In most cases, there will be
significant involvement of the National Trails System -- Intermountain
Region staff from Santa Fe in the planning and execution of the project.
In some cases, such as an archeological investigation, we may be
involved primarily in developing and/or reviewing plans, with less
active involvement in the execution of the project.

**Challenge Cost-Share is not a grant!**

**NPS Share Limit**

Projects should be relatively small. The NPS share of any one CCSP
project cannot exceed \$30,000. We can fund part of a project one year
and another part the next year, and so forth, but the combined total
still cannot exceed the \$30,000 limit.

**Due Date**

Anyone interested in a project for FY 2008 should contact the National
Trails System -- Intermountain Region, Santa Fe office. Discuss the
project with us before you complete the application.

**Due date: February 1, 2008**

**Types of Projects**

**Background**

The following examples illustrate the kinds of projects that may be
funded. A project need not necessarily fit any of these categories,
which are intended only to present the broad range of project types that
may be funded.

National historic trail projects are eligible if they are in support of
trail goals and objectives. Site specific projects will generally be
approved only for certified national historic trail sites. Projects for
sites for which certification has been requested and is in progress, and
projects that are regional or trail-wide will also be considered.

**Cultural Resource Projects** are those that preserve, study, use,
manage, or interpret recognized cultural resources, within park
boundaries or along national trails. This would include historical
research projects, historic preservation, archeology, and so forth.

> Examples of projects: Painting a historic house; archeological
> investigations of trail sites; research to determine the routes of the
> trail more accurately; land trust efforts to work with landowners for
> donation of conservation easements.

**Natural Resource/Science Projects** deal with science and technology,
including the natural, physical and social sciences; scientific
information; scientific equipment; inventorying, monitoring and the
restoration, preservation or interpretation of recognized natural
resources: mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

> Examples of projects: Planting native vegetation at a trail site;
> prescribed fire to restore native prairie grasses at a trail site;
> development of a computerized Geographical Information System database
> for the trail.

**Recreation and Interpretation Projects** provide for the enhanced use
of recreational activities by the visiting public, including development
of better access to resources, providing accurate information about the
availability and character of trail related recreational activities, and
providing new or enhanced trail related recreational opportunities to
the visiting public.

> Examples of projects: Developing museum exhibits; construction of a
> wheelchair accessible walking trail leading to an interpretive exhibit
> at a historic site; developing wayside exhibit(s) at a trail historic
> site; developing an interpretive and site plan for a trail site.

**Project Selection**

**Eligibility**

The first step is to see if a proposal is eligible for funding. There
are four criteria we will apply. If we develop the proposal with you, we
will ensure these criteria are met.

**Focus:** The CCSP project involves the management, operation, or
maintenance of a national historic trail administered by the National
Trails System -- Intermountain Region. National historic trail projects
must be in accordance with certification or other agreements, and
national historic trail policies and procedures.

**Need:** The project addresses a need identified in, and consistent
with, an approved planning document. The more critical the need, the
higher priority the project would receive. The planning document should
be identified in question 6 on the proposal form. For trail projects
this would generally be the Comprehensive Management and Use Plan for
the individual national historic trail.

**Equal or Greater Non-Federal Contribution:** The non-federal
partner(s) must contribute at least 50% of project costs. See the
section on Project Costs on page 5.

> The contribution may be cash or non-cash. If you have an idea, even if
> you don\'t think you have matching funding, please contact us. We can
> discuss with you various items that can counted as in-kind services.
> The funds do not have to be in-place to develop the proposal, but the
> project probably cannot be selected until the match is reasonably
> certain.

**Legal requirements:** The proposal must be consistent with federal,
state, and local laws and regulations. For example, the National Park
Service cannot provide funding for lobbying Congress.

**Complete Proposal**: This consists of a **Project Proposal**, a
**[signed]{.underline}** **Budget**, and any supporting information
needed.

**Selection**

Our next step would be to prioritize projects using the following
criteria. Because there is limited funding, not every worthy project can
be funded in a given year. Eligible projects not funded in a given year
will be given higher priority for the next years funding.

**Merit:** The project has technical merit evidenced by clear
objectives, tasks, and activities, with a reasonable schedule of
beginning and ending dates, and an approach that includes appropriate
expertise available to assure applicable standards are applied and met.

**Stronger Partnerships:** All parties involved in the project benefits
from its completion, with such work potentially strengthening a
cooperative relationship between NPS and the partner(s).

**Tangible Results**: The project will produce tangible, preferably
measurable, results or product(s).

**Cost-Effective**: The project budget shows efficient use of funds,
materials, and services to accomplish proposed objectives within the
project period.

**NPS Staff Time and Funding:** Challenge Cost-Share Projects require
NPS staff to spend time working with the partner. For some projects this
is a small amount of time. For others, such as exhibit projects, it
requires a great deal of time. Most projects will require us to travel
to the project site for planning and to provide technical assistance.
With limited funding and staff, we sometimes may not be able to take on
new projects and will have to defer them to a later time.

**Other Considerations:** There should be evidence that the project is
within your and our capabilities. Matching funds should be in place. We
generally cannot fund a project in the hope that the funds might be
forthcoming in the future. We also have to look into the future. For
example, if a trail is built, the partner must have the ability to
maintain that trail in the future. The consequences of not doing a
project would also be considered. For example, if matching funds would
be lost if the project is not done right away, then it would probably be
given a higher priority. There may be additional issues based on
particular project types or purpose. For example, we would not want to
do an expensive exhibit project at a site that is only open to the
public once a year.

**Project Costs and the Value of Donated**

**Services, Equipment, and Other Items**

**Background**

There are specific rules, based on federal law, set forth by the federal
government Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that tell us what can
and cannot be legally considered as a cost in a Federal purchase or
cost-share agreement and how to properly establish values for donated
supplies, equipment, and services. These are written down in a series of
documents called OMB circulars.

The best way to know if a cost is allowable, and for how much, is to
ask. We frequently find that our partners underestimate their potential
matching costs because they don\'t include something that is allowable,
or value it at less than the cost that would be permitted.

The Department of the Interior also has regulations in Part 12 of Title
43 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and the National Park Service has
an internal guideline, which gives further information. The National
Trails System -- Intermountain Region staff in Santa Fe can provide
information about these circulars and other documents and their
requirements. We may not know all the answers, but we do know who we can
ask. The following are important basic elements:

**Regulations**

There are five OMB circulars that have information that applies to
cost-share and cooperative agreement projects. You can\'t assume that
the rules are the same for all. In some cases, something that is
allowable for a university, for example, may not be allowable for a city
government or private organization.

> A-21 -- for educational institutions
>
> A-87 -- for governments
>
> A-102 -- for governments and Indian tribes
>
> A-110 -- for universities or non-profits
>
> A-122 -- for non-profit organizations

You can find information about these circulars on the Internet at:
www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/grants

**Matching Funds**

Partner matching share may be in cash or in-kind (i.e., non-cash) for
goods, volunteer labor or services, equipment, or other necessary items
that would have had to be purchased to carry out the project if they
were not donated. For example:

**Donated supplies or loaned equipment***:* Donated supplies are valued
at the retail market price. A donated piece of equipment, such as a
backhoe, is valued at what it would cost to rent that equipment.

**Volunteer services:** Donated services are valued at the rate for
\"similar work.\" That is:

> 1\. If a partner agency, organization, or institution has paid
> employees, then the value of in-kind services provided by the
> employees would be based on their regular pay rate.
>
> 2\. If organizations other than the partner provides, the services of
> an employee at no cost, these services are valued at the employee\'s
> regular rate of pay, as long as the services are in the same line of
> work for which the employee normally is paid. If the services are in a
> different line of work, then the rules for volunteer work apply.
>
> 3\. Volunteer services are based on what someone would be paid to do
> the work in the geographical area in which the work is being done. For
> example, if you had to pay a carpenter \$20 per hour but a volunteer
> does the carpentry job, then the value of the volunteer\'s time would
> be calculated using a rate of \$20 per hour. For early planning
> estimates, you can use \$15.39, which is a national average value of
> one hour of volunteer time.
>
> **Fund source:** For National Park Service Challenge Cost-Share
> projects, federal funds cannot match federal funds. To be counted as
> matching CCSP cost-share, the contribution may come from any
> non-federal government agency, tribe, private individual,
> organization, philanthropic or charitable group, or private business.
> Funds provided directly from federal sources or federal agencies are
> not eligible to be counted as matching share or cost-sharing, but
> these contributions may be separately listed to the extent those
> contributions contribute to the project (see the sample Detailed
> Budget).
>
> In a few cases, money that originally came from the federal government
> can be counted as matching funds, if these funds are considered to
> have lost their "federal character." This usually occurs by that
> program\'s legislative wording stating that its federal funds may be
> considered non-federal funds able to match other federal money. For
> example, Community Development Block Grant funds are federal money
> stated in law to have lost its federal character upon receipt by a
> local government. Also, in some cases, a state agency may show that
> the federal funds reimbursed prior expenditures, and thus the proposed
> CCSP match has come from the state\'s General Funds account.
>
> In sum: A partner organization that receives, or an individual who is
> paid by, federal non-CCSP funds may be a project partner and listed in
> the project budget, but the contribution cannot be claimed as matching
> share.

**Prohibited Uses**

Generally, CCSP money shall not be used to fund \"regular\" National
Park Service operational activity. This includes routine maintenance or
other normally budgeted operational activity. The following also cannot
be charged to a CCSP project: salaries or wages or day labor of National
Park Service staff, including supervisory costs; NPS travel unless it is
part of the project work plan; computer equipment purchase unless
justified in the proposal; and day-to-day operating costs for trail
sites or segments. The latter is specifically forbidden by the National
Trails System Act.

**Record Keeping**

If the NPS does not transfer the funds to the partner then the NPS will
keep track of the federal portion of the project. It is the partner
responsibility to track and keep records of all expenditures it makes of
federal and non-federal money and all in-kind services and donations.
For example, if you claim 100 hours of volunteer time was spent on a
project you should have a record of who the volunteers were, when they
worked, and what they did. If you purchase supplies or rent equipment,
you should have a receipt. If a local firm donates supplies to you, have
them provide you with a letter documenting the retail value of the
material. Other costs should have appropriate documentation. If you do
not have such records and there is an audit of the Challenge Cost-Share
Program, you could be liable for any costs that you can\'t document.

**Important reminder: Keep good records. You will need them when the
project is completed.**

**Credit and Visibility**

There will be a clause in the scope of work for the cooperative
agreement or purchase order in which the partner assures that NPS
support will be identified as such in publications, film, signs, and
other materials produced for the project.

If a partner distributes the findings or project products developed from
the project in professional journals, books, film, video tape or
conferences, a copy of all such materials should be sent to the NPS as
these become available, even if they appear after completion of project
work.

In a very few cases, we may ask you to include a disclaimer on such
publications, films, etc., such as:

> \"This \[research\]\[project\] was supported by the National Park
> Service. Points of view are those of the author(s) and do not
> necessarily represent the position of the Department of the
> Interior.\"

However, because most CCSP projects are cooperative ventures, we will
all be in agreement with the final product.

**Copyrights**

In some cases, a project may result in the production of material that
can be subject to copyright protection. There will be a clause in any
cooperative agreement or purchase order scope of work regarding
copyrights on CCSP funded materials. At a minimum, the National Park
Service will reserve rights to use all materials, data, and so forth for
any official national historic trail purpose and to provide those
materials to others to use for the benefit of the national historic
trail.

**Project Proposal**

**Background**

The Challenge Cost-Share Program proposal is not difficult. It consists
of a two item \"package\" and any required supporting material.

**Project Proposal:** Instructions for completing the project proposal
start on **page 11.** You can attach supporting materials if needed and
you may need more space for explanations and descriptions than the form
provides.

**Budget**: The budget is one of the most important parts of the project
proposal. Instructions for completing a detailed budget start on **page
13.** The budget is usually only one or two pages and details the
calculations and cost assumptions for estimated project costs. This
detail is needed so that reviewers can clearly relate proposed costs to
the planned work, verify costs according to the OMB Circulars, and
verify reasonableness based on the calculations. The detailed budget
will also be the basis for any purchase order or cooperative agreement
developed to transfer the funds from the NPS to the partner.

> A signature line is provided at the bottom of the detailed budget.
> This signature is your commitment to the complete **project proposal**
> and your assurance as to the costs.

**Supporting Materials:** These items may be needed for some project
proposals. For example, if there are already detailed plans for a
proposed site development project, then inclusion of these in the
proposal would allow reviewers to assess the quality of the plan,
accessibility for visitors with disabilities, adequacy of design, and
other factors. Letters from potential donors who will provide matching
funds if the project is selected for CCSP could also help. If grant
funds have been obtained for the project from other agencies or
organizations, a copy of that grant application could help.

**The Bureaucracy**

**Qualifications**

Any individual, organization, agency, or business that receives federal
money must be registered on the U.S. Government Central Contractor
Registry. In order to do this, a DUNS number, from Dun and Bradstreet,
is required. A benefit is that payments from the government can be made
electronically directly into a partner\'s bank account. This results in
much speedier reimbursements than in the past.

To get a DUNS number, go to the Dun and Bradstreet website at:
www.dnb.com/us/

At the lower left, under D&B Resources you will see a link to the page
where you can apply for the DUNS number.

Once you have your DUNS number, you can begin the process of registering
at the Central Contractor Registry at: www.ccr.gov

**Agreements**

If CCSP funds are transferred to a partner, a cooperative agreement must
be used.

In general, a cooperative agreement is used when (1) the principal
purpose of the agreement is to provide financial assistance to the
partner in order to support or stimulate a public purpose authorized by
Congress; **and** (2) there is substantial NPS involvement during the
project.

Again, we would like to remind you that Challenge Cost-Share Program
funds are not a grant. The National Trails System -- Intermountain
Region will be working closely with you to complete the project. In some
cases, it may be easier for the National Park Service to expend the
Challenge Cost-Share funds directly without giving them to a partner.

**Other Forms**

You may receive a number of forms along with a cooperative agreement or
purchase order to meet Cooperative Agreement or other purchase
regulations. Some of these forms may need to be filled out and returned
immediately and others are for later use. When you get the documents,
call, and we will guide you through them. If you fail to return certain
documents the project funding could be lost. **When you get the
completed cooperative agreement or purchase order, it is important to
read everything and return the appropriate forms completely filled out
and, if necessary, with the appropriate signatures.**

**Why All the Paperwork?**

Challenge Cost-Share funds are monies provided by Congress to the
National Park Service for a specific purpose. Congress requires that the
NPS handle the money in accordance with law and policy. All of the
various forms have been developed to meet specific requirements of the
laws.

Whether the funds are provided by cooperative agreement or purchase
order, remember that you are assuming responsibility to ensure that the
money is spent in accordance with the scope of work and all applicable
federal law.

**Getting Started**

**When can the project work start?**

Partners should refrain from taking actions toward completion of the
project until the agreement is signed. **In general, expenditures of
cash or in-kind services that are completed before the signing of the
cooperative agreement cannot be counted as matching funds for the
project.**

It will take a while before the agreement is final. This is how
cooperative agreements generally come into being. First, we receive the
project proposal from you. Then, we will review the forms, and, if
necessary, contact you to clarify information. Next, we evaluate and
prioritize the projects. If we decide to fund a project, we must develop
a cooperative agreement and do a purchase request in our budget system.
This is submitted to our contracting office for review. The cooperative
agreement is then sent to the local Department of the Interior solicitor
for review. The solicitor has 30 days to respond. The contracting office
will then send the agreement to you. You return the cooperative
agreement to the contracting office, where it is signed and then sent to
us for our signature. A completed agreement will be returned to you, and
then the project can begin.

**Don\'t start your share of the project until we are all ready!**

**How do we get the money?**

We are not allowed to provide advance funds to a partner. You will have
to be able to make necessary payments for the project and then request a
reimbursement from us. We can help you fill out the forms for requesting
reimbursement.

Cooperative agreements have a maximum term of 5 years. Most projects are
completed in much less time than that. However, after 5 years any money
set aside by the government for a project will no longer be available.
In other words, the project must be completed and the funding must be
requested from the government before the end of the 5 year period.

**Project Completion/Status Form**

Upon completion of projects, a Project Completion form must be submitted
to the National Trails System -- Intermountain Region staff, who will
send it to the NPS Regional Office CCSP Coordinator in Denver, and to
the CCSP Coordinator in Washington, D.C. The form is intended to show
that funds were accounted for and spent for planned results.

If a project is not completed at the end of the Fiscal Year in which the
funds have been made available (federal fiscal years end on September
30), then the Project Completion form should be completed by the partner
to document how much of the project has been completed, what remains to
be completed, and how much money has been spent. There may be other
interim reports required in conjunction with cooperative agreements.

NOTE: The signatures of the Partner Project Manager and the NPS
Superintendent/Program Chief on the Project Completion form means that
these persons attest that all project work has been accomplished in a
manner consistent with the CCSP proposal and award agreement.

**Instructions for the Project Proposal**

**Background**

This form provides the information needed to evaluate the project for
eligibility, and to establish the need and priority for the project. It
also provides the information we need to develop a cooperative agreement
or scope of work for a purchase order. In the following sections, we
will go through and explain the proposal form. Each section of the form
is numbered.

**1. Project Name**

You can provide any name you want, but a short descriptive title is
best. Some examples would be: Site development and wayside exhibit for
Autograph Rock, Oklahoma; Museum exhibits for the Tennessee River
Museum, Savannah, Tennessee; Preservation Maintenance for the Seth Hays
Home, Council Grove, Kansas; or Trail of Tears Route Research.

**2. Partner Information**

We need to know who will be the official responsible for signing the
form, signing cooperative agreements, etc. The official responsible for
fiscal matters would be the person we would contact regarding payments,
spending receipts, audits, or similar. If there are others who have
fiscal or decision authority, then this should be provided in a letter
or elsewhere on the form. We need to know everyone who has authority to
make decisions regarding the project and what level of authority they
have. We also need to know who will be the project manager for the
partner.

**3. Trail Information**

We have completed most of this section. You only need to put in the
trail name.

**4. Funding Amounts**

Put in the totals for each category. These should match the totals on
the Detailed Budget. Other federal contributions mean any federal funds
being used for the project other than the Challenge Cost-Share Program
funds. Only **non-federal** money and services can be considered part of
your matching funds.

**5. Schedule Summary**

When do you estimate the project will start and when will it end? Except
in extreme circumstances it will be quite some time, maybe several
months, from when you send us the completed form and an agreement or
purchase order is done and the project can start.

**6. Project Summary**

Provide a brief description of the project. This should demonstrate how
the project supports the goals and objectives of the national historic
trail based upon the Comprehensive Management and Use Plan. An
additional page may be used if needed, but try to keep it short. You can
also refer here to any supporting materials you submit, such as previous
plans, other grant applications for the same project, and so forth.

**7. Project Description**

This is an important section and for many projects there is not
sufficient space on the form for all the information requested. This
section is important to the development of a scope of work for a
cooperative agreement or contract. Please list the stages of the
project, the expected schedule (beginning and end dates) for each stage,
and any products that will be produced at each stage. Be realistic in
your schedule estimates. Our experience has shown that partnership
projects always take longer than one might think.

**8. Partner/NPS Roles and Responsibilities**

Provide a listing of who will be working on the project and what they
will be doing. Identify the expertise of participants and explain how
this will allow the project to be completed. Identify who will be
responsible for each stage/product from the project. Also, include here
what the extent of the NPS role is expected to be. To do this, you need
to discuss the project with us first.

Keep in mind that CCSP is not a grant, but rather, funding for joint
projects. If a cooperative agreement is used, we need to clearly
identify what the partner(s) will do and what the NPS\' substantial
involvement is. If the project is selected for funding we must have this
information for the cooperative agreement. We can help you with
appropriate wording. The basic idea is that the NPS will be an equal
partner in all phases of the planning and carrying out of the project.

**9. Products/Audience**

In this section you need to identify and briefly describe what the
project will produce when complete. This could be exhibits, reports,
audio-visual programs, a meeting, a site development, and so forth.
Provide details where appropriate, such as number of people trained,
number of publications distributed, number of exhibits completed, etc.

Also provide here who will be the target audience for the project, for
example, trailwide visitors, site visitors, historians, high school
students, and so forth.

**10. Partner Assurance**

This is simply a statement that you promise to provide appropriate
credit to the National Park Service for providing the funding. (See page
7 in the Guidelines and Procedures for more information.)

A signature line for the entire project proposal is on the budget form.

**Guidance for the Budget**

**Background**

The purpose of a detailed budget is to show a breakdown of exactly how
you are going to spend the money (both federal and non-federal), and/or
how you are calculating the value of in-kind services. You must clearly
differentiate between the federal and non-federal funding.

In the next few pages are [examples]{.underline} of how to present
information and calculations of estimated project costs under each
budget category. This detail allows reviewers to verify that budget
costs are reasonable, necessary, and allowable; and highlights
unallowable costs, such as regular park employee salaries or wages.

If a project is funded, the detailed budget, together with the other
information provided in the project proposal, will become part of the
funding agreement.

Show your calculations for each item of cost. Be sure to clearly
separate your (partner) share from the National Park Service share. You
can also include any other federal funds or services from other federal
agencies, which are contributing personnel or other resources to the
project, but these cannot be counted as part of your matching share.

**Indirect Costs**:

These are general costs that are incurred which cannot be identified
readily with the particular project. Typical examples of indirect costs
are the salaries of executive officers, the cost of operating and
maintaining facilities, local telephone service, and accounting
services. For example, if the historical society offices in our sample
budget are used by the contract archeologist, a portion of local phone
costs, utilities, building maintenance, are being used to support
his/her use but only actual costs, such as his long distance charges,
can be reimbursed.

**Indirect costs cannot be paid out of CCSP funds, unless the partner
has an existing federal agency-approved indirect cost-rate agreement**.
As we don\'t have any such agreements for the National Historic Trails,
indirect costs should not be paid from CCSP funds. However, indirect
costs can, in some circumstances, be used as part of the non-federal
match. Our hypothetical budget example does not include indirect costs.

**Detailed Budget Example**

We have created a hypothetical project. This project will involve
archeological investigations of a trail site that is mostly on a private
ranch but extends into a national forest. The project is being
coordinated by the county historical society and they will provide a
project coordinator, who is the paid director of the society,
secretarial assistance, office space, volunteers, photocopying machine,
and other services. A local construction company is donating the use of
a backhoe and operator for the project. The project will also require
special remote sensing equipment rental. The USDA Forest Service will
provide an archeologist to assist with the project, but the historical
society will have to hire an archeologist on contract to do the
investigations at the site. Here is the Detailed Budget with an
explanation for this project. Following these pages will be an example
of the actual Detailed Budget and the Budget Summary that would be
included in the Challenge Cost-Share Proposal.

**Personnel:** This category identifies salaries and wages of people
assigned to the project that you are paying directly. If you are hiring
someone from the outside for whom you are paying a fee, such as an
archeologist, then that cost should be considered a consultant. List
personnel by job title and show method of computation, and total.

[Partner Share]{.underline}

Project Director, \$30,000/year x 6 mo. x 50% of
time\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$ 7,500

Secretary (volunteer) 20 hrs./wk x 20 wks. @
\$10.00/hr\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 4,000

Volunteers (archeological) 6 @ 120 hours x
\$12.00/hr\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$ 8,640

[Other Federal (non-cost sharing) Contribution]{.underline}

USDA Forest Service Archeologist 100 hrs.@
\$22.16/hr\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$ 2,216

Explanation: The project director is paid by the historical society. She
will be spending about half of her time on this project over a 6 month
period. The society secretary is a volunteer. She will be working on
typing up reports, forms, and other materials, running errands, and
doing other work to help the project. Secretaries in the area of the
project with comparable experience and responsibilities earn \$10 per
hour. The society has recruited 6 volunteers who have experience with
archeological investigations. If you had to hire people to do similar
work, they would have to be paid \$12/hour. The Forest Service
archeologist will be providing consultation to the project and will
sometimes help at the site. He normally earns \$22.16/hr. His salary is
federal money from the Forest Service\'s budget that is being spent
toward the project, but cannot count as a match.

**Fringe Benefits:** This category lists fringe benefits on portions of
salary assigned to partner\'s staff assigned to the project, such as
social security, employee health insurance, etc.

[Partner Share]{.underline}

Project Director (8% of
salary)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$
600

[Other Federal (non-cost sharing) Contribution]{.underline}

USDA Forest Service archeologist (12% of salary)\...\...\...\...\....\$
266

Explanation: Fringe benefits paid for the salaried employees are paid by
the society or the Forest Service at a specific rate. This is addition
funds that are being spent on the project.

**Consultant Fees:** This category covers fees and travel costs for
consultants/experts. Principal investigators who are not on partner\'s
staff are considered consultants. Include, as appropriate: 1) the name
(if known) and type of consultant; 2) rate of compensation (daily or
hourly rate or fixed price contract amount); 3) number of days on the
project; and 4) total consultation fee or honorarium (not including
travel costs).

> You should not enter into contracts or agreements related to a
> Challenge Cost-Share project until we have had a chance to discuss
> with you the terms of the contract, the hiring process, and the
> potential consultant(s) to be hired. In most cases, **consultant
> services must be obtained through a competitive bidding process**.

[National Park Service Share]{.underline}

Archeologist (fixed rate
contract)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$20,000

Remote Sensing Specialist 2 days @
\$250/day\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 500

Explanation: The archeologist will be hired to carry out the project.
The remote sensing specialist must be hired to operate the ground
penetrating radar equipment.

**Travel and Per Diem:** Detail local travel and out-of-town travel
(travel requiring per diem) for staff, not consultants\' travel. A
consultant\'s travel would be part of the contract with that person and
would not be included here. For air travel, list the cost of coach-class
tickets only. Paying for first-class seats will not be allowed. Per diem
rates (lodging, meals, etc.) may not exceed federal cost limits except
for a university or local government with a written travel policy.
Specify titles of person(s) traveling, purpose of the trip, how many
people will be taking each trip; 2) how many days each person will be
traveling; 3) the total subsistence (meals and lodging); and 4)
transportation costs such as airfare or mileage at 25 cents per mile for
vehicles. Separate estimated local travel, as shown.

[Partner Share]{.underline}

Project Director POV 300 mi.
x\$.31/mi\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$ 93

Volunteers (travel to site) POV 500 miles
\$.31/mi\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 155

Meals 6 x 20 days x
\$15.00/day\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$
1,800

Camping 2 sites/20 nights @
\$10/night\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$ 400

Explanation: The project director lives at home and will be driving back
and forth to the work site in his personal vehicle (POV). The volunteers
live too far away to drive to the site every day, so they will be
camping at the site. The \$15 per day for food is an estimate of what
they are spending for food each day. There is a nearby campground that
charges \$10/night for a tent campsite with no amenities. However, you
are going to allow the volunteers to camp at the work site, thus the
equivalent value of the campsite being provided can be counted as
donated services.

**Supplies and Materials:** Provide a general description or identify
consumable items and expendable equipment costing less than \$500 or
have an estimated useful life of less than 2 years.

[National Park Service Share]{.underline}

General office
supplies\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$
400

Computer diskettes \$20/box x 10
boxes\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$ 200

Explanation: These are supplies that will be directly used on the
project. The society will have to purchase them.

**Equipment:** Itemize equipment needs for the project. Equipment is
defined as non-expendable property having a useful life of more than 2
years, and an acquisition cost of more than \$500 per unit. Other items
would be considered supplies. In some cases, federal regulations may
require that equipment purchased with government funds becomes the
property of the government. Specify which equipment will be purchased
and which rented or leased. If equipment is to be purchased, show on an
attached page that the purchase will be less expensive than rental.

[Partner Share]{.underline}

Backhoe/operator (donation) 20
hrs.@\$100/hr\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$ 2,000

Camping equipment (donation) 120 person nights
@\$5\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 600

[National Park Service Share]{.underline}

Ground Penetrating Radar rental 2 days
@\$1,250/day\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$ 2,500

Explanation: The local construction company is donating the backhoe and
operator for 2 days. This company normally charges \$100/day for this.
If you had to rent camping equipment at the local sporting goods store,
they would charge you \$5/night per person for tents, sleeping bags,
pads, camp stoves, etc. There are six people who will camp for a total
of 20 nights each. The ground penetrating radar is a specialized piece
of equipment that must be rented.

**Construction/Fabrication/Preservation:** There are some specific
federal laws that govern construction projects. Construction refers to
actually building something. Cost-share funds can be used for small
construction projects, such as walkways, outdoor kiosks or historic
structure preservation, but we would not fund most \"bricks and mortar\"
projects such as building a museum or a reconstruction of a historic
structure.

> We will also use this category for costs for exhibit fabrication or
> rehabilitation, film production, etc., and for other \"construction
> like\" projects, such as painting or re-roofing a historic building,
> etc.
>
> Projects in this category will usually be done through contracts. Our
> hypothetical example does not include any construction, fabrication,
> or preservation projects.

**Other:** List other necessary direct cost items that do not fit
logically elsewhere. This category includes postage, printing, computer
use charges, equipment rentals, telephone, postage, printing or
photocopying, space rental costs, etc. \"Miscellaneous,\" \"overhead,\"
and \"contingency\" are not acceptable budget items.

For printing/photocopying, specify the purpose of each cost.

> Contributed space costs should be based on square footage and number
> of staff assigned to the project. Rent paid must be comparable to
> prevailing local area rents. If the partner or a non-federal
> contributor owns the facility used by the project, occupancy cost is
> limited to depreciation or a use allowance based on the purchase price
> of the building.

[Partner Share]{.underline}

Office space (2 x offices x 6 mo. x 1/2 time
@\$600/mo.)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$ 3,600

Long Distance phone
calls\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$
200

Photocopy, 500 copies @
\$.06/copy\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$
30

[National Park Service Share]{.underline}

Duplication of survey data forms, 300 forms @
\$1/copy\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 300

Printing final report 25 copies
@\$10/copy\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
500

Explanation: The society will provide office space for the use of the
archeologist and others working on the project. Equivalent size offices
in the area rent for about \$600 per month. The project director,
archeologist and others will need to make long distance calls for a
variety of purposes using the society\'s phones, and will also be using
the society\'s copy machine. Duplication of specialized survey forms for
the project and the printing of the final report will be paid from the
CCSP funds.

**A RECOMMENDATION**

After completing budget items, it is suggested that all project partners
examine and compare the budget items in relation to the chronological
outline of major activities and tasks in the proposal. This review
should ensure that for all major activities and tasks described in the
proposal:

1\. Personnel and other costs clearly and directly relate to the
described activities and tasks;

2\. Necessary costs appear in the budget and are explained clearly in
the Detailed Budget or an attached page; and

3\. Budget items are clearly calculated so a reviewer can verify if the
costs are allowable, relevant to the project, and reasonable.

4\. The budget page is signed and dated.

**Don\'t forget to attach the Budget to the Project Proposal.**

**CCSP Proposal - Detailed Budget (example)**

(use additional pages as needed)

Project Name or Title: [National Historic Trail site archeological
survey]{.underline}

**[Partner Share]{.underline}**

**Personnel**

Project Director, \$30,000/year x 6 mo. x 50% of
time\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$ 7,500

Secretary (volunteer) 20 hrs./wk. x 20 wks. @
\$10.00/hr\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$ 4,000

Volunteers (archeological
assistants)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
8,640

6 @ 120 hrs. x \$12.00/hr

**Subtotal**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$ 20,140

**Fringe Benefits**

Project Director (8% of
salary)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$
600

**Subtotal**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 600

**Travel**

Project Director (POV) 300 mi.
x\$.31/mi)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$
93

Volunteers (travel to project
site)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
155

> POV 500 mi. \$.31/mi.

Meals 6 x 20 days x
\$15.00/day\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$
1,800

Camping 2 sites/20 nights @
\$10/night\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
400

**Subtotal**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
2,200

**Equipment**

Backhoe/operator rental (donation) 20
hrs.@\$100/hr\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
2,000

Camping equipment rental
(donation)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
600

6 people/20 nights @ 5/night

**Subtotal**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$
2,600

**Other**

Office space (2 x offices x 6 mo. x 1/2 time
@\$600/mo.)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$ 3,600

Long Distance phone
calls\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
200

Photocopy 500 copies @
\$.06/copy\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....
[\$ 30]{.underline}

**Subtotal**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\... .\$
3,830

**Subtotal** Partner Share
(55%)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$29,618

**[National Park Service Share]{.underline}**

**Equipment**

Ground Penetrating Radar rental 2 days
@\$1,250/day\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$
2,500

**Subtotal**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
2,500

**Supplies**

General office
supplies\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$
400

Computer diskettes \$20/box x
10\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
200

**Subtotal**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 600

**Consultants**

Archeologist (fixed rate
contract)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$20,000

Remote Sensing specialist 2 days @
\$250/day\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\$
500

**Subtotal**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....\$20,500

**Other**

Duplication of survey data forms, 300 forms @
\$1/copy\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 300

Printing final report 25 copies
@\$10/copy\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....[\$
500]{.underline}

**Subtotal**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 800

**Subtotal** National Park Service (CCSP) Share
(45%)\...\...\...\...\...\...[\$24,400]{.underline}

Project
**Total**\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$54,018

**[Other Federal (non-cost sharing) Contribution]{.underline}**

USDA Forest Service Archeologist 100 hrs.@
\$22.16/hr\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$ 2,216

USDA Forest Service archeologist (12% of
salary)\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
266

Other Federal partner
contribution\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....\$
2,482

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Partner Project Manager Date

**FY 2008**

**National Park Service**

**Challenge Cost Share Program**

**National Trails System -- IMR (Santa Fe)**

**Project Proposal**

+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 1\. Project Name:             | 3\. Trail:                           |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | Address: [P.O. Box 728, Santa Fe,    |
|                               | New Mexico 87504-0728]{.underline}   |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | NPS Project Contact: \_Sharon        |
|                               | Brown\_                              |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | Telephone: \_505-988-6717\_\_\_\_    |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | Email: sharon_brown@nps.gov          |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 2\. Partner Authorized        | 4\. CCSP Share                       |
| Official                      |                                      |
|                               | \$                                   |
| \_\_\_\                       | \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\ | Partner Share                        |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |                                      |
|                               | \$                                   |
| Title/Position:               | \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |
|                               |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_            | Other Federal Contributions          |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\ |                                      |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ | \$                                   |
|                               | \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |
| Address:                      |                                      |
|                               |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_      |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\ |                                      |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |                                      |
|                               |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_        |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\ |                                      |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |                                      |
|                               |                                      |
| Phone No.:                    |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_          |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\ |                                      |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |                                      |
|                               |                                      |
| Fax No.:                      |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_      |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\ |                                      |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |                                      |
|                               |                                      |
| Partner fiscal officer:       |                                      |
| \_\_\_                        |                                      |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\ |                                      |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |                                      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Partner project manager:      | 5\. Estimated Start Date:            |
| \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\   | \_\_\_\_\_                           |
| _\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ | \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | Expected End Date:                   |
|                               | \_\_\_\_\_                           |
|                               | \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| 6\. Project Summary:          |                                      |
| Concisely describe the most   |                                      |
| important elements in this    |                                      |
| space or on an attached page. |                                      |
| Specify planned objectives,   |                                      |
| major actions, and measurable |                                      |
| results. Specify how project  |                                      |
| addresses critical resource   |                                      |
| threats and/or unmet public   |                                      |
| needs.                        |                                      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+

**CCSP PROPOSAL (Continued)**

7\. **Project Description:** (a) Outline the specific tasks needed to
complete the project. (b) Provide a schedule with proposed beginning and
end dates, for each activity.

8\. **Partner/NPS Roles and Responsibilities:** Explain who will be
working on the project and what they will be doing. Identify
participants with specific expertise needed to complete the project.

9\. **Products/Audience:** Describe the tangible, measurable results or
product(s) that will be in place at the end of the project with this
funding. Identify the target audience for the project. Give numbers, if
possible, for results and audiences.

10\. **Partner Assurance**:

I (We) agree to provide credit to the National Park Service and the
Challenge Cost Share Program in signs, news releases, film, published
materials, or other products developed under this funding.

**CCSP Proposal**

**Detailed Budget**

(Use additional pages as needed.)

Project Name or Title:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Partner Project Manager Date