Opportunity Information: Apply for P15AS00009
Apply for P15AS00009
- The National Park Service in the business and commerce education employment, labor and training information and statistics sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Business Plan Internships" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.954 National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 2, 2014 and posted on Dec 2, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 15, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $55,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $55,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The "Business Plan Internships" opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number P15AS00009) is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to award, not an open solicitation. In other words, it is published to inform the public that NPS plans to make a single award without full and open competition. The anticipated recipient is Net Impact (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), with Liz Maw listed as the principal investigator/program manager. The award is structured as a cooperative agreement and is a continuation action under an existing cooperative agreement (P11AC91289), issued through a task agreement (P15AC00067). The total anticipated federal funding is $55,000, with no cost share or matching requirement, and the period of performance runs from the date of award through December 31, 2015. The CFDA program listed is 15.954, National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education, and the statutory authority cited is 16 U.S.C. 1(g), which authorizes NPS to enter cooperative agreements to carry out NPS programs.
The core activity being supported is the Business Plan Internship (BPI) program. This program places graduate-level student interns into short, multi-week, on-site projects that help parks and NPS program offices address specific operational analysis and business management needs. Interns work in small teams of two or three and are assigned to park units or program offices to complete defined analytical projects. Oversight and project management are provided by the Washington Office Comptroller's Business Management Group (BMG), which is described as the NPS on-the-ground expert in the financial and business management tools used across the Service. Because the work involves NPS-specific processes, templates, and management analysis documents, NPS anticipates substantial involvement to guide the planning approach and provide technical assistance, which is a key reason the instrument is a cooperative agreement rather than a more hands-off grant.
Roles are split between Net Impact and NPS, with some joint responsibilities. Both parties commit staff time to recruit, place, and train interns; develop an annual work plan with timelines; meet at least annually to confirm the agreement still fits both parties' needs and that the scope remains valid; and jointly design evaluation surveys for interns (covering recruiting, onboarding, training, and internship management) as well as surveys for participating park staff. Net Impact is responsible for much of the recruitment and administrative coordination: posting job announcements to university career sites and relevant job boards, running virtual information sessions, accepting and screening applications for eligibility and completeness, packaging and forwarding applications to NPS, scheduling interviews, tracking candidates in an application database, and communicating application status back to applicants. Net Impact also handles key logistics such as coordinating training-session details, arranging travel to training and to duty stations (or reimbursing travel), maintaining liability insurance coverage, and supporting housing arrangements when a host park cannot provide accommodations. In addition, Net Impact maintains a dedicated BPI program website with an electronic application form, analyzes recruiting performance and recommends strategies (including improving diversity recruitment and retention), develops marketing materials, reviews program impact feedback from NPS participants to identify improvements, and suggests program design changes based on best practices and lessons learned from other internship programs. If an intern must be dismissed, Net Impact can only do so in consultation with NPS.
NPS, meanwhile, retains responsibility for defining and running the program from the operational side. NPS determines the number and types of intern positions, sets program dates, and drafts the job announcement in coordination with Net Impact. NPS collaborates on selecting and placing interns, decides which parks and projects will participate, and manages internship execution with park staff. NPS also designs and delivers much of the training content: choosing training dates and locations, building the training agenda, updating manuals and materials, arranging speakers and presentations, and securing meeting space. During the internships, NPS provides technical assistance, may conduct site visits, and coordinates required background checks. Where needed, NPS may provide housing and local transportation; if either is provided, interns are subject to NPS rules and regulations. Importantly, NPS enrolls the Net Impact business planning interns in the Volunteers-In-Parks program to ensure tort claims and workers compensation coverage apply within the scope described.
The justification for not competing this award is explicitly based on the Department of the Interior single-source policy criteria for a "continuation" award. NPS states that this action continues an ongoing activity currently funded, and that competing it would risk disrupting continuity or completion of the work. The posting includes standard administrative details from the grants listing, including that only one award is expected, the award ceiling equals the estimated total funding ($55,000), the eligible applicant type is nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), and the public point of contact is June Zastrow (303-987-6718, JuneZastrow@nps.gov). The listing also includes the original posting and closing dates (posted December 2, 2014; closed December 15, 2014) and notes that the announcement is archived later, reinforcing that this was informational rather than a call for proposals.
Business Plan Internships (Funding Opportunity Number P15AS00009) - FAQs
1) Is this an open grant competition?
No. This listing is a National Park Service (NPS) notice of intent to award, not an open solicitation. It was published to inform the public that NPS plans to make a single award without full and open competition.
2) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is P15AS00009.
3) What is the name of the opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Business Plan Internships."
4) Who is the anticipated recipient?
The anticipated recipient is Net Impact, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
5) Who is listed as the principal investigator/program manager?
Liz Maw is listed as the principal investigator/program manager.
6) What type of award instrument is planned?
The award is structured as a cooperative agreement.
7) Why is this a cooperative agreement instead of a traditional grant?
NPS anticipates substantial involvement because the work relies on NPS-specific processes, templates, and management analysis documents. NPS expects to guide the planning approach and provide technical assistance, which aligns with a cooperative agreement rather than a more hands-off grant.
8) Is this a new award or a continuation?
This is a continuation action under an existing cooperative agreement (P11AC91289), issued through a task agreement (P15AC00067).
9) What is the total anticipated federal funding amount?
The total anticipated federal funding is $55,000.
10) Is there a cost share or matching requirement?
No. The listing states there is no cost share or matching requirement.
11) What is the period of performance?
The period of performance runs from the date of award through December 31, 2015.
12) What CFDA program is associated with this award?
The CFDA program listed is 15.954, National Park Service Conservation, Protection, Outreach, and Education.
13) What statutory authority is cited for this cooperative agreement?
The statutory authority cited is 16 U.S.C. 1(g), which authorizes NPS to enter cooperative agreements to carry out NPS programs.
14) What activity is this funding intended to support?
The funding supports the Business Plan Internship (BPI) program, which places graduate-level student interns into short, multi-week, on-site projects to help parks and NPS program offices address operational analysis and business management needs.
15) What kinds of projects do interns work on?
Interns complete defined analytical projects focused on operational analysis and business management needs for park units or NPS program offices.
16) How are internship teams structured?
Interns work in small teams of two or three and are assigned to specific park units or program offices.
17) Who provides oversight and project management for the internship work?
Oversight and project management are provided by the Washington Office Comptroller's Business Management Group (BMG), described as the NPS on-the-ground expert in financial and business management tools used across the Service.
18) What are the shared responsibilities between Net Impact and NPS?
Both parties commit staff time to recruit, place, and train interns; develop an annual work plan with timelines; meet at least annually to confirm the agreement still fits both parties' needs and that the scope remains valid; and jointly design evaluation surveys for interns and for participating park staff.
19) What evaluation surveys are included in the program?
The parties jointly design surveys for interns (covering recruiting, onboarding, training, and internship management) and surveys for participating park staff.
20) What are Net Impact's main responsibilities under this agreement?
Net Impact handles major recruitment and administrative coordination tasks, including posting job announcements, conducting virtual information sessions, accepting and screening applications, forwarding application packages to NPS, scheduling interviews, tracking candidates in a database, and communicating application status to applicants.
21) What recruitment and marketing activities does Net Impact perform?
Net Impact posts job announcements to university career sites and relevant job boards, runs virtual information sessions, develops marketing materials, maintains a dedicated BPI program website with an electronic application form, and analyzes recruiting performance to recommend strategies (including improving diversity recruitment and retention).
22) What logistics does Net Impact coordinate for interns?
Net Impact coordinates training-session details, arranges travel to training and duty stations (or reimburses travel), maintains liability insurance coverage, and supports housing arrangements when a host park cannot provide accommodations.
23) Can Net Impact dismiss an intern on its own?
No. If an intern must be dismissed, Net Impact can only do so in consultation with NPS.
24) What are NPS's main responsibilities under this agreement?
NPS determines the number and types of intern positions, sets program dates, drafts the job announcement in coordination with Net Impact, collaborates on selecting and placing interns, decides which parks and projects will participate, and manages internship execution with park staff.
25) Who designs and delivers the training content?
NPS designs and delivers much of the training content, including choosing training dates and locations, building the training agenda, updating manuals and materials, arranging speakers and presentations, and securing meeting space.
26) What support does NPS provide during the internship projects?
During internships, NPS provides technical assistance, may conduct site visits, and coordinates required background checks.
27) Does NPS provide housing or transportation to interns?
Where needed, NPS may provide housing and local transportation. If either is provided, interns are subject to NPS rules and regulations.
28) How are interns covered for claims or workers compensation while working in parks?
NPS enrolls the Net Impact business planning interns in the Volunteers-In-Parks program to ensure tort claims and workers compensation coverage apply within the scope described.
29) Why is NPS not competing this award?
The justification is based on the Department of the Interior single-source policy criteria for a "continuation" award. NPS states this action continues an ongoing activity currently funded, and competing it would risk disrupting continuity or completion of the work.
30) How many awards does NPS expect to make under this notice?
Only one award is expected.
31) What is the award ceiling for this notice?
The award ceiling equals the estimated total funding amount: $55,000.
32) What organizations were listed as eligible applicants?
The eligible applicant type is nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.
33) Who is the public point of contact for this listing?
The public point of contact is June Zastrow, reachable at 303-987-6718 and JuneZastrow@nps.gov.
34) What were the posted and closed dates shown on the listing?
The listing shows it was posted on December 2, 2014 and closed on December 15, 2014.
35) Does the listing indicate it is archived?
Yes. The information notes that the announcement is archived later, reinforcing that it was informational rather than a call for proposals.
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