NPS Graphic History Novels

Description

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD This announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service’s intention to award financial assistance for the following project activities without competition. ABSTRACT Funding Announcement Number NPS-DOIP16AC01285/01 Project Title American History Graphic Novel Series Recipient Alaska Geographic Anticipated Federal Funding $75,000 Non-federal Cost Share $0 Anticipated Period of Performance August 15, 2017 through September 30, 2019 Award Instrument Modificatiion 01 to Cooperative Agreement Statutory Authority 54 USC§100.703 CFDA # and Title 15.945 Single Source Justification Criteria (5) 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; Point of Contact James Cato 907-644-3302 work phone OVERVIEW The objective of this Agreement is to create a publication-ready graphic novel manuscript about an historic event in American history tied directly to units of the National Park Service. NPS resource specialists (historians, archivists, interpreters, cultural resources specialists) will collaborate with publication production specialists at Alaska Geographic to select and develop topics; array a team of NPS subject matter specialists to provide content and incorporate NPS and community perspectives; assemble a team of experts in writing, illustration, editing, and book layout and design; and identify publishers who will later print and publish the novel. One novel has already been completed and 3-4 new topics will begin development in the current round of work. A series of novels will eventually be created, the broad theme of which is untold or lesser-told chapters in American history that highlight both women and men, young and old, and represent the full range of the diverse American experience with attention to a variety of cultural, national, and ethnic backgrounds. Potential topics include the Nunamiut Inupiat settlement of Anaktuvuk Pass in northern Alaska, the Tlingit Battle against the Russian navy in Sitka, the Tuskegee Airmen, Han Gwich’in homelands in eastern interior Alaska, people and wolves, and the Underground Railroad. Each graphic novel will be approximately 150 pages long, richly illustrated with original drawings and selected historic photographs. They will be deeply researched and based on the best and latest scholarly research, informed by archival materials curated in NPS collections. The graphic novel format is a good way to connect with young readers and the style of the storytelling will be vibrant, engaging, and thought provoking, relying on first person accounts and emphasizing dramatic moments, personal challenges, and historic triumphs. A central aim is to connect a new generation, and broad transect of Americans to national parks and the resources and events they preserve and commemorate. The recipient, Alaska Geographic, is uniquely suited to the purposes of this agreement. Alaska Geographic is an official nonprofit partner to the National Park Service and is established under specific legislative authority as a Cooperating Association of the NPS. Cooperative associations are authorized to provide interpretive services, including development of media products in the areas of public education, interpretation, and research, in cooperation with NPS. Alaska Geographic also has deep experience and an explicit mission focus on 1) youth programs and public education, and 2) broadening connections to public lands to diverse audiences and promoting media that reflects diverse perspectives in public land engagement—both consistent with some of the most prominent current strategic aims of the NPS. Work aimed at fostering deep and broad commitments among members of the public to their public lands come in part through the production of publications in which people learn about the stories and resources tied to NPS units, and they ways the NPS strives to preserve these resources and perpetuate the stories and values they represent. Since 1959 Alaska Geographic has created several dozen publications with the NPS in Alaska. As an official NPS cooperating association connected to parks in the Alaska region, Alaska Geographic regularly meets with NPS representatives to understand NPS goals, priorities, and values and is involved with NPS comprehensive interpretive planning, which ensures understanding of NPS strategic goals and enable them to be meaningfully incorporated into publications and communicated to the public. This project fulfills a public purpose by assisting Alaska Geographic in their efforts to connect people to public lands in Alaska, to raise appreciation of resources and values of public lands, and to foster a sense of stewardship towards these resources. One of the primary ways Alaska Geographic achieves public education goals is through publications like the one that will be produced in the scope of this project. Audiences of special concern to Alaska Geographic are diverse communities and youth, both of which are addressed in the context of this agreement through the graphic novel medium, and the story selection, which emphasizes less-often told, and sometimes overlooked, chapters and players in American history. An explicit and concerted goal of the project is to promote and improve people's understanding of natural, cultural, and other aspects of areas such as national parks. The graphic novel that will be developed is focused on history and resources in national park units. NPS participation in the project is substantial. NPS staff experts will participate in nearly every aspect of the publication development as team members that collaborate in selecting and refining a topic; connecting stories to national park units and resources; providing subject matter expertise in history, cultural anthropology, and natural sciences; assisting with research; identifying and accessing archival materials and images; and providing feedback on draft products. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN Alaska Geographic and NPS will collaborate to accomplish the following objectives: 1. Select and develop a topic and storyline that addresses a lesser-told chapter in American history that is connected to national parklands. 2. Communicate regularly to ensure excellent coordination and mutually agreeable project outcomes. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT Alaska Geographic agrees to: 1) Coordinate overall management of the project, including coordination of NPS resource specialists (historians, archivists, interpreters, cultural resources specialists) with publication production specialists to select and develop a topic and storyline that addresses a lesser-told chapter in American history that is connected to national parklands. 2) Supply or recruit experts in writing, illustration, editing, and book layout and design to develop a print-ready (digital files) graphic novel of approximately 150 pages that serves to enhance public knowledge and appreciation of stories and resources preserved in National Parks. 3) Complete goals of the project as outlined in the objectives, participate in planning meetings with partners, and submit reports in a timely manner. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT Substantial involvement on the part of the National Park Service is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In particular, the National Park Service will be responsible for the following: 1) Provide subject matter specialists (e.g., historian, archivist, cultural anthropologist, and interpreter) who will share information about the topic and incorporate NPS and community perspectives into the story. 2) Assist with the research and provide access to archival and other source materials to the writing and production team. 3) Providing comments and feedback on draft products 4) Provide $77,500 to Alaska Geographic to carry out the work stated in the preceding objectives. See financial plan for budget details. SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) and National Park Service Policy FAP&P 1443-2015-06 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, for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity. A single source on the basis of continuation must demonstrate that competition would result in a substantial duplicate cost to the government that cannot be recovered through competition.; (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 &#821

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