WRIA 8 (King County) Proposal– Capacity Funding
5% of PSAR Funding for Capital Program Management
Contact: Jean White, WRIA 8 Coordinator, 206-263-6458
WRIA 8 Proposal:
King County, the WRIA 8 lead entity agency, proposes to develop and manage a technical assistance team to provide technical assistance to high priority projects on the WRIA 8 3-Year Implementation Work Plan.
Background: The habitat restoration projects identified in the WRIA 8 Chinook Conservation Plan are in many phases of project development. Some projects are fully designed, needing only permits and funding to be implemented. Many others are project concepts that need feasibility studies, project design, and the assistance of engineers, fisheries biologists, hydrologists and other professional services before they will be ready for permits, funding and construction. Lastly, successfully implementing the Plan depends not only on capacity but on the effectiveness of actions, which we believe can become enhanced and sustained by new exposure to the very latest knowledge of habitat dynamics and salmonid behavior.
Therefore this proposal contains 3 elements;
1.) Prioritize 3-Year list for project implementation and contact known or likely project sponsors/ cooperators to identify barriers to implementing the 3-Year list of projects. Barriers might include funding, staffing shortfalls, permitting, design, other technical assistance, grant writing, land ownership, or other barriers and project sponsors will be asked to identify all that may occur.
2.) Once project needs have been identified among 3-Year list projects, Technical Assistance in the form of a consultant team, jurisdictional partnerships, or direct pass through of capacity funds will be provided to project sponsors (flexible enough to fit the need) in order to get high priority projects ready for funding and construction. The work will focus primarily on future capital projects, but there may also be some current, funded capital projects on the 3-year list that would benefit from assistance as well, so these do not founder.
3.) For 3-year list project sponsors and other key jurisdictional/agency staff, we will host a workshop (coordinated by WRIA 9) to introduce the very latest knowledge of habitat dynamics and salmonid behavior in order to design and build better projects. Participation of the WRIA 8 Project ranking sub-committee in the workshop will be strongly encouraged so that this committee may better evaluate project proposals and provide feedback to sponsors so project applications are improved.
Scope of Work
Creating a “Technical Assistance Team” to assist project sponsors. The lead entity shalldevelop project specific strategies for filling partner capacity limitationsfor implementing prioritized 3-year List salmon recovery projects based on feedback from project sponsors; solicit and contract with a “Technical Assistance Team” to fill limitations; and along with the WRIA 8 Technical Committee and Project sub-committee, oversee technical assistance of selected projects; develop and administer contracts with salmon recovery partners; and create contract deliverables and progress reports.
Scope of Work to create the WRIA 8 Technical Assistance Team:
Task 1)
7.01.The WRIA 8 Lead Entity will update and prioritize a 2008 version of the 3-Year work program to identify the highest priority projects. This work will require solicitation of new projects to add to the 3-year list and review of the 2007 Implementation Tracking report to determine if existing 3-year list projects have been completed(therefore removing these from the list). Participation by the WRIA 8 Implementation Committee and review by the WRIA 8 Technical Committee is an important step. Prioritization within and among subareas would include consideration of area strategies, timing and sequencing of projects.
Deliverables: (1) 2008 Prioritized 3-Year work program and identification of actual or likely sponsorship, if known.
Assumptions: The WRIA 8 lead entity team will oversee this task. The deliverable and schedule for prioritization of a 2008 3-Year work program and identification of priority projects assumes that the 2008 update will look substantially similar to the existing 2007 version.
Schedule: Draft list in March 2008/ Final version in April 2008 prior to call for proposals for KCD/SRFBoard/PSAR funds. Reported in Quarterly grant report to WDFW in April 2008.
Task 2)
7.02The WRIA 8 Lead Entity will contact project sponsors with the highest priority projects (up to 10 projects) and identify potential barriers to implementing these projects. This information will help determine what sort of assistance would bemost needed in order to complete these projects (for example this might include assistance with permits, preliminary design concepts, developing cost estimates, or grant writing, or even project management). The WRIA 8 team will determine how much assistance and what the scope of assistance would entail for up to 10 projects. This information will help inform Task 3.
Deliverables: (1) Identification and reporting of general categorical barriers to implementation for high priority projects. Although funding may be an important limitation, funding will already be accounted for in the 3-Year list. Therefore barriers to implementation will focus on specific technical assistance needed for each of up to 10 projects.
Assumptions: Completion of this task assumes we are able to gain knowledge of specific limitations or barriers to implementation from project sponsors.
Schedule: Draft/final report of project specific barriers to implementation and needs assessment June 2008. Reported in Quarterly grant report to WDFW in October 2008
Task 3)
7.03Based on the needs identified in Task 2, the WRIA 8 Team will determine the best approach to accomplishing technical assistance for prioritized projects; either in the form of a consultant team, jurisdictional staffing, WRIA 8 Team staffing or direct funding of the project sponsor.For consultant assistance, The WRIA 8 Team will develop a request for proposals for a team of experienced consultants with the right mix of skills and training to provide the needed technical assistance to project sponsors. This Technical Assistance Team will most likely beIf a team of consultants is chosen, they will be managed by WRIA 8 Team staff to assist in making referrals to project sponsors and to be the project manager for the team.
Deliverables: (1) Report of project specific approaches to filling capacity needs and technical assistance for up to 10 projects. (2) Identification of budget allocation for projects, (3) Advertise RFQ for consultants, document review criteria and interview/hiring process.
Assumptions: Completion of this task assumes we are able to support identified needs from project sponsor and project sponsor is willing to accept a level of support that may completely support implementation or which may only partially support implementation/completion. gain knowledge of specific limitations or barriers to implementation from project sponsors.
Schedule: Draft/final report of project specific approaches to implementation, needs assessment, and budget allocation August 2008. RFQ advertised September 2008. Reported in Quarterly grant report to WDFW in October 2008
Task 4)
7.04The WRIA 8 Team will conduct review of consultant qualifications, interview applicants and hire consultants to serve as the Technical Assistance Team. The hiring team will include members of the WRIA 8 Technical and Implementation Committees. The chosen consultant team will receive project information and provide final work order after consultation with local project sponsor. Project implementation.
Deliverables: (1) Document hiring process and final consultant selection, (2) Final work orders for individual projects, (3) Report of project progress and completion of work order
Assumptions: Completion of this task assumes we are able to support identified needs from project sponsor and additional barriers to success are not also limited by the timeframe for lead entity capacity funding.
Schedule: Draft/final report of project work orders November 2008, project tracking to completion and completion reporting May 2009. Reported in final grant report to WDFW in July 2009
Task 5)
7.05Restoration and Implementation workshop. Conduct three one-day workshops for project sponsors, policy makers, and the local Recreation and Conservation Office Project Manager. The workshop will be jointly sponsored with WRIA 9. The workshops are expected to: increase technical expertise among participants; create new and improve existing project partnerships; provide understanding of target conditions and first-hand knowledge of reference sites; and improve project effectiveness through advances in design, siting, and sequencing. We feel this workshop will help to improve the quality of project designs and proposals that are submitted to WRIA 8 for funding consideration.
Sub-tasks
- Create modules:
- Salmonid behavior, genetics, and population dynamics module.
- River channel and Riparian Forest Dynamics
- Estuary and Nearshore Dynamics
- Plan workshop logistics including discussion leaders, identify dates, plan workshop logistics and implement module.
- Synthesis or wrap-up
Deliverables and Schedule: (1) Submit a summary, including the final agendas, participant list, and copy of any materials provided to each participant for each module by September 30, 2008.
DRAFT110/23/07