Obtain Appendix A Signature

Any specimens that you collect during your research remain federal property. Those that are not released or destroyed become part of an NPS collection regardless of where they are stored. If you propose that specimens be curated in a non-NPS repository (e.g. a university herbarium) under a loan agreement with NPS, you must obtain the repository official's signature on Appendix A of the application and submit it to the park. This step is required before the park can issue a permit.

A signed Appendix A indicates that the repository agrees that specimens and/or material from them may be loaned to the repository for the purposes of storage, management, and research subject to the “General Permit Conditions” and applicable NPS loan agreements. For context and additional tasks, review all collections related RPRS guidance documents on this site. You may also communicate with the park curator, whose contact information is on the park page in RPRS.

Please note that you are proposing, not approving, a repository. Because specimens remain NPS property, it is the park’s responsibility to decide whether to approve loaning them to the repository you have proposed. If the park does not approve the repository, you or the park may suggest an alternative. The park may also decide that specimens will be stored in the park or other NPS repository.

How to Do This

Top portion of the profile for an application that was previously submitted.

Once you have completed and submitted your permit application, download a pdf copy. To do so, go to your Investigator Dashboard and, under the “All of My Work” section, open the “Applications” panel. Click the title of the application of interest to open it. This will bring you to the “Application Profile.” At the top, click “Download Printable File.”

Upper portion of Appendix A from the permit application pdf file.

If you chose in your application to have specimens retained at a non-NPS repository, the last part of your application pdf is Appendix A. Note that the explanatory paragraph at the top describes your responsibilities as investigator.

Signature section of Appendix A

The middle portion of the form contains the repository information you provided in your application, followed by spaces for the repository official’s signature, date, name, and title. Send Appendix A to the repository official with a request that they return the signed document to you. They may sign electronically if their software allows it.

Panel for tracking whether signed Appendix A has been sent to the park.

NPS

Once you receive the signed Appendix A back from the repository official, email it to the park research coordinator. Then go to your Investigator Dashboard, open the panel called "Appendix A for non-NPS Repository" and check the box for "Sent to Coordinator." This will create a record in RPRS that you have done the required steps.

The coordinator can mark the Appendix A as received within RPRS and you will get a confirmation email that they have done so. The coordinator will work with the park’s curator and superintendent to review the proposed specimen collection and retention plan as part of your permit application.

Do you have questions about the software? The RPRS HelpDesk is available. e-mail us