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UNITED STATES  {#united-states .list-paragraph}
-------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR {#department-of-the-interior .list-paragraph}
--------------------------

**BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT**

**NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD**

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This
announcement is to provide public notice of the Bureau of Land
Management's intention to fund the following project activities without
full and open competition.

+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **ABSTRACT**                     |                                  |
+==================================+==================================+
| **Funding Announcement**         | CA-NOI-08-0012                   |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Project Title**                | San Joaquin River Gorge "Hands   |
|                                  | on the Land" and Energy          |
|                                  | Education Program                |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Recipient**                    | National Energy Education        |
|                                  | Development Project              |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Principle Investigator /       | Mary Spruill                     |
| Program Manager**                |                                  |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Total Anticipated Award        | \$250,000                        |
| Amount**                         |                                  |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Cost Share**                   | Estimated contribution of        |
|                                  | \$100,000 over five years        |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **New Award or Continuation?**   | Continuation                     |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Anticipated Length of          | Five Years                       |
| Agreement**                      |                                  |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Anticipated Period of          | 08/15/08-09/30/13                |
| Performance**                    |                                  |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Award Instrument**             | Cooperative Agreement            |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Statutory Authority**          | Federal Land Policy and          |
|                                  | Management Act of 1976 (Public   |
|                                  | Law 94-579, Section 307(b))      |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **CFDA \# and Title**            |                                  |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **Single Source Justification    | A.  **Continuation** -- The      |
| Criteria Cited**                 |     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.  |
|                                  |                                  |
|                                  | B.  **Unique Qualifications** -- |
|                                  |     The applicant is uniquely    |
|                                  |     qualified to performed 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;       |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **BLM Point of Contact**         | Tracy Rowland, Park Manager      |
|                                  | 559-855-3492                     |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------+

**OVERVIEW**

> **This is a "Follow-on" project to expand an existing national
> partnership to the local level to assist BLM in developing and
> presenting site-specific "hands-on", interactive natural and heritage
> resource educational programs and products for K-12 audiences ,
> including the role of public lands in meeting our nation's energy
> needs. Programs will be correlated to California State Educational
> standards, and shall be developed in collaboration with BLM and
> partner technical experts. Programs and products will emphasize "Tread
> Lightly!" and "Leave No Trace" principles and practices in order to
> foster a new generation of responsible outdoor recreationists and land
> users.**

**RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT**

> **In collaboration with BLM and its public and private partners, NEED
> (Recipient) will provide site-specific curriculum and staffing
> assistance to BLM to present programs on a year-round basis at the San
> Joaquin River Gorge. NEED will assist BLM in marketing services and
> programs to educators, groups and the general public in the central
> valley region, one of the fastest-growing regions of the state, with a
> population of over 1.5 million people.**
>
> **In collaboration with BLM staff and partners, NEED will assist BLM
> in developing and providing training and workshops for teachers and
> non-formal educators. NEED will assist BLM in evaluating existing
> programs and products as well as new programs and products for BLM and
> its partners.**
>
> **NEED may assist BLM in operating and maintaining program facilities,
> including the visitor center, Learning Center and outdoor classrooms,
> trail maintenance, signage, etc..**
>
> **In collaboration with BLM and its partners, NEED will seek grants
> and external partnerships to assist BLM in creating sustainable,
> long-term funding for these programs.**

**BLM INVOLVEMENT**

Substantial involvement on the part BLM is anticipated for the
successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In
particular, BLM will be responsible for the following:

-   Provide technical assistance on resources to be interpreted, and
    site-specific information

-   BLM shall facilitate the development of grade-appropriate
    educational and interpretive programming by sponsoring collaboration
    among local agency and partner technical experts, and the local
    tribal government representatives

-   BLM shall define priority program areas and issues and provide
    resource expertise for the development and review of educational and
    interpretive materials

-   BLM shall provide facilities for presentation of programs and
    projects , provide project supervision and funding NTE \$50,000 per
    year for teacher training, program development, program review and
    evaluation of materials and collaborative marketing strategy and
    implementation actions, and for staffing assistance to present
    on-site programs

**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.                         |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+

BLM did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the
following criteria:

\(2\) CONTINUATION

**(4) Unique Qualifications**

**Single Source Justification Description:**

This award is made to the National Energy Education and Development
Project as BLM has had an on-going partnership with this organization
since 2004, collaborating on the development of materials that highlight
the role of BLM in meeting the nation's energy needs. The San Joaquin
River Gorge "Hands on the Land" program is a continuation of this
partnership, and brings the national relationship to the local level.
NEED will work with BLM to adapt its existing energy education
curriculum to fit local resources and environments, providing
high-quality, customized educational programming that meets California
Standards for grades K-12. By continuing this relationship and adapting
existing curriculum, BLM will maximize time and financial investment in
improving existing educational and interpretive programming. In
addition, based on what has been learned from this partnership and past
program efforts, such as the development of the California version of
"Get Energized" an interactive CDROM, BLM can move forward to create new
educational programs which expand these topics with a minimum of start
up costs. NEED is a highly-skilled, non-profit organization specializing
in energy education, with a broad array of public and private
partnerships. NEED's teacher networks and array of corporate sponsors
will be of great benefit to BLM both in marketing the programs and
products which are collaboratively produced, and also be of great
benefit in enhancing program funding. NEED has an excellent track record
of fundraising to meet mutual goals and objectives, bringing government
and private partners such as energy corporations together.

**STATUTORY AUTHORITY**

Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-579,
Section 307(b)) ))...."(b) Subject to provisions of applicable law, the
Secretary may enter into contracts and cooperative agreements involving
the management, protection, development and sale of public lands."