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OW's Coastal and Estuarine Program Outreach via CERF's 'Coastal and Estuarine Science News Publication
Posted: July 11, 2011
EPA intends to issue a sole source purchase order to the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation to promote EPA's public awareness of coastal protection activities. The environmental information sharing and outreach to be provided via the Coastal and Estuarine Science News, CERF’s newsletter publication. This procurement will fund the CERF newsletter for two years starting from the issuance of the procurement. Thecomplete statement of work and sole source justification follow. Notwithstanding EPA's intent to sole source, any firm believing it has the capability to perform these services should send its technical capability statement to Paul Dawson at dawson.paul@epa.gov no later than July 21, 2011.
STATEMENT OF WORK
Background:
The Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (OWOW) to request
stakeholders‘communication and public outreach from the Coastal and Estuarine Research
Federation's (CERFs) publication and to promote EPA's public awareness of coastal
protection activities of OW water programs.
Purpose:
The funding of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation's (CERFs)
Coastal and Estuarine Science News, CERF’s newsletter publication provides EPA with a continued opportunity to support and enhance the goals of providing stakeholders’ communication and public outreach, would significantly benefit various Agency’s watershed-based coastal and estuarine protection programs.
The stakeholders’ communication and public outreach would benefit EPA's National Estuary Program (NEP), established by Congress in 1987 to improve the quality of coastal estuaries across the nation; EPA's implementation of Large Aquatic Ecosystem (LAE) programs to encourage collaboration within EPA programs and with external partners, especially states, to help protect and restore large aquatic ecosystems and; the Climate Ready Estuaries (CREs) program to assess in estuaries: climate change vulnerabilities; adaptation strategies and; engage and educate stakeholders.
Description of Tasks:
The Contractor shall through its 'Coastal and Estuarine Science News newsletter, promote research in estuarine and coastal systems, support education of scientists, decision-makers, and the public, and facilitate communication between coastal environmental and stewardship groups.
Through its audience of coastal and estuarine-focused individuals’ and groups’, the Contractor shall provide a mechanism:
To share and distribute information to enhance critical capacity building to achieve the protection and restoration of ocean and coastal ecosystems;
- To promote watershed-based coastal management;
- To improve the marine environment, to support monitoring and;
- To establish and continue effective national, state and local goals and partnerships.
The Contractor shall provide a continued opportunity to support stakeholders’ communication and EPA’s public outreach efforts to describe and highlight Agency’s various watershed-based coastal and estuarine protection programs.
SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION
The U. S. EPA, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds is seeking a sole source procurement with the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF). The Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) is in a unique position to aid EPA in providing stakeholders’ communication and public outreach within the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation's (CERFs) publication to promote EPA's public awareness of coastal protection activities. CERF currently has approximately 1,650 members, and approximately 1,000 more as members of the affiliate organizations.
The Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation ’s goal is to advance understanding and wise stewardship of estuarine and coastal ecosystems worldwide with its mission of:
- Promote research in estuarine and coastal ecosystems
- Support education of scientists, decision-makers and the public
- Facilitate communication among these groups
Because of the uniqueness and as a leading coastal and estuarine nonprofit organization, Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation through its 'Coastal and Estuarine Science News newsletter, has promoted research in estuarine and coastal systems, supported education of scientists, decision-makers, and the public, and facilitated communication between coastal environmental and stewardship groups. The central goal of CERF is to make its communication products the recognized leaders in communicating estuarine and coastal science to scientists, educators, and managers.
CERF continues to identify organizations and individuals who may benefit from access to their newsletter publication by expanding access to international audiences and linked through its postings to the CERF website.
The Newsletter continues to be CERF’s members’ primary source of information about CERF’s activities, conferences, individual member accomplishments, affiliate society meetings, and federal and regional programs including EPA’s programs to protect and restore our ocean and coastal ecosystems by promoting watershed-based coastal management, preventing pollution of the marine environment, monitoring and assessing coastal conditions, and establishing effective partnerships.
This procurement result of providing stakeholders’ communication and public outreach,would significantly benefit various Agency’s watershed-based coastal and estuarine protection programs such as EPA's National Estuary Program (NEP), established by Congress in 1987 to improve the quality of coastal estuaries across the nation; EPA's implementation of Large Aquatic Ecosystem (LAE) programs to encourage collaboration within EPA programs and with external partners, especially states, to help protect and restore large aquatic ecosystems and; the Climate Ready Estuaries (CREs) program to assess in estuaries: climate change vulnerabilities; adaptation strategies and; engage and educate stakeholders.