Scientific Study Archive, Farmington River Coordinating Committee, (Remote/Barkhamsted, CT)
Posted January 11, 2023
Description
The Farmington River Coordinating Committee (FRCC) is the all-volunteer body that implements the Upper Farmington River Comprehensive River Management Plan for the Wild & Scenic Farmington River. As part of that plan, the committee is charged with stewarding the natural and cultural components of the river corridor designated Wild & Scenic by Congress, from Colebrook to Canton. Over the decades, the FRCC has commissioned studies and contributed to others that have helped protect and enhance the Farmington River and influenced the actions and decisions of towns and other organizations in the river valley. To continue to successfully meet their mission, the FRCC must have reliable access to data, solid analysis, and a simple way to call up this information when making decisions about the river. The FRCC is thus seeking someone to conduct a comprehensive search, annotation, and cataloging of studies of the natural resources of the river valley. Additionally, a brief report is desired that describes what research has been conducted and when, and names the gaps among these studies along with recommendations for filling those gaps with new research.
Approximate Start Date: February 27, 2023
Responsibilities
- Gather all studies, reports, maps and/or GIS data of the Farmington River pertaining to natural features of the river, riparian, and upland. This includes aquatic and terrestrial biology, biodiversity surveys and inventories, water chemistry, hydrology and geomorphology, wildlife, invasive species science and ecology, land use and patterns, visitor impacts on natural systems, non-point source pollution, natural histories, impact of cultural landscapes on ecosystems, dams and diversions, traditional ecological knowledge of proximate indigenous communities, and all other relevant natural and social science studies regardless of field. Many historic data sets and reports exist with Farmington River Watershed Association and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, both of whom are partners of FRCC and will assist in sourcing these reports.
- Organize all documents and data related to the studies, into a simple logical structure which is easily access by FRCC. This should include an index of keywords, titles, authors, dates, and abstracts.
- This project is the first phase of a larger project in which these studies, data, and documents will be accessed through a searchable database that FRCC will make accessible to the public. Organization of these files should keep this in mind throughout the process.
- Deliver a brief presentation to the FRCC upon completion of the contract.
Deliverables
- A simple and highly usable archive of all studies of environmental features and factors of the Farmington River. At present, FRCC envisions a well-organized file folder system on a shared drive, but we welcome creative and effective alternatives.
- Archive must be:
- Comprehensive and context specific, i.e. focused solely on the Farmington River watershed
- Well organized, in an intuitive manner
- Accurately annotated and indexed
- A living archive to which FRCC may add new reports, edit the archive after the close of the contract, and easily share with others
- A report that, 1) explains how the archive is organized, 2) an index organized by topic area, and 3) identifies fields of study that would fill gaps in the knowledge we have of the Farmington River and that will guide the FRCC in commissioning new research.
Qualifications
- Experience cataloging and summarizing scientific reports and documents
- Experience organizing data and information to be used by the public
- Familiarity with environmental science, ecology, and/or rivers
- Good communication skills, especially written
- Ability to work independently with infrequent check-ins
- Ability to track and report project results
- Experience developing databases, archives, or similar repositories of information is a plus
Hours and Compensation: Contractor will set their own schedule. Contractor is responsible for completion of the work defined in the scope within the time parameters of the mutually agreed upon contract.
Contractor will be expected to attend check-in meetings with FRCC representatives, Farmington River Watershed Association staff, and/or National Park Service staff periodically during the contract period at a mutually agreed upon series of times. Compensation will be paid in one lump sum upon the completion of the project and upon FRCC receiving the deliverables described in this RFP.
How to Apply
Contact: Please submit a proposal that details your ability to meet the scope of work as described in this RFP, relevant experience, a plan to complete the project, a budget and timeline, and references via email. Submissions should not exceed 3 pages excluding cover letters and references.
Send cover letter and proposal to: FRCC Chair, Roger Behrens ([email protected]), FRCC Resource Stewardship Chair, Alison Jassen ([email protected]), FRWA Conservation Director, Laura Hart ([email protected]), and National Park Service River Manager, Andrew Petitdemange ([email protected]). Please submit applications by 5:00PM on Monday February 6, 2023. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and position may be filled as soon as FRCC is satisfied with the qualifications of a candidate which may happen sooner than the application deadline.