September 10, 2021

Announcing apparent successful project proposals for two Puget Sound Partnership solicitations of science and monitoring projects:

• Monitoring to Accelerate Recovery Solicitation (RFP #2021-154 posted on WEBS April 14, 2021)

• Collaborative Puget Sound Scientific Research Solicitation (RFP #2021-155 posted on WEBS April 14, 2021)

Monitoring to Accelerate Recovery

For the 2021-23 biennium, the Puget Sound Partnership (Partnership) requested project proposals that address priority monitoring information needs to inform and accelerate recovery of Puget Sound under the Monitoring to Accelerate Recovery solicitation to allocate approximately $750,000.

Apparent successful proposals for 2021-2023 Monitoring to Accelerate Recovery in order of their rank by evaluation panel:

1. Developing Zooplankton VS indicators for Puget Sound
   1. Project Lead: Julie Keister, UW
   2. Category 1
   3. Proposed budget: $79,052.00
2. Puget Sound primary productivity, phytoplankton monitoring and indicators development workshops
   1. Project Lead: Julia Bos, Ecology
   2. Category 1 and 2
   3. Proposed budget: $49,983.00
3. Enhancing the Human Wellbeing VS through inclusive engagement
   1. David Trimbach, Oregon State University
   2. Category 1
   3. Proposed budget: $99,986.04
4. Trophic linkages between zooplankton, herring, and salmon VS indicators
   1. Correigh Greene, NOAA
   2. Category 2
   3. Proposed budget: $95,676.30
5. Compiling and analyzing data for the new Puget Sound salmon VS indicators
   1. Neala Kendall, WDFW
   2. Category 1
   3. Proposed budget: $100,002.00
6. Designing a Toxics Biological Monitoring Program for the Nearshore to Accelerate Recovery of Puget Sound Ecosystem Health
   1. James West, WDFW
   2. Category 1
   3. Proposed budget: $99,497.00
7. Open knowledge networks to support regulatory best available science
   1. Paul Cereghino, NOAA
   2. Category 2
   3. Proposed budget: $84,740.00
8. Puget Sound Marine Benthic Index and Graphical Causal Model
   1. Valerie Partridge, Ecology
   2. Category 1 and 2
   3. Proposed budget: $70,680.33
9. Develop foundation to monitor noise in marine water VS indicator
   1. Erin Ashe, Oceans Initiative
   2. Category 1
   3. Proposed budget: $96,259.20

Award process for Monitoring to Accelerate Recovery

• The Partnership initially received 40 Letters of Interest, for an estimated cumulative funding request of $3.5M. By August 6, we received 13 full proposals, for an approximate cumulative funding request of $1.1M. The process followed the steps in the solicitation. Timeline is available here.
• Between August 9^thand September 10^th, the evaluation proceeded as described in the solicitation:
  • Each proposal was reviewed by three members of the evaluation panel using criteria published in the RFP. Evaluators followed a process and scoring rubric prepared by staff, based on the criteria listed in the solicitation.
  • The panel convened to discuss scores and comments and arrived at a ranked list of proposals by consensus. Their final ranked list did not ultimately deviate from the ranked list of all proposals based solely upon the overall average scores (project categories pooled).
• Given the available funding, the evaluation panel recommended nine projects be funded. The panel recognized that all 13 proposals represented good projects but together exceeded the funding available. Of the nine recommended proposals, five were for Category 1, two for Category 2, and two were both categories.
• The Partnership accepts the evaluation panel’s recommended proposals as the apparent successful proposals of this RFP. The selected projects are referred to here as apparent successful because they will not be considered fully successful until contracts are in place.
• Next steps:
  • Project leads for each apparent successful proposal received a congratulatory message on September 10th. We will begin contract scoping as soon as next week. The scope of work, budgets and other elements of the proposal are subject to change during contract scoping and negotiations, based on recommendations and feedback by the evaluation panel and Partnership staff, requirements stated in the RFP, and funding limitations.
  • Project leads for each unsuccessful proposal were notified on September 10^th and invited to a debrief call where Partnership staff will share feedback from the evaluation panel. Debriefs must be requested by 3:00 pm September 15^th and will occur on September 20^th. The deadline for any protest notification is by 3:00pm, September 27^th, 2021

Collaborative Puget Sound Scientific Research

For the 2021-23 biennium, the Partnership requested management-relevant proposals for science projects that will inform and improve efforts to enhance the resilience of the Puget Sound ecosystem under the Collaborative Puget Sound Scientific Research solicitation (RFP #2021-155) to allocate up to $1.7M.

Apparent successful proposals for 2021-2023 Collaborative Puget Sound Scientific Research

Integrated Socio-Ecological Systems Award

1. Human Well-being and Environmental Effects of Green Infrastructure
   1. Project lead: Ailene Ettinger, The Nature Conservancy
   2. Proposed budget: $641,805

Targeted Research Awards

2. Sea Lion Abundance Puget Sound
   1. Project Lead: Mari Smultea, Smultea Sciences
   2. Proposed budget: $25,100
3. Using bioenergetics to plan effective restoration projects for Chinook salmon
   1. Project lead: Emily Howe, The Nature Conservancy
   2. Proposed budget: $159,890
4. Modeling Cumulative Effects to Guide Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery
   1. Project lead: Rob Williams, Oceans Initiative
   2. Proposed budget: $119,951
5. Prioritization of Contaminants of Emerging Concern
   1. Project lead: Ruth Sofield, Western Washington University
   2. Proposed budget: $145,278
6. Qualitative Social Science through the Skagit Story
   1. Project lead: Sara Jo Breslow, Sara Jo Breslow LLC
   2. Proposed budget: $99,960

Award process for Collaborative Puget Sound Scientific Research

• The Partnership received 27 Letters of Interest, for an estimated cumulative funding request of $6.7M. By August 6, we received nine full proposals, for an approximate cumulative funding request of $2.1M. The process followed the steps in the solicitation. Timeline is available in the solicitation (link above).
• Between August 9^thand 31^st, the evaluation of individual proposals proceeded as described in the solicitation. Each proposal was reviewed by three reviewers who followed a process and scoring rubric prepared by Partnership staff, based on the criteria published in the solicitation.
• A review panel, comprised of four members of the Partnership’s Science Panel, arrived at funding recommendations during its virtual meeting on September 3^rd.
• The review panel recommended six projects be funded, including one integrated social ecological systems award and five targeted research awards.
• The Partnership accepts the review panel’s recommended proposals as the apparent successful proposals of this RFP. The selected projects are referred to here as apparent successful because they will not be considered fully successful until contracts or agreements are in place.
• Next steps:
  • Project leads for each apparent successful proposal received a congratulatory message on September 10th. We will begin scoping contracts or agreements as soon as next week. The scope of work, budgets and other elements of the proposal are subject to change during contract scoping and negotiations, based on recommendations and feedback by the evaluation panel and Partnership staff, requirements stated in the RFP, and funding limitations.
  • Project leads for each unsuccessful proposal were notified on September 10^th and invited to a debrief call where Partnership staff will share feedback from the individual reviewers and from the review panel. Debriefs must be requested by 3:00 pm September 15^th and will occur on September 17^th. The deadline for any protest notification is 3:00pm, September 27^th, 2021