Connecting People To Their Parks
A proposal to attend to the long term health, maintenance, rehabilitation & vitality of the nation’s parks
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Connecting People to Their Parks A proposal by Anderson, Huckabee and Liriano (AHL) “It is only by visiting these places that people will create connections to them and WANT to preserve them. Visitors become advocates for wilderness in general and the places they have travelled in specific.” – Reader’s Comment to A Case for Getting Far Far Away, New York Times, May 16, 2013
Our National Parks are in crisis. The National Park Service has over $10 billion in deferred maintenance needs, precipitated by budget reductions in the past 2 fiscal years. That means that park roads, visitor centers and water treatment plants are not being maintained. Many think that the job of the National Park Service is to preserve the scenic beauty of America, but it also preserves some of the nation’s most important historical artifacts. More than half of the 80 million artifacts in National Parks Service’s possession are uncatalogued, and 28 million are subject to decay. Neglect, for whatever reason, threatens the preservation and interpretation of some of the nation’s most precious and yet unseen national artifacts. In 2011, the National Park Conservation Association issued a call to action to the Obama Administration and Congress to preserve our most treasured national assets. Parks must compete with other vital national interests for federal dollars, and have been subjected to a 6 percent budget cut for each of the past two years. It is easy to make the case for funding for the “crown jewel” parks. Almost every American feels a sense of ownership in Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon or Yosemite. When it comes to lesser known or remote parks, or the small battlefield preserves, those parks do not command the same level of affection or sense of ownership.
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Anderson, Huckabee & Liriano (AHL) proposes to change that. The best advocates for national park funding are citizens who have knowledge of and affection for their local park. We propose to connect people to their parks, using health and educational activities, expanded preservation efforts and greater use of technology to engage citizens in remote park locations. Our vision is that people from across the nation will view their national parks as their own, to care for, preserve, fund and enjoy. Public private partnerships are the best tool to achieve the goal. Contracting with the private sector makes the company itself a natural constituent for the park. The private sector brings expertise in health education, preservation and technology that the National Park Service does not possess and cannot afford. Engaging the private sector will speed the procurement process, getting public engagement programs on the ground faster.
Why Choose Anderson, Huckabee & Liriano? AHL provides executive level leadership to develop, implement and monitor public-private partnerships that address broad social, environmental and organizational interests. We have extensive experience in creating and managing multi-sector collaborations at the local, state and federal levels, with corporate and nonprofit entities to achieve a shared vision.
Services Provided Leading Change. Partnership creation – AHL has over 70 years in combined experience in uniting diverse stakeholders behind a shared vision. The visioning process forms the foundation for the rest of the partnership. This vital first step assures that all of the stakeholders are at the table and that they begin with a clear definition of success. AHL believes that long term
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partnerships begin with strategic thinking about the goals, priorities and implementation plan of the partners. Leading Business Development and Capital Management – AHL provides the financial, legal and management expertise to help partners structure their contracts once an agreement has been reached. AHL has access to world leading financial, engineering, and media firms that are experienced in public private partnerships. AHL’s experience with 3Ps speaks for itself to financial institution that fund massive infrastructure projects. AHL can connect parties to the right financial institutions to obtain the funding for long-term, complex multi-party projects. Leading Coalitions – Public Private Partnerships are usually long-term ventures. During the term of the agreement, people and organizations change which can create tension within the partnership. AHL conducts periodic “revision” evaluation meetings to deal with the stress factors that can divert the partnership from success. These sessions not only reveal current challenges, but provide the partners with the opportunity to develop creative solutions that are agreed to by all parties. Leading for Results – There is no way to avoid risk and achieve success. The best way to manage risk is to identify and quantify it where possible. AHL understands that risk is a part of the partnership process. We use multiple tools at our disposal, including contract provisions, insurance, simulations and trial projects to discover and manage the risk inherent in the agreement. Managing contract performance is an important tool to achieving success. AHL will recommend a contract management protocol specific to your 3P which will provide for partners and mid-level managers to manage the contract performance over the term of the agreement. All 3Ps require a contract manager who receives regular reports from the stakeholders and has decision making authority on important matters such as payment and
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performance. AHL will recommend a structure specifically designed for the project to assure that performance expectations will be clear and unambiguous.
Our Executive Team
Traci Anderson Traci is imminently qualified as a cross-sector collaborator, with broad experience in leadership and management of public-private partnerships, collaboration and advocacy with elected officials and legislative staffs, community-based and non-profit partnerships, human capital management, contract and procurement leadership, and compliance management. Traci is recognized for her expertise in economic development, employment and training management. She is a skilled facilitator, with experience in mediation and labor practice. She is widely regarded as an expert in formulating nontraditional partnerships to achieve exemplary results. Specifically, Traci:
Leads key change initiatives, including development of overall messaging, communications and action planning, assembling thought partners and managing community education activities;
Leads organizational review and restructuring, resource and staffing management to implement leadership priorities;
Develops and manages collaborative partnerships to create networks of financial, volunteer and community support; and
Promotes cooperative alliances to facilitate growth and achievement of shared goals.
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Darita DeLoach Huckabee Darita brings extensive experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors to AHL. Her experience with advocacy groups provides AHL with strong skills in coalition building, goal setting and conflict resolution. Darita has special expertise with the nonprofit sector in natural disaster response. As a Director at the Tulsa Chapter of the American Red Cross, she oversaw the hiring, promotion and management of over 1,000 volunteers. Her experience in the private sector as an partner in a civil litigation firm provide AHL with expertise in negotiation, documentation, financing and managing public private partnerships. Darita can:
Build groups comprised of diverse stakeholders to achieve a desired purpose;
Manage complex problems to achieve a desired result;
Manage conflict to achieve resolution; and
Negotiate and analyze business agreements.
Ismael Liriano Ismael is highly qualified in organizational operations and human capital, finance, and acquisitions. In addition, Ismael demonstrates leadership by providing exceptional customer service for collaboration. Specifically, Ismael:
Develops long-term strategic goals for complex organizational issues;
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Provides training and guidance under a shared vision and goal in order to develop and enhance new standards and procedures;
Communicates effectively and keeps lines of communication open. He delivers and receives constructive feedback and is adept at conflict resolution;
Proactively identifies potential issues and threats, ensuring data systems and operational procedures have strong internal controls and transparency;
Maintains a comprehensive knowledge on the latest “best practices” in order to integrate financial, human capital, and technological information; and
Collaborates with stakeholders to identify a common ground of interest to accomplish shared visions and goals.
Selected Clients and Projects AHL has driven innovation in collaboration with the following clients and partners:
Alliance for the Mentally Ill (AMI)
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
American Red Cross
Association of Public Human Service Association (APHSA)
Association of Real Property Development Officers
Bank of America
Department of Homeland Security – Chief Financial Officer
Department of Homeland Security – Office the Secretary and Executive Management
The George Washington University
Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
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Heifer International
Indian Nations Council of Governments
Mental Health Association
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Montgomery County Government
Montgomery County Public Schools
Museum of Arts – Boston
National Capital Area Food Bank
Oklahoma Association of Regional Councils
Oklahoma Municipal League
Oklahoma Statewide 9-1-1 Advisory Board
Prince George’s County Government
Salvation Army
Tulsa Advocates for the Protection of Children
World Health Organization
YWCA Women’s Resource Center
About Connecting People to Their Parks AHL’s has designed the following strategies for enhancing the vitality of the National Park System: 1. To partner with a local university and non-profit organization to preserve Arlington House by creating an educational preservation and research center to conduct historic preservation and research in much the same way as the parks have done with scientific research centers. 2. To use technology to create virtual tours of some of the most remote parks in the National Park Service’s system, to enable the public to
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virtual-hike, raft or bike a location otherwise unreachable by the mass public. 3. To partner with a national sports association, bank and an insurance company to develop locale-specific programming in partnership with local organizations to attract the public to their local parks using health and wellness activities, thereby creating a sense of ownership and understanding by conducting health and wellness activities in the park, and to create a consistent stream of funding for improvements and maintenance.
Connecting People through Preservation: Arlington House A Public Private Partnership to preserve and renovate Arlington House by using the house as the subject of research and education activities.
Arlington House Preservation Arlington House is a unique and interesting piece of American History. The house has served as a memorial to honor George Washington, a cherished home for General Robert E. Lee, a military headquarters for the Union Army, a community for emancipated slaves known as the Freedman’s Village, and finally, the National Cemetery. Arlington House is a national treasure that should not be forgotten. The home is slowly dilapidating, not by purposeful neglect, but simply because of the overwhelming number of visitors and shortage of federal funding. The home and landscape needs extensive repair, renovation and preservation. At this very moment, the second floor is not open to visitors due to the uncertainty of structural support. We propose a public-private partnership to preserve Arlington House. The idea is to link the preservation of the Arlington House to a university
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historical preservation and research program. AHL recommends The George Washington University to undertake this preservation partnership along with the National Park Service and Save the Arlington House Foundation. By preserving the Arlington House, George Washington University is addressing the needs of the public by restoring a public historic site for the National Park Services. A home built to memorialize George Washington’s life, and the University erected in his name provides an excellent synergy to educate our young and curious. Created in 1821 through an Act of Congress, George Washington University fulfills George Washington’s vision of an institution in the nation’s capital dedicated to educating and preparing future leaders. It seems fitting that the university preserves the life and legacy of George Washington through a partnership to protect the home that was built as a memorial to him. “George Washington Parke Custis was raised at Mount Vernon. After inheriting the 1,100 acre Arlington estate from his father, John Parke Custis, the only surviving son of Martha Washington, G.W.P. Custis build Arlington House between 1802 and 1818 largely to serve as a memorial to the nation’s first President and as a museum for his own Washington mementos that had come from Mount Vernon.”1
Collaboration Efforts The public private partnership does not intend to eliminate the functions of parties involved. On the contrary, it intends to enhance the preservation efforts, each party is able to contribute their own specialized skill in order to preserve the historic public site, Arlington House.
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Save Historic Arlington House, About us, http://arlingtonhouse.org/about/history, accessed April 26, 2014
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The National Parks Service National Park Service will coordinate the designing, planning and management of the Arlington House restoration. It will be the lead partner to provide onsite visitor information and management of the House. The commitment of the National Parks service to actively collaborate with partnering organizations is vital in ensuring the preservation is conducted according to their specifications.
George Washington University The George Washington University campus would serve as the official historic preservation and research-learning center to the Arlington House, utilizing the existing programs at the university. A historic preservation and research-learning center has the capability to attract young and older students as well as special sessions and programs for college students to obtain additional credit. The university will be given exclusive access to the Arlington House building and grounds to conduct college and graduate level classes for field work in preservation, archeology and history. GWU Existing Programs A. The Pre-College Program: Summer Immersion and College Intensive B. The Summer & Special Programs2 C. Masters of Arts in American Studies3 D. Research Scholarships and Fellowships 2
George Washington University, Summer Courses and special Programs, http://summer.gwu.edu/, George Washington University, Department of American Studies, http://americanstudies.columbian.gwu.edu/program-historic-preservation, 3
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Suggested Curriculums:
A two-day curriculum whereby children from middle school have the opportunity to learn the importance of historic preservation and research.
Provide high school students an opportunity to experience the academic rigors of learning historic preservation and research in a college environment.
Specials sessions whereby students attend a summer or winter session to conduct a study or excavation of the Freedman Village site, south of the Arlington House.
Military Leaders and instructors conduct a session on the personal biographies and military leadership strategies of George Washington and Robert E. Lee.
Master’s degree program focused on historic preservation utilizing the Arlington House as the subject.
GW’s essay paper focusing on the life and leadership of George Washington and his influence to the nation, awarded to high school students with an interest to attend GW.
Save Historic Arlington House Foundation Save Historic Arlington House will conduct fundraising capital campaign to raise additional funding to assist in the preservation activities of the partnership. The commitment of Save Historic Arlington House plays an intricate part in obtaining additional funding and raising awareness of the Arlington House. As they are already a “partner” with the National Park Service, they operate to assist with the stewardship of Arlington House. In this
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way, their efforts will support National Park Service and George Washington University in order to enhance the visitor’s experience of this unique nineteenth-century residence.
Public Private Partnership Agreement Agreement The contract will consist of three areas of focus: preservation, oversight, and awareness. George Washington University will conduct the preservation activities at Arlington House, National Park Service will conduct oversight of the preservation activities, and Save Historic Arlington House will conduct public awareness for additional funding. Through an established Cost and Cost Sharing Contract, the public private partnership will be established for a term of 20 years, the initial preservation activities will occur within 5 years and continuous maintenance of the facilities and the grounds in the following years to cover the extent of the contract period of performance. Contract renewal will be dependent upon performance and mutual terms of agreement.
Duties and Oversight National Park Service will provide oversight to the preservation activities at Arlington House. They will be the lead partner to coordinate the design, planning and management of the Arlington House restoration, as well to monitor the preservation and maintenance schedule to ensure that preservation maintenance have been timely met according to contract requirements, such as full restoration of the Arlington House within 5 years. Aside from their main duties to provide on-site visitor information and management of the House, the National Park Service will support the historic preservation and research-learning center by promoting the activities in their public communications. George Washington University will conduct the preservation of the Arlington House facilities and grounds. The university is
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expected to complete the initial preservation within 5 years and continuous maintenance of the facilities in the subsequent years to cover the extent of the contract period of performance. Preservation is defined as enhancement or reconstruction of the building structure and/or artifacts to its original state. Continuous maintenance is defined as oversight on completed preservation efforts, ensuring cleanliness and repairs are conducted when needed. George Washington University undergraduate and graduate degree programs will perform the preservation activities. A student’s field time preservation and performance will not only count as a grade but also as a performance measure George Washington University under the partnership contract. George Washington University pre-college and younger historic preservation and research-learning students will be provided with exclusive access to the Arlington House during preservation. The university will be given the rights to photograph, record, and document preservation efforts for publication and distribution. Save Historic Arlington House will conduct fundraisers and public awareness campaigns highlighting the Arlington House Preservation efforts. SHAH will give fifty percent of proceeds from all fundraising activities to George Washington University until the initial preservation is completed. (see funding below for more information) Thereafter, proceeds from SHAH will be given to the National Park Service to cover costs outside of preservation outlays.
Funding George Washington University will cover all the costs of preservation and maintenance over the 20 year term of the agreement at an estimated cost of $5.150 million dollars. National Park Service will pay George Washington University $550 thousand and Save Historic Arlington House will pay George Washington University $300 thousand upon signing of the agreement. Those amounts represent the fund balances that each organization has available for
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preservation activities as of the contract signing. Save Historic Arlington House will provide a total $1 million dollars to George Washington University through fund raising activities within the 5 year preservation period. George Washington University will collect and retain tuition and fees collected from the historic preservation and research-learning center applicants, tuition is set at $1,600 per credit, with each class counting as three credits, each class per semester is expected to have 10 students enrolled. Classes will be conducted five times during a school year for 107 classes over the twenty-year period in order for George Washington University to recoup funds contributed. Additional income from middle and elementary schools, as well as revenue generated from any publications of photographs, recordings, and documented during preservation efforts will be forwarded to the National Park Service.
Benefit, Risk, and Mitigation All parties benefit in a public private partnership. Risks in any contract are inevitable, but with proper planning and a proactive approach, risks can be mitigated. National Park Services gain a benefit of having the Arlington House restored, seamless transition due to design, planning and monitoring of restoration, and gaining further interest and support of the public. Concurrently, they face the risks of closing the Arlington House for a period time to allow for extensive preservation if necessary, as well as being overcrowded with visitors and research-learning center students. This can be categorized as a supply risk. Mitigating such risks involves providing public notice on the status of the Arlington House and crowd control/rotations to other areas of the grounds before entering the house. George Washington University gains the added benefits of an increase in student attendance because of the added program and public recognition. They face the demand risk of low student interest which can overall affect the
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contract, which can cause a lag time in the preservation process and shortage of funding. Mitigating such risks involve creating a full time team dedicated solely to the 5 year initial preservation. The university can also mitigate its demand risk by increasing the university campaign to attract high schools and middle school students to attend pre-college and summer camps. Save Historic Arlington House benefits the achievement of restoring the Arlington House and recognition for their contribution. However, they also face demand risks in the form of low campaign participation. Mitigating this risk is possible by deployment of mobile application which provides constant updates on the time and places when a campaign event will occur. Arlington House preservation has all the possibilities and key players to succeed. All parties need to maintain oversight of their areas of responsibility and provide an open line of communication on preservation and camp events. Collaboration to succeed is possible when the outcome is clearly defined; save the Arlington House to provide our future generations with an understanding and appreciation of our past.
Connecting People through Technology: Virtual Alaska A pilot project between NPS, Google and REI to make the most remote parks accessible using virtual technology. To illustrate the value of using technology to attract the public to a park, we selected one of the most remote and least visited parks in the nation. Aniakchak National Preserve on the Alaskan peninsula had less than 400 visitors last year. It is located 450 miles southwest of Anchorage, and is inaccessible by road. The park is located in an ancient volcano caldera that is 6 miles wide with a small lake and river running through it. It was unknown to the outside world until the 1920s. Visitors to Aniakchak come for the geology,
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the bear watching and the white water rafting. The preserve is known for its extreme weather. The skies are clear only 20 percent of the time. Winds can gust up to 60 miles an hour, especially near the caldera walls. It is easy to understand why Aniakchak should be preserved. It is unique. Preservation alone does not fulfill the mission of the National Park Service, which is to preserve “for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future generations.” In order to fulfill its mission to preserve the park for future generations, the National Park Service must show the public the remote parks like Aniakchak and demonstrate what such areas are worthy to be maintained. To do that, the National Park Service will partner with Google and REI to provide a virtual visit to Aniakchak.
Partners
GOOGLE Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Google street view began in 2010 with a computer and camera installed in a compact car. Since that time, Google street view has amassed geo-data for most of North America, Europe, Australia and parts of South America. They are aggressively pursuing partnerships with other organizations to cover the rest of the globe. Google has recently introduced new portable technology called Trekker to take users off-road into remote areas like the Grand Canyon. The Trekker looks like a large backpack with a camera mounted on a pole above the hiker’s
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head. The technology enables Google to create a street view of remote locations such as hiking trails or river excursions. Several companies are developing virtual reality technology that far exceed Google’s street view. Google was selected for this partnership because their mission fits with what the National Park Service (NPS) is trying to accomplish, because their technology has been tested, and because they are actively pursuing partners for the expansion of Google Treks. Google benefits from participation in the 3P by expanding its geodata to remote locations that would be difficult to map without the assistance of the NPS and REI. With the geodata, Google has the ability to produce “one-off” applications for its cultural and other travel sites. The geodata and its applications represent the return on investment that is present in more traditional type of 3P contracts.
REI The mission of REI is to inspire, educate and outfit its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. REI is the nation’s largest member co-op, with almost 2 million members and 32 stores nationwide, including 2 in Alaska. REI was created to equip the serious mountain climber, camper and mountaineer. Recently, it has expanded into global adventure travel which provides guided multi-day outdoor hikes to travelers interested in remote locations. REI was selected for the partnership because REI’s corporate identity is based on equipping the serious outdoorsman, and because of its emphasis on global travel to faraway places. REI knows how to camp in extreme weather. Once the geodata is collected.
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REI has direct access to the public interested in places like Aniakchak through its website and retail locations. REI will market the finished product to its customers via a cell phone application which can be downloaded for one dollar. The application will provide access to the virtual hike, and will market REI’s products. REI will provide the street view experience to the public on its website.
The Partnership Agreement The duties of each party, which will be reduced to writing in a three-way partnership agreement, are outlined below. National Park Service 1. Provide park personnel who are familiar with the park to guide the expedition. 2. Be the lead planner for team composed of Google and REI personnel to determine the best hikes, climbs and raft trips to record using Google Trekker. 3. Participate in the planning group lead by Google that edits the data to make it ready for public use. 4. Package the geodata into a comprehensive NPS-created and hosted website showing the virtual tour and featuring facts and information about Aniakchak. 5. Market the website to the public. 6. Evaluate the user response to the website with a short survey designed to determine whether the website user’s attitude about Aniakchak changed because of the virtual visit.
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7. Evaluate the use of the Virtual Alaska project to determine whether it would be beneficial to use on other remote parks. Create a final report containing recommendations on future virtual park projects. Google 1. Provide personnel and equipment necessary to use Trekker technology in Aniakchak. 2. Participate in the planning to determine the best hikes, climbs and raft trips to record using Google Trekker. 3. Train NPS and REI personnel on the use of the Trekker units. 4. Map the pre-designated hikes, climbs and river trips using Google Trekker technology. 5. Lead the post-expedition planning group that edits the data to make it available to the public 6. Enter into a license agreement with NPS and REI for the use of the geodata to 1) Promote Aniakchak, 2) Promote Google as the premiere geo-mapping company in the world, and 3) Highlight the role of REI personnel and equipment in supporting the expedition. 7. Promote the Aniakchak expedition REI 1. Provide food and housing at Brook Camp base camp for expedition members for 2 days prior to traveling into the park and 1 day after returning from the park. 2. Enter into an agreement for a charter flight from King Salmon, AK to Aniakchak, to land on Surprise Lake to deliver and return expedition party and equipment.
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3. Provide equipment for 8 members of the expedition to hike in the park, establish a base camp, and hike, climb and raft for 4 days. 4. Lead in establishing the camping areas and provide food and supplies. 5. Hike, climb and raft using the Google Trekker technology. 6. Participate in the planning group lead by Google that edits the data to make it available to the public. 7. Participate in the planning group lead by Google that edits the data to make it available to the public. 8. Develop cell phone application using the geodata. 9. Make the geodata available via REI cell phone application pursuant to the terms of the licensing agreement. 10. After a period of time, make the geodata available to the public on the REI website. 11. Advertise the Virtual Alaska product to REI customers. 12. Monitor the use of the Virtual Alaska product on the REI website and report usage statistics to NPS per license agreement.
The Licensing Agreement The licensing agreement will give permission to NPS and REI to use the Google geodata under specified circumstances. Generally, Google will require that Google be acknowledged in a prominent place and in a specific manner on the websites where the geodata is used. Google will be acknowledged in a prominent way on the REI cell phone application and on the REI website. Google will also prohibit the reuse of the data or resale of the data without specific consent. The cost for the data will be nominal so long as it is used to promote the virtual park project. Under the terms of the agreement, REI will have the exclusive use of the geodata for a specific period of time so that it can market the download of its cell phone application.
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Each party will keep user statistics in a format agreed upon, and will report website statistics including the application download to each other at regular intervals. REI, NPS and Google will retain the right to use any and all footage shot by its personnel to create a documentary explaining their participation in the project. The documentary will be the sole property of the person who made it. The licensing agreement will include a release for the use of any logos of the other companies in the documentary.
Money and Risk The entire Virtual Alaska pilot project can be accomplished on a budget of less than $150,000, not including the development of the cell phone application and the marketing of the product. Those costs are excluded because REI regularly develops cell phone aps as part of its marketing campaigns. The costs are already in their budget. Google’s duties under the agreement are much like a design build construction contract. Google creates the product and delivers it to NPS. Google’s return on investment is realized in expansion of their product base for Google Trekker. Google bears the design risk on the project. Trekker is new technology that has not been tested in such extreme weather conditions. It could fail. It could perform poorly. Google also bears some demand risk that the ultimate product once published by Google will not interest its customers. REI’s duties under the agreement are much like a financier that takes an equity share in the project. REI invests is knowledge and money in creating the product by providing gear, personnel and funding. In return it gets the geodata early and releases it in a cell phone application that generates one dollar per download. Because of the low cost of the project, REI earns a return
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on its investment. REI also enjoys the enhancement of its brand recognition in association with NPS and Google. REI bears financing risk. The project could cost more than projected. They also bear the demand risk for the cell phone application. It could fail to interest the public. The cell phone application technology could fail, or deliver such an inferior experience that the public would lose interest. National Park Service’s duties under the agreement are to maintain and operate the geodata once it is delivered. They bear some technology risk, in case the data fails or performs poorly once it is published. They also bear some demand risk on the project, because the entire idea of virtual park travel could fail to interest the public. The risks can be monitored by periodic reporting requirements contained in the license agreement. As a condition for the use of the data, NPS and REI must report to Google the metrics on views and application downloads. Google could also require reporting on website downtime or other technical difficulties that would interfere with the use of the data.
Connecting People through Wellness: Healthy People, Healthy Parks: The Reboot (HP2) Matching corporate partners to fund park improvements, promote health and increase accessibility to national parks.
Overview Healthy People, Healthy Parks: The Reboot (HP2) is a public-private partnership established to increase awareness and appreciation of the national parks, to promote the parks as accessible and prized collaborators with citizens in health and wellness, and to create and maintain sustainable networks of
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financial and volunteer support to keep the people and the parks healthy. AHL proposes to reboot the existing program by introducing nationally recognized partners with visibility, financial resources and clout to establish on-going and systematic approach to visitorship, maintenance and improvement of national parks across the nation. HP2 will change the face of Parks’ financing, rehabilitation and maintenance by linking to non-traditional partners and creating an operational framework to increase visibility and heighten awareness of National Parks Service properties.
Organizational Premise The partnership will be led by a centralized administrative organization created in partnership with the National Parks Service, the National Basketball Association, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Bank of America. Local organizations in NBA team cities with proximity to the nation’s monuments and national parks sites will be established, using a regional pilot approach. Each local organization will collaborate with the local park system to marshal volunteers, advertise the park as an alternative location for nature education, wellness hiking, nutrition and other fitness education via coordination of weekly events. The referenced partners will provide branding assistance, access to their communications and advertising networks, and associative services to the project. Further, the partnership will result in construction of capital improvements, such as pavilions, restaurants, parking structures for the comfort and enjoyment of patrons. Annually, the partnership will host a culminating event, celebrating the accomplishments of the partnership called HP2 Hustles: a dance marathon for the parks and for fitness, the proceeds of which will support infrastructure, maintenance and education programming at the parks.
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Partners AHL has identified the following organizations to collaborate on this project:
National Parks Service (NPS) AHL has secured the commitment of the National Parks Service to actively collaborate with partnering organizations to benefit ongoing maintenance and facilities enhancements for national park sites and monument areas. This partnership is designed to facilitate increases in utilization by citizens, tourists and other guests, as well as to provide an ongoing stream of financing for maintenance and other project improvements. The National Parks Service will provide monitoring, oversight, and guidance to the partners in selecting priority projects, identifying maintenance and rehabilitation needs for the partnership, and to assist with monitoring completion of capital improvements and enhancements, as well as implementation of the annual dance marathon.
National Basketball Association (NBA) AHL has secured the commitment of the NBA to provide an annual cash contribution to be negotiated (but with an agreed minimum of $500,000 annually) to support this effort, along with a loaned executive to provide leadership to national activities and to facilitate development of project priorities. Additionally, the NBA will provide commercial branding services, advertisement and communications to promote the NPS. NBA Conferences in collaboration with relevant local teams will sponsor special events on NPS
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properties in accordance with the monthly schedule of events planned locally and will host specially priced game nights and giveaways to draw in fans. By special arrangement with team owners, the NBA will provide construction funding for one capital improvement (e.g. a pavilion, educational center, parking structure) as determined by a local committee and approved by the NPS. The structure will be named by the local team and an additional stipend for maintenance will be paid by the host team. The NBA will receive a portion of the concessions resulting from the erection of the structure. The NBA is a prized partner, as it has 30 teams, located in all regions of the country, an annual regular season of more than 80 games and still more in post-season plan. The NBA provides access to major television and other communication networks and a fan base of millions around the world – potential visitors and donors to protect and serve parks.
Bank of America (BOA) AHL has secured the commitment of the Bank of America to provide an annual cash contribution to be negotiated (but with an agreed minimum of $500,000 annually) to support this effort, along with a loaned executive to provide leadership to national activities and to facilitate development of project priorities. BOA has agreed to highlight local activities through its home-banking divisions, solicit individual donations via their webpages, incentivize charitable donations by offering credit card rebates and other services based on a percentage of contributions, and to include printed materials in monthly bank statements. BOA will provide financial banking and advertising support to the annual HP2 Hustles dance marathon.
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Through its charitable foundation, BOA gives more than $200 million annually to local interests. BOA holds more than $2 trillion in assets and holdings and has more than 20 million customers all over the world – 20 million customers who may visit the national parks. BOA will realize increased community interest and acceptance as a promoter of parks and increased health of citizens.
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) AHL has secured the commitment of Blue Cross/Blue Shield to provide an annual cash contribution to be negotiated (but with an agreed minimum of $500,000 annually), to support this effort, along with a loaned executive to drive local partnerships that promote health and wellness education in collaboration with NPS. BCBS will promote and publicize through its network of healthcare providers and medical programs throughout the country, focusing on those markets at the confluence of NBA teams and national parks sites. BCBS will offer discounted insurance or healthcare services for those community members who visit parks sites, for wellness activities using a “passport to good health” or to participate in parks preservation activities. BCBS provided more than $356 million in charitable community investments in 2012 alone. BCBS provides primary health insurance coverage to more than 100 million Americans, and is a nationally recognized partner in wellness.
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Local Partners In each city, AHL will work collaboratively with 4-H Clubs, the Cooperative Extension Service, public schools, colleges and universities, local government, health departments, community and non-profit organizations with an interest or defined missions in the areas of park preservation, health promotion or community action. The priorities and organizations will be identified through a community strengths assessment through a process to be determined collaboratively by the loaned executives, NPS and community leaders.
Partnership Agreements AHL will negotiate the following agreements to facilitate implementation and monitoring of on-going activities: 
Multi-Partner Agreements with the major partners (NPS, NBA, BOA, BCBS) outlining the referenced agreements, timing and scheduling of implementation.
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Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with local organizations and affiliates agreements governing contributions (cash and in-kind) of each partner, and compliance/monitoring for activities under the agreement.
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Cost and Cost Sharing Contracts between the NPS and partnering organizations, governing cash and in-kind contributions, and the commitments of each partner, along with monitoring standards and protocols for the partnership.
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Time and Materials Contracts between the partnership and identified contractors for construction of capital improvements.
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Concessionaire Arrangements & Licensing Agreements documenting the long term agreements for the development of capital improvements (e.g. parking structures, pavilions, restaurants or camping areas) consistent with each parks aesthetic. Technical and utilization requirements will be established by a subgroup of all partners at the local level. Additionally, agreements for vending and other food services establishments in keeping with the preservation themes will be negotiated as a result of competitive processes. Maintenance, repair and security services for the improved areas will also be included in the array of services subject to bid by private concerns. Lastly, the corporate partners are masterful at licensing merchandize and services, which could breed a whole new stream of income for NPS-related items.
All partners will assure bonding by participating organizations, require insurance certification, escrow funding where required, and individuals will be indemnified and held harmless from personal suit, unless there is evidence of individual or corporate malfeasance.
Commitment of Partners The following outline the minimum terms of participation agreed to by each partner, which will be included in the referenced contract instruments: NPS will: 1. Provide access to selected parks sites for improvements 2. Provide technical assistance and direction in establishing a prioritized list of capital projects and improvements 3. Support development of project benchmarks and timelines 4. Collaborate with HP2 to monitor progress of the initiative
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NBA will: 1. Provide a negotiated cash contribution 2. Provide a loaned executive 3. Provide promotional opportunities to advertise identified priorities, including: fan theme nights; participation in monthly events at prioritized park sites 4. Assure access to marketing, licensing and other resources of the NBA for the purpose of HP2 5. Fund construction of capital improvements at identified sites 6. Retain naming rights to new construction, and participate in profitsharing not to exceed a negotiated percentage for resulting concessions or fees resulting from the capital improvement BOA will: 1. Provide a negotiated cash contribution 2. Provide a loaned executive 3. Provide promotional opportunities to advertise identified priorities, including: rebates and discounts for parks visitation, giveaways, special promotions and other incentives. 4. Assure access to BOA’s online banking division for promotion of HP2’s priorities on the home and corporate online banking sites, and assure access to marketing, branding and other resources.
BCBS will: 1. Provide a negotiated cash contribution 2. Provide a loaned executive 3. Make available healthcare education and free health screenings as a part of the monthly parks events 4. Provide rebates to members who visit parks for participation in health education and/or exercise programming 5. Lead coordination of the annual HP2 Hustles dance marathon
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Local partners will be signatories on MOUs and other required instruments to clarify their contributions. These may include: 1. Participate in planning meetings 2. Lead local implementation of designated activities 3. Assure access to education, health and government entities in the identified locations 4. Coordinate volunteers as needed for events
Financing The annual operating budget for the national partnership is estimated at $1.5 million, given the minimum cash contributions negotiated with partners. This does not include specific capital improvements, programs and services that will be defined as priorities by regional collaborators related to their National Parks’ territories, nor does it include in-kind contributions. The projects will be financed via a combination of cash contributions from partners and, over time, licensing of images, products, revenue from concessions and service fees, and pledges from patrons. The NBA, due to the extent of its commitment to fund capital improvements, will participate in revenue sharing for fees resulting from the improvements (e.g. parking fees, fees earned for naming rights) for a period not to exceed ten years from the initial opening/availability of the improvement.
Benefits and Risk Identification Partnering to preserve this heritage is not without risk, and AHL’s planning and collaborative services will assure transparency in operations, clear contractual documents, ongoing communications, and measurable objectives to mitigate risks for all parties. Among the benefits and risks are:
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National Parks Service NPS will benefit from the partnership through: 1) development of a detailed and prioritized plan for improvements and park maintenance now and well into the future, and funded by contributions from a well-financed partnership; 2) increased visitorship; 3) improved appearance and visitor experience at the parks; and 4) heightened awareness of national parks as priorities critical to the nation’s heritage. Risks to NPS include: 1) initial losses in revenue as parks areas may be taken offline for construction and other development; 2) loss of total control of parks planning, as the partnership with private organizations expands input into establishing priorities; 3) demand risk as the initial offerings may not be draw patrons at the anticipated numbers; and 4) supply risk if the demand is so great that the number of patrons overwhelms the infrastructure/services in place. National Basketball Association NBA will benefit from the partnership through: 1) increased visibility as an excellent corporate citizen, and improving the perceptions of teams and individual players as partners in important community issues; 2) expansion of the brand, as crossover fans (e.g. nature buffs, hikers, historians) who may not have experienced the NBA, will become aware of the partnership and support theme nights and other league activities as they learn of the NBA’s commitment to parks; 3) increased charitable giving tax deductions, due to contributions to the partnership and construction funding; 4) expanded licensing, product development and marketing opportunities in keeping with parks themes; and 5) revenue participation should any of the resulting capital improvements (e.g. parking structures, pavilions, restaurants) yield profits through fees, payment for naming rights and the like.
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Risks to NBA include: 1) cost overruns should construction delays and other expenditure increases occur; 2) demand risk if NBA fans do not crossover to visit and participate in parks activities; 3) risk of failure if the initiative does not experience desired results; 4) supply risk if public demand is great and the parks and/or licensing arm is not prepared to meet that demand; and 5) political/public embarrassment if any element of the partnership fails.
Bank of America BOA will benefit from the partnership through: 1) expansion of the brand, and access to new customers through the NBA and NPS; 2) increased charitable giving tax deductions, due to contributions to the partnership; and 3) heightened visibility as an excellent corporate citizen. Risks to BOA include: 1) public/political embarrassment if the partnership fails to achieve planned results; 2) demand risk should the public not be captivated by the initiative; and 3) Blue Cross Blue Shield BCBS will benefit from the partnership through: 1) expansion of its brand, access to new customers through partnerships with NBA and NPS; 2) increased charitable giving tax deductions; 3) increased awareness of BCBS role as a leader in fighting national health issues such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease; 4) heightened understanding of BCBS as an excellent corporate citizen and partner in preserving the health of the nation and parks. Risks to BCBS include: 1) demand risk, if the public does not participate in planned events; 2) risk of failure should the initiative not meet key benchmarks; 3) personal injury risk if someone is hurt at the parks during sponsored events; and 4) public embarrassment if the partnership fails.
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Summary Anderson, Huckabee and Liriano is uniquely qualified to lead implementation of this systematic plan for assuring maintenance, rehabilitation, financing and increased patronage of the national parks. With decades of shared experience in public private partnerships, AHL has the necessary technical and financial acumen to assure success. AHL’s proposal focuses on partnerships with a local university and nonprofit organization to preserve and rehabilitate Arlington House; using technology to allow citizens of the world to experience some of the most beautiful and remote passages in the country; and attends to the health and wellness of the nation, while developing a steady stream of income to support parks. AHL: uniquely qualified, bringing non-traditional partners together to achieve extraordinary results.
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