BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTFOCUSED ONDEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR - GREATER EVERGLADES SCIENCE Application period extended to 5:00 PM EST 3/20/2009 Important information:This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) will be administered

BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTFOCUSED ONDEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR - GREATER EVERGLADES SCIENCE This Amendment Extends the Period of Accepting Applications until 5:00 PM on March 20, 2009 Important information:This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) will be administered by Everglades National Park (EVER), National Park Service (NPS) Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the entire BAA before submitting applications or questions to avoid processing delays in the event that their proposal is selected for funding. Official information and updates related to this BAA will only be made available through www.Grants.gov and www.fbo.gov. Please notify the Contracting Officer if you wish to create a link to this announcement from another website. The Contracting Officer's contact information is provided in Section X of this BAA. I) SUMMARY The Critical Ecosystem Studies Initiative (CESI) is a science program managed by Everglades National Park. CESI was established in 1997 to fund science activities and projects that help Department of Interior managers, including National Park Services, make decisions about how to move forward with Everglades restoration. Since 1997, more than 250 separate projects have been selected and funded by CESI. Information about the CESI program can be found on http://www.nps.gov/ever/naturescience/cesi.htm. Important guidelines for applicants related to permitting and compliance can be found on the South Florida Natural Resources Center website, http://www.nps.gov/ever/naturescience/sfnrc.htm. This BAA is administered following the limitations and requirements of the Federal Acquisitions Regulation (FAR), Part 35 -Research and Development Contracting. For detailed information, please see http://www.arnet.gov/far/. Successful proposals will:" Be complementary to ongoing work" address overall priority science DOI need" define deliverables that include" progress reports" a technical final report, and " summary fact sheet prepared for presentation of the project on the SFNRC/CESI website. II. PRIORITY SCIENCE NEEDS Proposals are requested that are oriented toward addressing the science needs listed in this section. Please note that some of these science needs are fairly specific, and others are more general. By use of a BAA, CESI anticipates the submission of meaningful proposals with varying technical/scientific approaches. For background on DOI science needs listed in this BAA, the following reference information is provided:" The DOI Science Plan in Support of Ecosystem Restoration, Preservation, and Protection in South Florida, May 2005 (DOI Science Plan). is available online and can be downloaded athttp://www.sofia.usgs.gov/publications/reports/doi-science-plan/. It is recommended that the "What is needed" sections in each chapter are reviewed before submitting to this BAA. Please send all questions and comments to the contact person listed in this BAA, who will forward your inquiries to the CESI Project Management Specialist. " An overview of Everglades restoration issues, including the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), Acceler-8 (8 CERP projects on an accelerated schedule), CERP Interim Goals and RECOVER, may be viewed at http://www.evergladesplan.org/ . RECOVER and the Monitoring and Assessment Plan can be found at http://www.evergladesplan.org/pm/recover/recover.cfm. Interagency science priorities can be reviewed at http://www.sfrestore.org. Information about the hydrologic models developed by the South Florida Water Management District can be found at http://www.sfwmd.gov/org/pld/hsm/hsm.html/ . A. Hydrologic and Ecological Modeling: Tool DevelopmentWork is needed on modeling of surface water and ground water dynamics to simulate the impact of projects on water patterns, water quality, and ecology in the following areas: Biscayne National Park and associated basins and upstream systems; the eastern border of the Water Conservation Areas and Everglades National Park; Northeast and Central Florida Bay; Picayune Strand and Ten-Thousand Islands area of SW coastal areas; and A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Refinement of existing models will, in general, be given priority over new model development. Models and project effects simulated may be of the scale of planned pre-CERP and CERP hydrologic restoration projects, or may be of a more local scale so as to capture effects of, for example, localized operational deviations, quarries, or species with localized ranges. We expect fund 2-3 projects in this area for 3 years. B. Water Management Operations and Climatic Variability: ApplicationsResearch is needed that assists in determining the effects of water management operations (e.g. structure discharge, canal stages, and operating plans such as Regulation Schedule[s], Rainfall Plans, Marsh Operations, and Minimum Deliveries) and climate variability (inter-annual variability in rainfall, hurricane frequency, drought frequency), on biological resources including community composition and function in the following areas: " Ridge and slough" Tree islands" Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay" Picayune Strand restoration project watershedThis research may utilize existing or new field information, and/or modeling tools. CERP and pre-CERP projects that are of most interest in the context of this science need are the Modified Water Deliveries project and the C111 South Dade project, the WCA3A Decompartmentalization project, the C111 Spreader Canal project, and the ENP seepage management project. We expect to fund 2-4 projects in this area for 3 years. C. Climate Change and Sea Level RiseWe require studies that address the impacts of climate change and sea level rise on DOI trust resources in the South Florida ecosystem, in the context of Everglades restoration. Some questions that are pertinent to management decision-making, and that should be considered in the development of proposals are: " What are the predicted effects of sea-level rise on coastal ecosystems in South Florida (including the natural and built system), and how do these effects relate to restoration activities? We are looking for refinement and applications of tools (including existing models, and remote imagery) that provide quantitative landscape-scale assessments of surface water distribution, vegetation type, critical habitat status, and estuarine conditions. " Can increased freshwater flow ameliorate the effects of sea level rise in South Florida built and natural systems, and to what extent? " What is the status of coastal ecosystems/coastal communities/coastal species within the DOI trust resources of South Florida? The focus should be on ecosystems that are affected both by sea level rise/climate change and by Everglades restoration activities. " What are the best (i.e. the most parsimonious suite of) physical or ecological indicators to monitor that track the effects of climate change and sea level rise on DOI trust resources in South Florida? Indicators that are tracked by other State and Federal agencies should be distinguished from those that should be tracked by DOI. We expect to fund 1-5 projects in this area for 3 years. D. Invasive Exotic Organisms (both Plant and Animal) We require studies that provide information on the impact, prevention, management and control of invasive exotic organisms within federally managed areas. Management questions that should be addressed in proposals are the following:" What are the best systems for early detection of and rapid response to incipient populations of non-native invasive animals and plants in the South Florida Ecosystem, particularly those that pose a threat to DOI resources?" How can managers predict which non-native invasive animals (particularly fish and reptiles) currently in the South Florida system pose the greatest risk of invasion and/or impact to communities of native species? (predictive risk-assessment studies)" What are the best alternative structural designs to use in pre-CERP or CERP projects that would prevent or limit the spread of non-native species?" What are the impacts to and responses of native animals to introduction and persistence of exotic organisms in terrestrial and aquatic environments in federally managed areas? We expect to fund 2-5 projects in this area for 3 years. E. Avian Ecology and Multi-species ManagementSnail Kites: Work is needed to integrate research on habitat quality, apple snail reproduction and availability, and population parameters of the snail kite in South Florida. The outcome of this work should be an "integrated suite of recommendations that identifies the range of acceptable water management strategies and expected outcomes [for the Snail Kite], with respect to their short term and long term effects on the status of the vegetation communities, Apple Snails and Snail Kites, and their interactions." (SEI report, 2007, www.sei.org .) We expect to fund 1-2 projects in this area for 3 years. F. A Synthesis of Freshwater Everglades Research A synthesis of field data, historical information and modeling results of the last 1-2 decades of intensive Everglades freshwater research is needed. This synthesis should review the literature for emerging scientific results that are pertinent to the refinement of long-term restoration goals and targets in South Florida, and to the design of restoration projects to move toward those goals. Identification of gaps in scientific knowledge should also result from this work. The synthesis should focus on the Everglades freshwater ecosystem from Lake Okeechobee southward, and include such topics as hydrology and water flow patterns, water quality, sediment transport, vegetative habitats (tree islands, ridge and slough, marsh, wet prairie), and ecological communities. A book or a dedicated journal issue is envisioned as the result of this work. The resulting work should provide resource managers with information for decision-making. For example, a synthesis of water quality research might include a review of how nutrients in the water column as compared to the effects of local or regional dry downs affect the trajectory and timeframe of ecosystem restoration upon re-hydration. We expect to fund 1 project in this area for 3 years. III) BAA OBJECTIVES A) The long-term objective of the DOI science initiative is to provide support to initiate and accelerate research for critical science in support of the Greater Everglades ecosystem restoration initiative. B) The program is designed to complement the research endeavors of other DOI agencies and stakeholder institutions involved in Everglades restoration by filling in the gaps in our current understanding of restoration science and is coordinated with those entities to avoid duplication of efforts. IV) PROGRAM AUTHORITY AND FUNDING AVAILABILITY A) The Federal 2009 Interior and Related Agencies Bill is anticipated to renew the authorization for CESI funding for Fiscal Year 2009 under "Everglades Restoration." The NPS Contracting Office will not finalize the rewards associated with the BAA until the aforementioned bill has been signed. Funding for all projects is contingent upon availability. Funds available for projects vary from year to year and can be committed only on a yearly basis. Awards for continuing projects are evaluated annually in a process separate from this BAA. B) Award size is variable; there are no pre-set limits for overall costs. It is strongly recommended that the total cost of the project, including indirect rates, be competitive and include in-kind funding opportunities. Program administrators reserve the right to request revisions in the technical proposal and/or cost proposal before an award amount is finalized. C) At present, approximately $1 million is available for these projects. The total available funding may increase (or decrease) when additional funds become available, or are reduced due to agency exigencies. V) ELIGIBILITY A) For CESI funding, applicant eligibility is unrestricted and generally includes institutions of:1) Higher education2) Other nonprofits3) Commercial organizations4) Federal, state, local, and Indian tribal governments5) International institutions (funds will be disbursed in U.S. currency) B) Funding from USGS for studies relevant to Greater Everglades Priority Ecosystems Science is generally restricted to USGS scientists. C) Applicants shall comply with their institution's requirements for initiating new projects. It is the responsibility of the applicant to familiarize and inform themselves with their institution's requirements regarding contracts and cooperative research and related fund disbursement before responding to this BAA. VI) IMPORTANT DATES AND INFORMATION A) All applications are due no later than the due date and time for proposals is at 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on the closing date of this BAA. Proposals received after the deadline shall not be considered. B) The estimated project start date included in the proposals should reflect the anticipated latest date the applicant can begin without making substantial changes to the original proposal schedule and resource requirements. This date shall be considered as flexible unless clearly stated that the start date is chosen because of seasonally dependent inventory, monitoring, or research sampling. Actual project start dates shall be dependent on the date the award is approved and processed, and is on average ten months after close of the BAA announcement. C) Data reporting and research permit requirements that apply to this BAA follow NPS guidelines found at http://www.nps.gov/ever/naturescience/sfnrc_permits.htm. VII. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS The proposal package must be submitted as a digital original in file format compatible with MS Word 2003; graphics should be imported into the same document. Submissions in a PDF format are acceptable with the provision that an original version in a file format compatible with MS Word 2003 is available upon request. Exceptions may be made when the attachment size is too large for email, in those cases submissions may be made on a CD-ROM sent to the address provided in this announcement. No facsimile transmissions or paper document submissions will be accepted. Proposals must be sent by email in read only format to contact@example.gov) The proposal should be submitted electronically with the cover sheet in Attachment A and follow the template provided in Attachment B. Applications that deviate from the content, format, and assembly requirements may not be considered. B) Applicants from small business should become familiar with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clause 52.212-3 - Offeror Representation and Certifications - Commercial Items (available on the internet at www.arnet.gov/far/). Information described therein will be required before funds are disbursed if their proposal is selected. The information can be provided at the time of submission, which may expedite the process of fund disbursement. C) Private and non-profit entities applying to this BAA must be registered on the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) website (www.ccr.gov) as part of the E-Government Integrated Acquisition Environment (IAE) initiative throughout the Federal Government. This directive can be found in the FAR 52.204-07. Failure to register at CCR and update your vendor record will delay the award process and will adversely affect your firm receiving payments in a timely manner. D) Submittal of a proposal is acknowledgement that the applicant has reviewed and understands the data custody and permit requirements for all applicable Federal, State, and local agencies, including, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and State of Florida. VIII. EVALUATION PROCESS In order to improve the quality and focus of science proposals, the selection criteria will emphasis the following:" Competition in the selection of proposals" Documentation of proposed substantial involvement of NPS, if applicable, and potential collaborative activities with other current or past projects" Professional presentation of proposal package following the guidelines outlined in this BAA The chronology of the evaluation process will be as follows:1) The NPS Contracting Office will review the proposals to ensure compliance with element, format, and assembly requirements. 2) Technical review: (a) First, proposals will be reviewed by an independent science committee for scientific merit and ability to address the stated need. (i) General evaluation criteria in order of importance are:1. (30%) the project's ability to effectively define and achieve objectives, with methodologies, study designs, and critical analyses that can successfully meet peer reviews and critical evaluations by subject matter experts, and effective definition of deliverables that address a restoration science objective in a significant manner (acquisition of specific data, quantitative functional measurements, tests of hypotheses, development of a useful predictive model, etc.) 2. (20%) urgency or timelines: proximity to restoration-related decision deadlines, which may be based on restoration implementation activities, such as water control project designs or project environmental impact assessments. 3. (20%) the offeror's capability, related experience, facilities, techniques, past performance, or unique combinations of these, which are integral factors for achieving the proposed objectives. The qualifications, capabilities, and experience of the proposed principle investigator. 4. (15%) relevance to past and current studies in the topic area: objectives and results of a project shall avoid redundancy to add significantly to what is already known about a technical issue. 5. (15%) technical review of effectiveness, in terms of cost (including cost-share opportunities), timeliness, and quality of information. (b) Second, a DOI science committee will review the proposals and determine if they adequately address a DOI science need. The proposals will also be reviewed at this time for their applicability to on-going Greater Everglades restoration activities. (c) Third, the management and science committee rankings will be combined and final recommendations for funding will be forwarded to the CESI Manager, Everglades National Park Superintendent, for approval and implementation through their respective administrative procedures. 3) Cost review:(a) The CESI Project Manager and Contracting Office will perform a cost review of the proposed budgets to consider the Best Value Continuum (viewed at http://farsite.hill.af.mil/) and the Tradeoff Process, which is appropriate when it may be in the best interest of the government to consider an award to other than the lowest priced applicant or other than the highest technically rated applicant. (b) Applicants are encouraged to have competitive indirect cost rates. Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (CESU). 4) Applicants whose proposals are selected for CESI funding will be notified in writing and assigned a NPS technical representative. Guidance on the information required for the development of a scope of work and funding distribution will be made available at the time the award announcements are made. IX. AWARD PERIOD AND TYPES A) Recipients and sub-recipients will be subject to all applicable federal laws and agency policies, regulations, and procedures. B) Each award will have an expiration date of one (1) year from the award date. Projects with approved scheduled over one year will be reviewed annually to extend the term via award modifications. Award modifications are generally reviewed annually in a process separate from this BAA. C) The NPS Contracting Officer shall determine the appropriate CESI award type and shall prepare the award upon compliance with any conditions stated in the award letter. In general, firm fixed price awards shall be made for either new or modified agreements or contracts. However, other award types may be utilized depending on risk, complexity and other factors determined case by case. X. CONTACT INFORMATION All proposals and questions shall be submitted to:Ron Horne, Contracting OfficerEmail: contact@example.gov Alternative contact information:Contracting and Property Management BranchEverglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks40001 State Road 9336Homestead, Florida 33034 Questions will accepted in writing at contact@example.gov until five calendar days before the closing date of this BAA. This is to ensure enough lead-time to research and answer questions. Questions and answers that may provide clarification to multiple applicants shall be published as an amendment on the same website as the BAA. Due to the expected volume of proposals anticipated, administrators of this BAA will not be able to notify applicants of application receipt until after the deadline for submissions has passed.