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Gulfwatch Program Plan Phases 2 and 3
Request for Qualifications
January 4, 2013
Gulf of Maine Council /Project Background
The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment was established in 1989 by the Governments of
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts to foster cooperative actions
within the Gulf watershed. Its mission is to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of
Maine to allow for sustainable resource use by existing and future generations. Visit www.gulfofmaine.org
for further information. The Gulf of Maine Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports the activities of
the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment.
Contract Overview
The first phase of the new Program Plan for the Gulfwatch Program, a toxic contaminant monitoring
program using blue mussels as the sentinel species, is currently being drafted. Phase 1 of the new Plan
includes a new sampling and analysis program design, a plan for collaboration with NOAA Mussel Watch
Program, and recommendations for papers and reports . The Council is seeking contractor/s to facilitate
a steering committee to gather input and guidance for a draft two-phase Program Plan to implement
continued long-term contaminant monitoring in the Gulf of Maine. The plan should evaluate strategies for
the expanded contaminants monitoring (Phase 2) and long term monitoring and synthesis that allows for
more comprehensive ecosystem level assessments (Phase 3). This program plan will include
recommendations for more detailed and expanded monitoring, research, outreach, and communication.
Preferred Qualifications
 Working knowledge of US state (ME, NH, and MA), and Canadian provincial (NB and NS) federal
coastal and marine environmental laws, policies, and programs related to toxic chemical
contaminants with an emphasis on data collection and monitoring.
 Network of contacts in state, provincial, and federal government, academic research, and nonprofit
organizations in the Gulf of Maine region (NB, NS, ME, NH, and MA).
 Proficiency with excel spreadsheets and web search.
 Ability to provide specific tasks/deliverables listed below:
Tasks and Deliverables
Process:
 Formation of a steering committee that would include US and Canadian federal and US and
Canadian state and provincial representatives from environmental departments (such as Nova
Scotia Environment, New Brunswick Environment, Environment Canada, US Environmental
Protection Agency, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and similar
representatives in the states of Maine and Massachusetts) and academic researchers to aid in
ensuring that the plan addresses regulatory mandates and emerging concerns – March 31, 2013
 Working in coordination with the GOMC Gulfwatch Contaminants Monitoring Committee,
Steering Committee (above), GOMC Outreach Committee, GoMC funding strategists, and the
Ecosystem Indicator Partnership (to determine Outreach section) to devise a draft phased
contaminants monitoring plan – Draft completed and provided for review and comments to the
GoM Council for review and recommendation by March 31, 2013
 Reference to existing Gulfwatch Program and related source reports and papers (such as 2007
RARGOM Peer Review “A Review of the Gulfwatch Program 1993 – 2004”).
Deliverables:
Prepare the following three (3) sections of a draft program plan to be submitted:
a. Phase 2 - Emerging Contaminants
This would build on the work of the contaminants working group that (considering limiting financial
resources) have already begun work on an additional suite of compounds for the program. Their extra
recommendations include expanding on petroleum base pollution monitoring to allow for better scientific
tools for source point identification of this type of pollution in our coastal areas. As a second part of the
expansion, the group recommends an integration of a small suite of highly used synthetic pesticides that
have been applied directly into our coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine. For example, Pyrethroid
pesticides, used to control sea lice outbreaks in the aquaculture industry, have been applied in the net
pens (in situ) and then released into the immediate environment. The Program Plan would document
which contaminants can realistically use the blue mussel as an indicator species and funding needed to
support the determination of the recommended new suite of contaminants. Partnerships with other
monitoring programs will be explored to determine the potential for an expanded program through
collaborative efforts.
b. Phase 3 - Ecosystem Contaminant Assessment Approach:
This section of the Program Plan would cover the effects of contamination and a changing environment
and their impact on sensitive bioindicators that occupy different levels within the ecology of the ecosystem
(GoM). Import to this understanding is knowledge of contaminant distribution in the air, water and
sediment. Coupled with relevant science that informs how the ecosystem is changing, a comprehensive
assessment of ecosystem contaminants would require a knowledge base that contains information of
contaminant levels in these components: tissues of key species of various niches, sediment, water, and
atmosphere. An initial approach might be to evaluate existing contaminant data (e.g. in birds, marine
mammals, coastal and estuarine sediment, water quality monitoring efforts and from national and regional
air monitoring programs) for consistency of analyzes, frequency of monitoring and level of data quality.
c. Outreach/Communications
Over the years it has become crucial to make the Gulfwatch information available to decision makers. In
this section of the report Ecosystem Indicator Partnership needs from the Gulfwatch program will be
considered and other outreach/ communication methods will be recommended.
Term of Contract
February 1, 2013 – March 30, 2013.
Other requirements
Applicants cannot be debarred or suspended from receipt of federal funds.
Compensation range
The consultant will be on contract with the Gulf of Maine Association. The contract will not exceed
$10,000. This is a fee for service contract with no benefits or additional costs provided by the Gulf of
Maine Association.
Location
The contractor will work from his/her own office.
Proposal procedure
Submit cover letter, and resume via an email to Cindy Krum, Executive Director, Gulf of Maine
Association at [email protected]
by January 18, 2013 at 5:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM AT. For clarification/process questions, contact Christian
Krahforst at [email protected] or Peter Wells at [email protected]
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