700 Cajundome BoulevardLafayette, Louisiana 70506

www.gulfcoastprairielcc.org

REQUEST FOR STATEMENTS OF INTEREST

Responses to this Request for Statements of Interest (SOI) will be used to identify potential investigators for a project funded by the Gulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GCP LCC) through a cooperative agreement administered by the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) or the Gulf Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (GC-CESU).

GCP LCC Science Theme: Biological Planning, Conservation Design, Conservation Delivery

Project Title: Developing a process and conservation application for Landscape Conservation Design for the Gulf Coast Prairie LCC.

Location: Watersheds of the Lower Colorado, Guadalupe and San Antonio rivers (see Figure 1).

Project Need: GCP LCC identified focal species and associated habitats to help focus Partnership efforts on priority conservation and associated science needs, including the development of landscape conservation design products that aid decision-making for conservation delivery actions. In order to improve biological planning and landscape conservation design efforts to implement State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs) for the benefit of LCC focal species, the Partnership requires a process and specific products to ensure a transparent and reproducible framework for future conservation delivery and application.

Project Description: In close working relationship with the LCC Science Coordinator and GIS Coordinator, develop a scientific Landscape Conservation Design (LCD1) process and procedures to ensure a collaborative and iterative planning and modeling of LCC focal species and associated habitats in an identified area. This project will set the stage for further LCD 1 Landscape conservation design is a partner-driven approach to achieve a sustainable, resilient socio-ecological landscape. It is an iterative, collaborative, and holistic process resulting in strategic and spatial products that provide information, analytical tools, maps, and strategies to achieve landscape goals collectively held among partners. Refer to the SHC Handbook, the GCP Science Strategy , and Attachment 1 (Campellone et al. 2016) for more information and background.

October 3, 2016

700 Cajundome BoulevardLafayette, Louisiana 70506

www.gulfcoastprairielcc.org

efforts and implementation strategies to aid decision-making for conservation delivery actions (e.g. restoring grassland habitats) by GCP LCC partners.

The activities conducted through this project will at least include: (a) literature review, baseline assessments and summaries, (b) draft Blueprint – Fine Filter maps and tools, (c) Work group and GCP LCC outreach, (d) Facilitate and refine the process through Technical Work Group Meetings, and (e) final report, data, and management recommendations.

Figure 1. Focus area for the Landscape Conservation Design effort in the Gulf Coast Prairie LCC. This an approximate boundary, which is defined as the watersheds of the San Antonio, Guadalupe, and Lower Colorado Rivers and may change based on the interest of parties

engaged through this effort.

Stages in the LCD under the SOI: 1. Formulation: includes baseline assessments of landscape condition

and configuration, assessment of actors, current planning, and interests, and a draft summary of the common landscape vision for

October 3, 2016

700 Cajundome BoulevardLafayette, Louisiana 70506

www.gulfcoastprairielcc.org

conservation in the identified area based on results from interviews with identified actors

2. Convening (Phase 1) centered on LCC focal species and associated habitats and including the facilitation of identified actors (from formulation stage and others) to identify

o the concerns, desires, fundamental objectives, and tactics (means objectives) to achieve a common landscape vision,

o the threats, uncertainties and opportunities facing identified conservation targets (e.g. LCC focal species and associated habitats in the identified area),

o the availability and gaps in planning, data, and other tools to represent the landscape vision, and

o alternate approaches to combine and optimize these products and data to draft a conservation blueprint for the identified area

3. Spatial design(s) in consultation with actors and others to produce a draft Blueprint to achieve the common landscape vision

4. Convening (Phase 2): Facilitate and gather feedback on results of drafted spatial design(s) from parties involved in phase 1 of convening and identify important cultural resources in the identified area

5. Refinement of spatial design(s) based on phase 2 of convening6. Conduct outreach and elicit final feedback from included parties

and others7. Report and present summaries and results including associated

spatial design data and products to the LCC Steering Committee and Science Team with recommendations for next steps.

Project Products and Deliverables: With guidance from the GCP LCC and the Technical Review Team, the agency or organization awarded this funding will produce (identified by stage):

1. Formulation: Summary of interviews and landscape assessments in formulating the conservation design effort;

2. Convening: Summary of facilitated sessions of conservation actors to define and design the common conservation vision in the identified area

3. Spatial Design: An ecological – cultural Blueprint [map(s) or geographic

October 3, 2016

700 Cajundome BoulevardLafayette, Louisiana 70506

www.gulfcoastprairielcc.org

visualization “tool” of the geography(s) and important habitat patches and connectivity corridors] and associated documentation.

4. Summary document and conservation map alternatives for collaborative review

5. Conduct listening sessions and summary report for each;6. Final report including analysis of material collected, recommendations

for conservation delivery, and suggested priorities for future research.

Estimated Project Cost and Timeline: This project should be completed within 18 months of the signing of a grant agreement between WMI or the GC-CESU and the Grantee. The maximum amount of GCP LCC funding available for this project is 200,000. Indirect costs eligible for reimbursement under this grant are limited to a maximum of 15% of direct costs for non-CESU member agencies; or, 17.5% for CESU member agencies.

Instructions for Submittal: 1. The SOI must be submitted as an email attachment in MS Word or Adobe

PDF format to csmithwmi@msn.com no later than Friday, October 21, 2016, at 5:00 PM Central Daylight Time. The Subject line should read: “SOI: Developing a process and conservation application for LCD for the GCP LCC.”

2. The SOI is limited to 5 pages and must include: Name, Job Title, and contact information for the Project Director or

Principal Investigator and any other staff, faculty, or contractors who will be involved in completing the project.

For each person identified, a description of their relevant knowledge, skills and experience; the role each would fulfill; and the amount of time each would commit to the project. It is important that the applicant(s) demonstrate expertise in elicitation, group facilitation, and spatial analysis.

A brief description of how your organization would approach the project and an estimated timeline for completion of products and deliverables.

Acknowledgement that the maximum amount of funding available from the GCP LCC, $200,000, is sufficient to complete the project using the personnel and approach described or identification of additional resources, including matching funds or in-kind services, your organization currently has available and will commit to complete or enhance the project.

October 3, 2016

700 Cajundome BoulevardLafayette, Louisiana 70506

www.gulfcoastprairielcc.org

Acknowledgement that indirect costs are limited to 15% of direct costs (17.5% for CESU projects) for reimbursement. Additional waived indirect costs can be credited as matching funds.

Evaluation: SOI’s will be evaluated by a Technical Review Team appointed by the GCP LCC Steering Committee. Responses will be ranked based on the following criteria:

Amount of relevant knowledge, skills and experience of the project personnel identified in the SOI.

Amount of time committed by personnel to the project. The approach and timeline for completion of products and deliverables. The value of additional resources contributed to the project.

Grant Agreement: Following review of SOI’s an investigator or investigators will be invited to prepare a full proposal and detailed budget. The detailed proposal and budget will be used to develop a grant agreement between WMI or the GC-CESU and the investigator(s). A template listing all potential grant agreement terms for agreements administered through WMI is available from Matt Wagner at mkwagner4009@sbcglobal.net. A template for grants administered through the GC-CESU is available from Debbie Danford at ddanford@ag.tamu.edu. Investigators are encouraged to review the terms of the agreement prior to submitting a SOI.

Please send SOI’s or direct questions to:

Ben KahlerScience CoordinatorGulf Coast Prairie Landscape Conservation CooperativeWetland and Aquatic Research Center700 Cajundome BlvdLafayette, LA 70506benjamin_kahler@fws.gov 

October 3, 2016

700 Cajundome BoulevardLafayette, Louisiana 70506

www.gulfcoastprairielcc.org

October 3, 2016

700 Cajundome BoulevardLafayette, Louisiana 70506

www.gulfcoastprairielcc.org

October 3, 2016

Double-click on the image to open the document in PDF format

700 Cajundome BoulevardLafayette, Louisiana 70506

www.gulfcoastprairielcc.org

October 3, 2016