Opportunity Information: Apply for P15AS00080
Apply for P15AS00080
- The National Park Service in the community development education employment, labor and training environment information and statistics natural resources regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Organization of American Historians" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.946 Cultural Resources Management.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 1, 2015 and posted on Apr 1, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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:
This federal funding notice, titled "Organization of American Historians" (Funding Opportunity Number P15AS00080), is a Notice of Intent to Award from the National Park Service (NPS). It is not a competitive grant solicitation and is not asking the public to submit applications. Instead, it serves as public documentation that NPS planned to enter into a cooperative agreement with a specific organization, the Organization of American Historians (OAH), without using full and open competition. The announcement was posted April 1, 2015, with an administrative closing date of April 30, 2015, and an archive date of May 1, 2015. The opportunity is tied to CFDA 15.946, Cultural Resource Management, and is listed under multiple activity areas (including community development, education, environment, natural resources, and related categories) because the work intersects research, preservation, interpretation, and public access to historical information.
At its core, the agreement is meant to formalize a working partnership where NPS and OAH combine their expertise and resources to strengthen public understanding of American history and improve how historical resources within the national parks are researched, documented, preserved, and interpreted. The stated objective emphasizes mutual benefit and a long-term public purpose: helping current and future generations better understand and enjoy historic resources managed by NPS. The anticipated period of performance runs from October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2020, and the award instrument is a cooperative agreement, meaning NPS expected to be substantially involved in the work rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. Although the notice lists an anticipated award amount of $0.00 (and no cost share), the main function of the posting is to announce the intent and rationale for this partnership arrangement, not to outline a typical open competition with a defined funding pool.
The recipient, OAH, is expected to collaborate with NPS to identify and develop projects that can be carried out efficiently under the umbrella of the agreement. The project activities described are broad and centered on professional historical work products used across NPS cultural resource and preservation programs. Examples include administrative histories, Historic Resource Studies, other historical research projects, National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmark theme studies and nominations, and documentation efforts associated with HABS/HAER/HALS (Historic American Buildings Survey, Historic American Engineering Record, and Historic American Landscapes Survey). OAHs role also includes helping NPS locate and vet qualified scholars, providing background on historians who might contribute to particular projects, and offering scholarly review to keep work aligned with professional standards. Another important expectation is relationship-building: OAH would help connect NPS staff with the wider historical profession and alert NPS to opportunities for staff engagement in the field.
On the NPS side, the agency anticipates substantial involvement, which is why a cooperative agreement (rather than a more hands-off grant) is used. NPS responsibilities include jointly undertaking research and information-sharing activities related to U.S. history in national parks, including efforts that push information beyond park boundaries to wider audiences. NPS would work with OAH to help parks expand their capacity in historical education, historic preservation, and cultural resources management, again using the same kinds of deliverables (studies, nominations, documentation projects, bibliographies, and interpretive/educational materials). NPS also commits to providing logistical and facility support when work occurs in park units and to partnering with OAH to increase public access to park historical information, with an emphasis on making information about preservation and historic resources more available. The notice also highlights the goal of sustaining ongoing professional relationships between NPS staff and external historians.
A key part of the announcement is the justification for issuing the award as a single-source action rather than conducting a competition. The Department of the Interior requires a written explanation when competition is not practicable, and NPS cites the "Unique Qualifications" criterion. The stated rationale is that OAH, because of its large membership and deep bench of professional historians, is uniquely positioned to help NPS design and execute a wide range of historical studies, reports, and related products. NPS argues that OAH members bring broad and specialized expertise in American history and the technical experience needed for products central to NPS preservation and documentation work, including Historic Structure Reports, landscape documentation, HABS/HAER records, and National Register and National Historic Landmark documentation. In short, the single-source basis rests on OAHs demonstrated professional capacity and the value of its network for producing authoritative, high-quality historical work.
The legal authorities cited for the agreement include 54 USC 101702(a), which supports NPS entering into cooperative agreements for public purposes related to NPS programs, and 54 USC 302304, associated with the National Historic Preservation Act framework. The notice lists June Zastrow as the NPS point of contact (303-987-6718; junezastrow@nps.gov) and identifies Aidan Smith as the principal investigator/program manager for the recipient organization. Eligible applicants are shown as 501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than institutions of higher education), but since this is explicitly not a request for applications, eligibility information is essentially contextual rather than an invitation to apply.
FAQs: Organization of American Historians (NPS Notice of Intent to Award) - Funding Opportunity Number P15AS00080
1) What is Funding Opportunity Number P15AS00080?
P15AS00080 is a federal funding notice from the National Park Service (NPS) titled "Organization of American Historians." It is a Notice of Intent to Award, meaning it documents NPS's plan to enter into a cooperative agreement with a specific organization.
2) Is this a competitive grant opportunity?
No. The notice is not a competitive grant solicitation and it is not asking the public to submit applications. Its purpose is to publicly document NPS's intent to make an award without full and open competition.
3) Can members of the public or other organizations apply?
No. The notice explicitly states it is not a request for applications. It is tied to a planned single-source cooperative agreement with the Organization of American Historians (OAH).
4) Who is the intended recipient of the cooperative agreement?
The intended recipient is the Organization of American Historians (OAH).
5) What type of award instrument is planned?
The planned instrument is a cooperative agreement. This indicates NPS expected to be substantially involved in the work rather than simply providing funds with minimal involvement.
6) What is the purpose of the agreement?
The agreement is meant to formalize a working partnership where NPS and OAH combine expertise and resources to strengthen public understanding of American history and improve how historical resources within national parks are researched, documented, preserved, and interpreted for long-term public benefit.
7) What is the anticipated period of performance?
The anticipated period of performance runs from October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2020.
8) How much funding is anticipated?
The notice lists an anticipated award amount of $0.00.
9) Is cost sharing required?
No. The notice indicates no cost share.
10) Why does the notice show an award amount of $0.00?
Based on the notice, the posting's main function is to announce the intent and rationale for the partnership arrangement, not to outline a typical open competition with a defined funding pool.
11) What CFDA program is this opportunity associated with?
This notice is tied to CFDA 15.946, Cultural Resource Management.
12) Why is the opportunity listed under multiple activity areas?
It is listed under multiple areas (including community development, education, environment, natural resources, and related categories) because the work intersects research, preservation, interpretation, and public access to historical information.
13) What kinds of activities or deliverables are contemplated under the agreement?
The activities described are broad professional historical work products used across NPS cultural resource and preservation programs. Examples include administrative histories, Historic Resource Studies, other historical research projects, National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmark theme studies and nominations, and documentation associated with HABS/HAER/HALS.
14) What do HABS/HAER/HALS refer to in this notice?
They refer to documentation efforts associated with the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS).
15) What is OAH expected to do under the cooperative agreement?
OAH is expected to collaborate with NPS to identify and develop projects that can be carried out efficiently under the agreement. OAH would also help NPS locate and vet qualified scholars, provide background on historians who may contribute to projects, and provide scholarly review to help keep work aligned with professional standards.
16) Does the notice include a relationship-building or professional engagement component?
Yes. The notice states OAH would help connect NPS staff with the wider historical profession, alert NPS to opportunities for staff engagement in the field, and help sustain ongoing professional relationships between NPS staff and external historians.
17) What role is NPS expected to play in the work?
NPS anticipates substantial involvement. NPS responsibilities include jointly undertaking research and information-sharing activities related to U.S. history in national parks, supporting efforts that extend information to wider audiences beyond park boundaries, and working with OAH to expand park capacity in historical education, historic preservation, and cultural resources management.
18) Will NPS provide any support beyond collaboration?
Yes. The notice states NPS would provide logistical and facility support when work occurs in park units.
19) Does the agreement emphasize public access to historical information?
Yes. NPS and OAH are expected to partner to increase public access to park historical information, with an emphasis on making information about preservation and historic resources more available.
20) Why is this a single-source (non-competitive) action?
The notice provides a justification under the Department of the Interior's requirement to explain when competition is not practicable. NPS cites "Unique Qualifications," stating that OAH's large membership and network of professional historians uniquely positions it to help NPS design and execute a wide range of historical studies and related products.
21) What "unique qualifications" does NPS attribute to OAH?
NPS states OAH has broad and specialized expertise in American history and technical experience for key NPS products, including studies, preservation and documentation work, and documentation supporting programs such as HABS/HAER, Historic Structure Reports, landscape documentation, and National Register and National Historic Landmark documentation.
22) What legal authorities are cited for the agreement?
The notice cites 54 USC 101702(a) and 54 USC 302304 as legal authorities supporting the cooperative agreement and its preservation-related purpose.
23) When was the notice posted, and what are the closing and archive dates?
The notice was posted April 1, 2015. It lists an administrative closing date of April 30, 2015, and an archive date of May 1, 2015.
24) What does the administrative closing date mean in this context?
Based on the notice's description as a Notice of Intent to Award (not a solicitation), the administrative closing date functions as a recordkeeping date for the posting rather than an application deadline for the public.
25) Who is the NPS point of contact for this notice?
The notice lists June Zastrow as the NPS point of contact at 303-987-6718 and junezastrow@nps.gov.
26) Who is listed as the principal investigator/program manager for the recipient?
The notice identifies Aidan Smith as the principal investigator/program manager for the recipient organization.
27) Who is shown as eligible to apply, and does that eligibility matter here?
Eligible applicants are shown as 501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than institutions of higher education). However, because this notice is explicitly not a request for applications, the eligibility listing is contextual rather than an invitation to apply.
28) What is the overall public benefit described in the objective?
The stated objective emphasizes mutual benefit and a long-term public purpose: helping current and future generations better understand and enjoy historic resources managed by NPS by strengthening research, preservation, documentation, interpretation, and access.
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