REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY HARBOR & ESTUARY PROGRAM Public Workshops to Inform HEP s 5-year Action Agenda February 24, 2016 The New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) is requesting proposals from stewardship and community based organizations to host workshops to gather input for the revision of HEP s 5-year action agenda. To be held in late Spring and Summer 2016, the workshops are intended to identify the public and local stakeholder s priorities with respect to HEP s Mission and Five Goals (water quality, habitat, access, sediment management, and education), and to assess the relative vulnerability of these priorities to climate change. Up to $ 1000 is available for each of the anticipated 10-20 sessions held in watersheds across the estuary in New York and New Jersey. This request for proposals includes the following information: I. Background... 2 II. Project Objectives... 2 III. Geographic Scope... 3 IV. General Guidelines for Applicants... 4 V. Roles of Partners... 5 VI. Submission Process... 7 VII. Contact... 7 APPENDIX A: ELIGIBLE AREAS... 8 APPENDIX B: DRAFT WORKSHOP AGENDA... 9 APPENDIX C: EVALUATION CRITERIA... 10 APPENDIX D: TITLE PAGE FORMAT... 10 APPENDIX E: BUDGET FORM... 11 APPENDIX F: FORM TO INVITE HEP TO AN EXISTING MEETING... 12
I. Background Designated as an Estuary of National Significance under the Clean Water Act, the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary is a complex ecological system in the midst of a major urban center. The NY-NJ HEP was authorized in 1987 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is one of 28 National Estuary Programs in the country. HEP is an ongoing effort to protect, conserve, and restore the estuary though a management conference composed of representatives from local, state, and federal government; scientists; business; and civic organizations. The Hudson River Foundation (HRF) seeks to make science integral to decision-making with regard to the Hudson River and its watershed and to support competent stewardship of this extraordinary resource. This purpose is pursued through support of scientific research; communication to expand knowledge about the river among the scientific community, policy makers, and the public at large; initiatives to enhance management of the Hudson ecosystem; education about the River; and physical improvements to the riverfront. The Hudson River Foundation is the host of HEP and the Foundation will be the contracting entity for this RFP. II. Project Objectives HEP is engaging in a public participation process in anticipation of the release of its 5-year action agenda. HEP s 5-year action agenda will guide the government agencies, utilities, civic organizations, and scientists that comprise HEP to establish common programmatic, research, and funding priorities. The goal of the public participation process, which includes these workshops in addition to web-based survey tools and outreach at public events, is to ensure that HEP s programmatic priorities for the Harbor Estuary are aligned with the needs of watershed communities. HEP is seeking partners to co-host public workshops designed to identify the priorities of the public, local government, community organizations and other stakeholders throughout the estuary. Each workshop will be approximately 2 hours in duration (see overview below) with the final agenda to be determined by the selected grantees and HEP. Responsibilities for the workshop will be shared (see below) but the grantee will be specifically responsible for securing the workshop space, attracting participants, and compiling notes from the workshop into a standard format. If your organization is not interested in hosting a two-hour workshop, but still wants to participate and help bring its constituency into the HEP decision making process, HEP welcomes the opportunity
to run a shortened version of the public workshops, as part of the agenda at another meeting. To arrange for HEP to make an approximately 20-30 minute presentation at such a meeting, please fill out the form in Appendix F and email to Sarah Lerman-Sinkoff, HEP s Outreach Coordinator, Sarah@hudsonriver.org Overview of Proposed 2-Hour Workshops Target audiences: Engaged community leadership, local government staff, and the interested public. Objective: For the public to learn briefly about HEP s mission and goals, priority-setting process, and the status of local and estuary-wide resources relative to its goals. The public will identify gaps in HEP s understanding, especially of local watershed needs, propose priorities for HEP s upcoming Action Agenda, and provide perspective on the relative vulnerability of these priorities to climate change. Format: The following brief description is an overview of the content that each workshop should cover; the presentation format for the workshops should be tailored to best engage local participants based on their professional and lived experiences. A full draft agenda geared towards assessing HEP s priorities with respect to community needs can be found in Appendix B. Hosts may use this draft format as is, or submit an alternate agenda as part of their proposal. The workshops will be hosted by local community-based organizations. At the workshops, the host organization will welcome participants and provide an introduction to issues important to the local watershed. A HEP staff member will present on HEP s mission and five goals (water quality, habitat, access, sediment management/port, and education), HEP s current priorities and priority setting process, and potential climate risk. Following the presentation, participants will discuss these issues in the local context. Depending on size of the workshop, this discussion can involve breaking into smaller groups based on each of the five goals. Continued engagement: Following the workshops, hosts and participants are encouraged to continue overseeing the implementation of the action agenda through participation in HEP s Citizen Advisory Committee. III. Geographic Scope To be eligible for this RFP, the host organization must be located or operating within one of the five planning areas of the Hudson River Estuary study area. See Appendix A for a map of eligible listening session locations.
IV. General Guidelines for Applicants Eligibility Environmental and/or community organizations with 501(c)(3) status are eligible. Local governments, environmental commissions, community boards, or environmental and/or community organizations without 501(c)(3) status may apply, but they must partner with another organization with 501(c)(3) status that can serve as a fiscal agent. Current members of NY/NJ HEP Citizen Advisory Committee are encouraged to apply. Funding Available Up to $ 1000 is available for each of the anticipated 10-20 sessions held in watersheds across the estuary in New York and New Jersey. Available funds may be used for expenses directly related to the project including: Securing access to a workshop space and workshop supplies Production and distribution of workshop materials such as invitations and agendas Staff time Please note that this is partially a reimbursement grant. Once an agreement is signed, grantees will receive an advance of 50 % of the total grant. The final 50 % payment will be due upon completion of the workshop, receipt of the final report summarizing the workshop, and brief financial report. Processing time is approximately 30 days, provided that financial and final reports have been submitted. Estimated Timeline The estimated timeline for this RFP is shown below. Announcement of request for proposals February 23rd, 2016 Deadline for questions March 2nd, 2016 FAQ Posted March 7 th, 2016 Proposals due March 18 th, 2016 Announcement of awards April 6 th, 2016 Format finalized and materials created Mid-April, 2016 Workshops held April through July, 2016
Deliverables Final Workshop Agenda Workshop notice/invitations Contact list of attendees Depending on format, provide notes from breakout sessions Final report/workshop summary? V. Roles of Partners NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program Draft workshop presentation and materials Revise presentation and materials based on feedback from grantee Publicize event to HEP partners, mailing list and media Deliver presentation at workshop Provide format for workshop notes As needed, provide electronic polling equipment Contract management, receipt and payment of invoices, review and approval of all deliverables. Grantee Revise workshop format and materials with HEP staff in order to best target the audience Acquire appropriate workshop location Publicize event to grantee s membership, organizational network, and local media Depending on format, present for part of the workshop, facilitate conversation, and staff breakout tables as necessary Acquire or produce materials for workshop Summarize workshop per HEP s standard format Prepare financial report I. Questions about the RFP and Proposal Content Questions about the RFP (optional, due February 29 th, 2016) Please either submit any questions about the RFP via email to proposal@hudsonriver.org, or call Sarah Lerman-Sinkoff, HEP s Outreach Coordinator at (212) 483-7667 x1002. Answers to questions will be posted in the form of an FAQ on HEP s website by March 4 th, 2016.
Proposal Content (due March 15 th, 2016) The proposal must address all of the information requested in this section of the RFP. In addition, applicants are strongly advised to read and address the evaluation and scoring criteria in Appendix C. 1. Cover letter Please include a cover letter, printed on official letterhead and signed by an authorized representative of the lead organization that is applying 2. Title Page The title page must adhere to the format provided in Appendix D and include all of the following information, using a maximum of one page Organization Name and Contact Information Please provide the complete contact information for your organization including mailing address, phone and fax numbers, and email address CAC Member Please indicate yes or no whether your organization is a member of HEP s Citizen Advisory Committee Workshop Point Person: Provide the name, title, affiliation and complete contact information (mailing address, phone and fax numbers, and email address) of the point of contact for the workshop within your organization Project Support: Provide the names, titles, affiliations, and complete contact information for support staff who will significantly contribute to the project. Project Cost: Provide the total funding requested from HEP Previous Funding: Indicate whether you have received funding from HEP in the previous five years, and from which grant program. No points will be added or deducted for previous funding. Federal Tax Identification Number (FID): If the applicant will work with a fiscal sponsor, provide the sponsor s FID. DUNS number: A DUNS number is a unique, non-indicative 9-digit identifier that verifies the existence of a business entity globally. If you will partner with a fiscal sponsor, provide the sponsor s DUNS number. If you do not have a DUNS number at the time of applying, please indicate if you are in the process of obtaining one. 3. Proposal Narrative Please start the proposal narrative on a new page. Please provide short answers to the following questions. The total length should be about one page: a. Organizational focus. What are your organization s main program areas and/or campaigns? What are key connections to these areas and HEP s mission and five goals? b. Capacity. What is your organization s capacity to turn out members and the public to a priority-setting event? Has your organization hosted similar events in the last 5 years? How large is your organization s mailing list? Indicate relative organization and staff experience in producing and facilitating public workshops?
c. Composition of attendees. Whom does your organization primarily serve and would be able to attract to the workshop (e.g. youth, paddlers, neighborhood residents, park stewards, environmental professionals)? d. Preliminary Preferences for Workshop Format and Timing. Let us know of any initial preferences in terms of the workshop format (e.g. plenary discussion or breakout tables, comfort with using phones for electronic voting) and timing (e.g. weekend or evening workshop, proposed dates, any connection to scheduled events) e. Relationship to HEP. In what capacities has your organization interfaced with NY/NJ HEP in the past 5 years? Has your organization received HEP funding? Do members of your staff and/or membership serve on or plan to join HEP s Citizen Advisory Committee? f. Workshop budget. Please provide here any relevant details supplementing the information on the budget form in Appendix E. VI. Submission Process Proposals must be submitted by no later than 5:00 PM EST March 15 th, 2016. Applicants must submit their proposals electronically to proposal@hudsonriver.org as a single PDF document. The file name should be in the following format: NY-NJ HEP PUBWORKSHOPS_NAME OF YOUR ORGANIZATION. You will receive an email confirming your submission with the subject line RFP Submission Confirmation. VII. Contact If an applicant has any questions about the contents of this RFP, please contact Ms. Sarah Lerman- Sinkoff (212-483-7667 or Sarah@harborestuary.org). Answers to frequently asked questions will be posted on the HEP website on or about March 4th, 2016.
APPENDIX A: ELIGIBLE AREAS Workshops must be held by organizations that are either members of HEP s CAC, or are based within the Hudson River Estuary study area as shown below: Map source: Hudson-Raritan Estuary Comprehensive Restoration Plan. Volume I, March, 2009
APPENDIX B: DRAFT WORKSHOP AGENDA Draft Two Hour Workshop Agenda (to be modified as needed in discussion with grant recipient) Welcome from Host (10 minutes) o Reflection on issues important to the local watershed/community o Depending on size of workshop, recognition of key participants or self-introductions Presentation: State of the Estuary and Program Priorities (30 minutes plus 10 minutes Q/A) o HEP Mission and Five goals (Water quality, habitat, access, sediment/port, education) o Timeline for Creating and Public Review of Draft Report o Current status of estuary as a whole and local resources relative to HEP goals o Current HEP priorities for each goal o Climate Change Projections and Stressors Potential risks/risk pathways relative to five goals/priorities for the estuary o Overview of other challenges/opportunities o Q/A Plenary Discussion with Electronic Voting or Break out tables (60 minutes) o Priorities for Each of the Five Goals Which Priorities are Especially Important to You/Your Organization? What Priorities are Missing in Your Watershed? Estuary-wide? o Relative Consequence of Climate Change Risks for These Priorities Are there Additional Risk Paths Associated with the Climate Change Stressors? What is the Relative Consequence of the Risk (high, medium, low)? In Your Watershed? Estuary-wide? o Other Key Challenges/Opportunities for Addressing These Priorities Water Quality? Development/Land Use Change? Funding Other? o Important Specific Places, Programs, Organizations, Projects, ID and Locate Specific Places, Communities, Projects, Programs, Organizations, Projects, that are Addressing These Challenges/Opportunities in Your Watershed/Reach Collect Relevant Contact Information Summary by Table Leader (if needed 5 minutes) Next Steps (5 minutes) o On-Line Portal for Additional Comments o Timeline for Draft Action Agenda o Encourage Participation in CAC
APPENDIX C: EVALUATION CRITERIA Capacity Organization is able to secure a location, has experience in holding, publicizing, and generating turnout for similar events. Geographic coverage Organization s connections and partnerships with stakeholders in a specific watershed or waterfront area. Engagement with HEP and the CAC Organization is either currently involved in HEP s Citizen Advisory Committee, or is planning to join. Diversity of attendees Organization has a demonstrated capacity to reach a cross-cutting public and professional audience Represents an underserved population Organization represents an environmental justice community and/or coalition 30% 30% 20% 10% 10% APPENDIX D: TITLE PAGE FORMAT Organization name: Point person: Project support: Contact Information: CAC member: Y/N Total Funds Requested from HEP: $ Previous Funding: Federal Tax Identification Number: DUNS Number: If you do not yet have a DUNS number, please indicate if you are in the process of obtaining one.
APPENDIX E: BUDGET FORM BUDGET CATEGORY (Add/remove itemizing lines below major categories as necessary, but please do NOT delete major categories) A. PERSONNEL (list individual staff member, task, and hours or % time) TOTAL: B. FRINGE BENEFITS % of (e.g., 10% of total personnel costs) TOTAL: FUNDS REQUESTED FROM HEP FUNDS FROM OTHER SOURCES* C. TRAVEL (estimate number/purpose of trips below) TOTAL: D. EQUIPMENT** (itemize below) TOTAL: E. SUPPLIES (itemize below) TOTAL: F. CONTRACTS (identify & itemize below) TOTAL: G. OTHER (identify & itemize below) TOTAL: H. TOTAL DIRECT COSTS (SUM OF A-G) I. INDIRECT COSTS % of (e.g., 10% of total direct costs) TOTAL: J. TOTAL PROJECT COST (SUM OF H+I) TOTAL BUDGET
APPENDIX F: OTHER INTEREST IN HAVING HEP MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ABOUT THE ACTION AGENDA Please complete and submit this form if you are only interested in a HEP staff person making a presentation and possibly leading a shorter discussion about estuary priorities. This approximately 30 minute agenda item could take place at a regularly scheduled meeting or event. You do not need to complete the form if you are responding to the RFP. Organization name: Point person: Project support: Contact Information: CAC member: Y/N Meeting date: Please describe the audience of your meeting: How many people do you expect to attend? Who does your organization primarily serve in its programmatic capacities (e.g. youth, paddlers, an environmental justice neighborhood, stewards of a local environmental resource, environmental professionals, government, academic community)?