The Clearwater Resource Conservation and Development Council is seeking qualifications from professionals for the purpose of hiring a Coordinator for the Clearwater Basin Collaborative’s Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) project. The full RFP is included below. The CFLRP Coordinator will work closely with the CBC and the CFLRP Monitoring Advisory Committee.
Please submit a proposal according to the specifications outlined in the RFP announcement via email to [email protected] by February 3rd, 2012. For more information on the Clearwater Basin Collaborative or the CFLRP project, please visit http://www.clearwaterbasincollaborative.org/. Ryan Haugo, PhD The Nature Conservancy 32 North Third Street, Suite 412 Yakima, WA 98901 [email protected] nature.org waconservation.org Clearwater Basin Collaborative CFLRP Coordinator Request for Proposals Background and Introduction The Clearwater Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc. (RC&D) is a non‐profit organization that sponsors the Clearwater Basin Collaborative (CBC). The CBC is a collaborative effort comprised of representatives from local and state governments, conservation groups, timber products industry, the Nez Perce Tribe, motorized interests, sportsmen, and local citizens. Our vision is to enhance and protect the ecological and economic health of the forests, rivers and communities within the Clearwater Basin. For further information about us, please visit our website at www.Clearwaterbasincollaborative.org. This Request for Proposals (RFP) seeks to identify an individual contractor able to provide professional services to the CBC in pursuit of implementing its vision and scope of work as defined in this RFP. In March of 2009, President Obama signed the Forest Landscape Restoration Act (FLRA) into law under Title IV of the Omnibus Public Lands Act of 2009, establishing the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) (http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLR/). The purpose of CFLRP is to implement and monitor collaborative, science‐based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes over a 10‐year period. The Clearwater Basin’s Selway Middle Fork CFLRP Project is one of ten selected nationwide for inclusion in this program. The Coordinator will work closely with members of the Clearwater Basin Collaborative, CBC’s Monitoring Advisory Committee (MAC) Forest Service, scientists, as well as local stakeholders and community organizations, to develop and implement this program. This contract will also serve as the point of coordination between all the above project participants and will likely have oversight of additional monitoring contracts. A crucial component of the CFLRP involves a multi‐party monitoring, evaluation and accountability process to assess the positive or negative ecological, social and economic effects of the project implementation. Monitoring will be used in an adaptive management framework to ensure that forest restoration treatments meet ecological, social, and economic objectives. Multi‐party monitoring activities will be conducted both before and after treatment applications at regular intervals to determine the response of ecosystem and social indicators. Restoration treatment success will be measured by movement toward restoration objectives, as assessed through effectiveness monitoring at both project and landscape levels. Information on treatment effectiveness will be collected and analyzed using a variety of methods so that both landscape‐level and site‐specific improvements may be evaluated. Measures that use remotely sensed data at the landscape level coupled with ecological data from ongoing assessment programs will be applied to recognize how treatments affect landscape phenomena. Other landscape level information will be derived using existing data sets organized and updated by federal and state agencies to evaluate the consequences of treatments on water quality, watershed function, and fish and wildlife habitat. Information will be collected at higher levels of resolution from well‐distributed field sample locations to measure site‐specific impacts of treatments on resource conditions. The effects of treatments on social conditions and economic opportunities will also be measured. Survey data will be collected on attitudes of contractors, residents and visitors, the number, quality, and location of jobs created, and changes in income from forest harvest and restoration activities. Contract Deliverables • Development and finalization of a monitoring and outreach plan at both landscape and site‐specific levels in consultation with the MAC and CBC to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of restoration treatments associated with the CFLR project. The intended audience for monitoring and outreach includes US Congress, USFS, community organizations, and critical stakeholders. All monitoring activities, techniques, and processes must follow scientifically‐accepted protocols for repeatability, statistical viability, etc. • Define and begin compilation and documentation of baseline data for key restoration and social/economic indicators including, but not limited to, median income and employment by industry sector, unemployment rates, population distribution, recreational usage at developed sites, crime rates, population retained after high school/college graduation, and ecological conditions at both the site and landscape level, • Draft report of interim monitoring results and outreach efforts– to be finalized in partnership with MAC and CBC. • Coordinate the compilation, maintenance, and archiving of databases and GIS layers and distribute as needed to project cooperators in compatible formats. • Assistance with USFS CFLR Project Annual Report preparation including annual accomplishments and documentation of cash and in‐kind contributions. • Coordination and facilitation of MAC meetings over the term of the contract. • Coordination of a minimum of two annual field trips that include MAC members, CBC Members, Forest Service experts, scientists and other local and regional interests. • Coordinate a minimum of one annual conference to facilitate information exchange and presentation of monitoring results. • Coordinate the planning, design, implementation, and monitoring of a natural‐resource based Youth Corps that will support the CFLRP program of work. • Coordination of Clearwater Basin Collaboration MOU implementation. Contract Information and Terms The term of the contract is from the date of execution (Estimated March 1, 2012) to February 28, 2013. The contractor must be able to start performing the stated duties soon thereafter. The value of the contract shall not exceed $65,000. Contract may be renewable annually up to three years or longer based upon performance and available funds. Additional travel, per diem, and associated expenses may be invoiced upon prior approval of the CBC Co‐Chairs. Every proposal will identify the individual who will be responsible for managing the project if the contract is awarded. Responsibilities and Accountabilities The CBC Steering Committee, convened by and accountable to the CBC Working Group will select the individual. The CBC‐CFLRP Coordinator position will be administered by the Clearwater RC&D. The successful applicant will report directly to the Co‐Chairs of the CBC. • The contractor shall provide own vehicle, with valid driver’s license and current insurance, necessary to complete this contract. • Contractor will perform all work as an independent contractor, and shall under no circumstances be considered or deemed an employee of the Clearwater Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc. • Contractor shall comply with all state and federal laws, rules and regulations relating to performance of work under this Contract. • Contractor shall provide their own computing and software resources. • Invoices submitted for reimbursement, to the Clearwater RC & D Council, Inc., will include itemization of time and all other expenses. • The successful applicant will attend all meetings of the MAC, as well as select meetings of the Landscape Health and Function Subcommittee and full CBC Working Group as deemed appropriate by CBC Co‐Chairs. • The contractor will prepare monthly progress reports, submitted to the MAC Co‐Chairs, Landscape Health and Function Co‐Chairs and CBC Co‐Chairs. Other progress reports, project plans and other deliverables will be submitted on a schedule to be determined. • Coordinate citizen‐science monitoring activities in the CFLRP Project Area; coordinate with local organizations to ensure quality and consistency. Project Location A tremendous amount of time working in the Selway Middle Fork CRLRP project area is required. Preference will be given to contractors located in the Clearwater Basin. Required Proposal Content and Format The proposal shall be specific and contain the information listed below in a concise manner and will be limited to 10 pages or less (not including the cover letter). Any proposals not containing the information specified in each section may receive a lower rating. The CBC reserves the right to reject proposals that do not address all the requirements of this RFP. Resume and references required. Cover Letter (not to exceed 2 pages) • Provide a cover letter expressing interest in the contract. The cover letter should not exceed two pages in length and must include the contractor’s name, address and telephone number. • Discuss the contractor’s understanding of the CBC collaborative process, CFLRA Program, socioeconomic and ecological monitoring. • Discuss the contractor’s understanding of public land management and natural resource policies. • Describe the contractor’s experience communicating with large and diverse audiences. • Provide information on experience with similar projects in terms of scope and size that demonstrate the applicant’s capability to perform the work outlined in this RFP. Proposal (not to exceed 10 pages) Project Organization and Budget • For each of the elements identified in the Contract Deliverables, present the level of effort the successful applicant will use to meet the objectives. • Provide a detailed budget reflecting the priorities identified in Contract Deliverables. Statement of Qualifications We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic contractor with excellent social and communication skills. Applicants must have: 1) Two or more years of professional experience working collaboratively. 2) A degree in a field related to natural resource management and/or the social‐economics field. 3) Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with diverse groups of people, both orally and in writing. 4) Strong organizational skills and experience managing databases. In addition, preferred qualifications include: 1) Knowledge of the ecosystems, rural economic issues, forest restoration/management, and stakeholder groups in the Clearwater Basin. 2) Socio‐economic and biophysical monitoring protocols. 3) Proficiency with ArcGIS, including geospatial analysis and creating and maintaining geodatabases. 4) Experience with experimental and sampling design, and quantitative analysis. Selection Process A selection committee consisting of representatives from the CBC and MAC will rank all proposals as submitted. The CBC reserves the right to reject any and all proposals submitted. The CBC reserves the right to request oral interviews with the highest ranked applicants. This solicitation does not commit the CBC or the Clearwater RC & D Council, Inc. to pay any costs incurred by the applicant in the preparation or presentation of the proposals, including any interview time and expense. All responses to the Request for Proposal become the property of the CBC. The content of the proposals will be kept confidential until the selection of the successful applicant is publicly announced. Upon selection of the successful contractor, the CBC co‐chairs will coordinate with the Clearwater RC&D Council, Inc. to execute a professional services contract. The CBC reserves the right to terminate the contract at any time of its choosing prior to its completion date. Should the CBC choose to effect such termination, individual shall be paid only through the current payment period in which the individual is working. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL Please submit via email by February 3rd, 2012 as a single pdf file to: [email protected] Review of proposals is scheduled to take place soon after the closing date. Applicants will be notified of the status of their proposal within 3 weeks of the closing date. If you have questions regarding this RFP, please call CBC Coordinator at 208‐512‐5806.
