Opportunity Information: Apply for P13AS00115
Apply for P13AS00115
- The National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Geoscientists in the Parks/Mosaics in Science Youth Internship Program Fiscal Year 2013" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.931 Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 5, 2013 and posted on Jul 5, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $415,839.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $415,839.00 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 National Park Service (NPS) funding opportunity titled "Geoscientists in the Parks/Mosaics in Science Youth Internship Program Fiscal Year 2013" (Funding Opportunity Number P13AS00115) was published mainly as a public notice, not as a competitive call for proposals. In other words, it explicitly stated that it was not requesting applications. Instead, NPS announced its intent to make a single cooperative agreement award without full and open competition. The purpose of the effort was to support two closely related internship programs, Geoscientists in the Parks (GIP) and Mosaics in Science (MIS), which place geoscientists and other natural resource science interns into projects on NPS-managed lands. These positions are designed to help parks complete practical science work such as resource inventories, monitoring, applied research, and interpretation/education that can be used by park staff and communicated to the public, ultimately strengthening science-based resource management across the National Park System.
The core program concept is that interns (often referred to as GeoCorps participants in the announcement) contribute directly to on-the-ground projects that parks need help completing. Expected work can include collecting and organizing field data, assisting with long-term monitoring, producing maps or resource summaries, contributing to interpretive materials, and generating tangible deliverables that parks can use in decision-making and public education. A key feature is that these internships are structured to benefit multiple audiences at once: participants gain professional experience and mentorship, park staff gain capacity and scientifically credible products, and visitors and the broader public gain access to clearer information about park geology and related natural resources.
The intended recipient organization for this cooperative agreement was the Geological Society of America (GSA), a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status. Under the announcement, GSA would take the lead on the national recruitment and administrative backbone of the program through its established GeoCorps America and Mosaics in Science infrastructure. Specifically, GSA committed to maintaining and updating the program websites and the online system used to post opportunities and accept applications. GSA also agreed to work with the NPS program manager on selecting which projects would be offered, recruit applicants through its existing networks, and handle the administrative workflow for recruitment, application processing, and participant selection support. That included ensuring each participant completed required agreements and forms (such as participation, nondisclosure, and interagency volunteer agreements), and managing the financial administration tied to participant stipends, travel advances, allowances, and any needed tax and program documentation. GSA would also communicate directly with each intern about their responsibilities and would collect required end-of-term materials like photographs and captions, a written report, a program evaluation, a sponsor thank-you letter, and any project-specific products. Those items, along with any annual reports or publications produced under the agreement, would be provided to the NPS Geologic Resources Division, and participants would be instructed to acknowledge both NPS and GSA in any resulting publications or audiovisual products.
NPS, for its part, anticipated "substantial involvement," which is a hallmark of cooperative agreements. Rather than simply awarding funds and stepping back, NPS would actively shape and support the work. NPS responsibilities included identifying geoscience-related needs across parks and entering project proposals into GSA's online system; selecting participants for each posted opportunity from the qualified applicant pools GSA provided; and ensuring interns could operate effectively and safely at the duty station. NPS would provide necessary tools and equipment (including safety gear), access to facilities, project site transportation, and the relevant rules and procedures for the work. Housing support was also part of the NPS role, either through providing housing directly or providing a housing allowance. NPS would orient each participant upon arrival, covering the park mission, applicable policies, equipment and housing rules, and a detailed description of the specific project. Importantly, NPS committed to providing qualified mentors and technical oversight, making adjustments to project direction as needed, and giving final approval for work products. Training, including safety and project-related training, would be provided to ensure participants could perform competently and that their understanding of project goals and their role improved throughout the placement. At the end of each project, participating NPS units would prepare written evaluations, and submission of these evaluations to GSA was positioned as a condition for advertising subsequent GeoCorps/GIP or MIS opportunities.
A major administrative point in the announcement is that the award was not competed. NPS justified the single-source approach using two main criteria: continuation and unique qualifications. The continuation argument was that GSA had already been successfully administering the GIP program with NPS for 17 years and had an established online application and management system as well as the operational processes needed to keep the program running smoothly. The unique qualifications argument focused on GSA's ability to recruit highly qualified Earth science applicants at a national scale and to address program issues efficiently as they arise, supported by the systems and experience already in place. NPS indicated it conducted market research, including internet searches and interviews with other nonprofit organizations, and concluded that alternatives did not meet the program's specific needs.
From a funding and administrative perspective, this was categorized as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement instrument under the Natural Resources activity category. The opportunity anticipated a single award with an estimated total funding amount of $415,839, with an award ceiling listed at the same amount (and an award floor of $1). Cost sharing or matching was listed as required. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity was 15.931, "Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations." Key dates listed were a posted date of July 5, 2013, with a closing date of July 15, 2013, and an archive date of July 16, 2013, although the announcement emphasized it was not an application solicitation despite the presence of standard grants.gov fields.
Finally, NPS cited statutory authority supporting its use of cooperative agreements and youth corps-style conservation work. Authorities referenced included 16 U.S.C. 1g related to NPS cooperative agreements for public purposes (in line with 31 U.S.C. 6305), and 16 U.S.C. 1723(c) under the Public Lands Corps program, which authorizes contracts and cooperative agreements with qualified youth or conservation corps and allows preference for corps serving economically, physically, or educationally disadvantaged members in specific areas when practicable. Contact information in the posting directed technical access questions to a listed contract specialist associated with NPS.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the title and funding opportunity number for this announcement?
The announcement is titled "Geoscientists in the Parks/Mosaics in Science Youth Internship Program Fiscal Year 2013" and uses Funding Opportunity Number P13AS00115.
2) Was this a competitive grant opportunity open for applications?
No. The posting functioned mainly as a public notice. It explicitly stated it was not requesting applications and described NPS's intent to make a single cooperative agreement award without full and open competition.
3) If it was not requesting applications, why did it appear to have standard grants.gov dates?
The notice included typical grants.gov fields (posted date, closing date, archive date), but it still emphasized that it was not an application solicitation.
4) What programs were being supported through this effort?
The cooperative agreement supported two closely related internship programs: Geoscientists in the Parks (GIP) and Mosaics in Science (MIS). These programs place geoscientists and other natural resource science interns into projects on National Park Service-managed lands.
5) What is the overall purpose of the GIP and MIS internships?
The purpose is to help parks complete practical science work that supports science-based resource management across the National Park System. Work products are intended to be useful to park staff and also communicated to visitors and the public where appropriate.
6) What kinds of work were interns expected to do?
Expected work described in the notice included resource inventories, monitoring, applied research, and interpretation/education. Examples mentioned include collecting and organizing field data, assisting with long-term monitoring, producing maps or resource summaries, contributing to interpretive materials, and generating tangible deliverables that parks can use for decision-making and public education.
7) Who benefits from these internships, according to the notice?
The notice described benefits for multiple audiences: participants gain professional experience and mentorship; park staff gain added capacity and scientifically credible products; and visitors/the broader public gain clearer information about park geology and related natural resources.
8) What type of federal award instrument was planned?
The award was planned as a cooperative agreement (not a standard grant), and it was described as a discretionary award under a Natural Resources activity category.
9) What does "substantial involvement" mean in this context?
The notice explained that, as a cooperative agreement, NPS anticipated substantial involvement. That means NPS would actively shape and support the work rather than only providing funds.
10) Who was the intended recipient organization for the single cooperative agreement?
The intended recipient was the Geological Society of America (GSA), identified as a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status.
11) Why did NPS plan to make a single-source (non-competitive) award?
NPS justified the approach using two main points described in the notice: (1) continuation, citing that GSA had already been successfully administering GIP with NPS for 17 years and had established systems and processes; and (2) unique qualifications, emphasizing GSA's national-scale Earth science recruitment capability and the ability to address program issues efficiently using existing infrastructure. NPS also stated it conducted market research (internet searches and interviews with other nonprofits) and concluded alternatives did not meet the program's needs.
12) What role was GSA expected to play under the cooperative agreement?
GSA was expected to lead the national recruitment and administrative backbone through its GeoCorps America and Mosaics in Science infrastructure. Duties described included maintaining/updating program websites and an online system used to post opportunities and accept applications; working with the NPS program manager on project selection; recruiting applicants through existing networks; and handling recruitment workflow, application processing, and participant selection support.
13) What administrative and documentation tasks would GSA manage for participants?
The notice stated GSA would ensure participants completed required agreements and forms, including participation agreements, nondisclosure agreements, and interagency volunteer agreements. GSA would also manage financial administration tied to stipends, travel advances, allowances, and required tax and program documentation.
14) What communications and end-of-term materials were participants expected to provide?
GSA would communicate directly with interns about responsibilities and collect end-of-term materials described in the notice, including photographs and captions, a written report, a program evaluation, a sponsor thank-you letter, and any project-specific products.
15) Where would reports, publications, and other products be provided?
Items collected under the agreement (including annual reports or publications produced under the agreement) were to be provided to the NPS Geologic Resources Division.
16) Were participants required to acknowledge NPS and GSA in publications or media?
Yes. The notice stated participants would be instructed to acknowledge both NPS and GSA in any resulting publications or audiovisual products.
17) What role would NPS play in selecting projects and participants?
NPS responsibilities described included identifying geoscience-related needs across parks and entering project proposals into GSA's online system, and selecting participants for posted opportunities from qualified applicant pools that GSA provided.
18) What support would NPS provide at the duty station?
NPS would ensure interns could operate effectively and safely. Support described included tools and equipment (including safety gear), access to facilities, project site transportation, and applicable rules and procedures.
19) What housing support was described for interns?
Housing support was described as part of the NPS role, either by providing housing directly or providing a housing allowance.
20) What orientation and training would interns receive?
NPS would orient participants upon arrival, covering the park mission, applicable policies, equipment and housing rules, and details of the specific project. The notice also stated that training (including safety and project-related training) would be provided to ensure participants could perform competently and better understand project goals and roles over the course of the placement.
21) Who would provide mentorship and technical oversight?
NPS committed to providing qualified mentors and technical oversight, making adjustments to project direction as needed, and giving final approval for work products.
22) Were park units expected to evaluate participants at the end of a project?
Yes. At the end of each project, participating NPS units would prepare written evaluations. The notice indicated that submitting these evaluations to GSA was positioned as a condition for advertising subsequent GeoCorps/GIP or MIS opportunities.
23) What was the estimated funding amount for the planned award?
The opportunity anticipated a single award with an estimated total funding amount of $415,839.
24) What were the award ceiling and award floor?
The award ceiling was listed as $415,839, and the award floor was listed as $1.
25) Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The notice listed cost sharing or matching as required.
26) What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The notice associated the opportunity with CFDA 15.931, "Conservation Activities by Youth Service Organizations."
27) What were the key dates shown in the posting?
The posting listed a posted date of July 5, 2013; a closing date of July 15, 2013; and an archive date of July 16, 2013.
28) What statutory authorities were cited to support the cooperative agreement approach?
The notice referenced 16 U.S.C. 1g (cooperative agreements for public purposes, in line with 31 U.S.C. 6305) and 16 U.S.C. 1723(c) under the Public Lands Corps program (authorizing contracts and cooperative agreements with qualified youth or conservation corps and allowing certain preferences when practicable).
29) Did the notice mention any preference related to youth or conservation corps participation?
Yes. The notice referenced that 16 U.S.C. 1723(c) allows preference for corps serving economically, physically, or educationally disadvantaged members in specific areas when practicable.
30) Who was listed as the contact for technical access questions?
The posting directed technical access questions to a listed contract specialist associated with NPS (the notice did not provide additional details beyond that description).
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