Justification for Single Source - MRRIC Project Third Party Science Neutral (TPSN) and Independent Science Advisory Panel (ISAP)

The John S. McCain III National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution (National Center) is a program of the Udall Foundation, an independent Federal agency located in the Executive Branch. The National Center was established by Congress in 1998 to provide impartial collaboration, consensus-building, and conflict resolution services. The National Center's work enhances multiparty problem solving and decision-making by helping parties work together, build a shared understanding of issues, address concerns, and develop strong outcomes. The National Center focuses on a wide range of environmental, natural resources, and public lands issues involving the Federal Government. Since 2006, the National Center has been assisting parties in the Missouri River basin in developing a multi-party collaborative forum working with USACE in order to fulfill the purpose of the USACE Missouri River Recovery Program (MRRP). Through the MRRP, USACE endeavors to manage its Missouri River operations in a manner that avoids a finding of jeopardy for three federally listed species: the piping plover, the interior least tern, and the pallid sturgeon. MRRP implements USACE's responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act, including restoration of a portion of the Missouri River ecosystem and habitat for fish and wildlife, while maintaining the congressionally authorized uses of the river. This effort relies on collaborations with a wide range of governmental, academic, and private organizations that are working to deliver products, including extensive scientific analyses and syntheses. The MRRP Integrated Science Program (ISP) works to ensure the quality, completeness, and application of scientific information upon which the MRRP is based. The ISP follows the Office of Management and Budget's - Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review (2005). This approach is also consistent with USACE's civil works review policy guidance EC 1165-2-209. As part of ensuring that the ISP is based on sound science, USACE and the USFWS (hereafter, - Lead Agencies) and MRRIC seek access to an independent source of scientific review, advice and recommendations to consult on an as-needed basis. MRRIC assists these efforts by developing recommendations for the agencies implementing the ecosystem management efforts. MRRIC was authorized by Congress in Section 5018 of the 2007 Water Resources Development Act and has nearly 70 members who represent a wide array of local, state, Tribal and Federal interests throughout the Missouri River Basin. The MRRIC consensus-building process is a coordinated effort involving the Udall Foundation, a contracted facilitation team, the Lead Agencies, and the contracted MRRIC Chair position, in addition to approximately 140 Committee members and their alternates. The TPSN provides the required scientific and management support to establish and manage an ISAP for the Missouri River Recovery Program, consistent with the document entitled, - Third Party Science Neutral Support to Establish an Independent Science Advisory Panel (ISAP) for the Missouri River Recovery Program, which was approved by MRRIC on May 24, 2018, (hereafter referred to as - ISAP Engagement Strategy). In order to provide MRRIC and the Lead Agencies with high-quality, independent, and neutral scientific and technical analysis to support effective implementation of the MRRP's SAMP, the Udall Foundation contracted out the services of the TPSN and the ISAP. The contractor formed the Independent Science Advisory Panel (ISAP) and is responsible for managing ISAP operations, to include facilitating and coordinating the development of ISAP work products. As referenced in the ISAP Engagement Strategy, for all tasks, the TPSN works with the ISAP to ensure that all developed scientific documents address all charge requirements and are thorough, timely, and understandable by MRRIC. The TPSN may suggest edits to any of these documents; however, decisions about whether and how to incorporate TPSN edits, as well as findings and recommendations reported in deliverables, are solely the responsibility of the ISAP panel members. To protect the independence of the ISAP, the TPSN cannot change the intent of the deliverable. The purpose of the ISAP is to provide independent scientific review, advice, and recommendations in relevant natural sciences, social sciences, and cultural resources to support effective science-based decision-making and direction-setting for the MRRP. As the MRRP moves into implementation of its Science and Adaptive Management Plan (SAMP), areas in which ISAP input is likely to be needed include monitoring plans, monitoring and assessment results, research proposals, Adaptive Management (AM) implementation, program adjustments, and strategic plans. The panel provides review, advice, and recommendations which can be made in-person and/or via webinar, telephone, written reports, memos, Power Point presentations, summaries of discussion at meetings, recorded verbal feedback, and panel-initiated written feedback. The TPSN ISAP Contractor attends the annual Fall Science Meeting, the AM Workshop, and all MRRIC plenary meetings to be able to provide the committee with the most up-to-date scientific information surrounding the environmental and endangered species issues identified for each meeting. The TPSN ISAP Contractor and panel also engage on occasional webinars and conference calls, and in scientist-to-scientist discussions. The current contractor provides TPSN services, in close coordination with the committee, the Lead Agencies, the National Center, facilitation team contractors, and MRRIC Chair contractor. In addition to the required Government performance evaluation that occurs during the management of the contract, feedback is provided to the National Center by MRRIC regarding how they perceive and experience the TPSN ISAP Contractor's performance, in accordance with the MRRIC Charter.