Attachment 1 SOW.pdf

US Department of Agriculture

(USDA)

Statement of Work Technical Support for Climate Hub activities in the US Virgin Islands

July 27, 2023

Project

Strengthening the work of the Caribbean Climate Hub in the US Virgin Islands

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

This contract will support Caribbean Climate Hub mission in the US Virgin Islands including support in stakeholder engagement, events coordination, logistics, communications, science delivery and actions that support adaptation and mitigation strategies applicable to the US Virgin Islands. The contractor will create and edit specialized documents with scientific content to provide communication and science delivery about climate adaptation and mitigation practices to USVI partners and stakeholders including the dissemination of assessments of climate-related risks and vulnerabilities of forestry and agriculture in the US Caribbean; provide event coordination and logistics support to CCH in person and virtual activities including stakeholder engagement;

promotion of activities, logistic support before, during and after the activity; participate in workshops held by CCH partners in USVI, and assist with event evaluation and reporting;, and provide for communication and collaboration with partners in USVI including USDA agencies, UVI Agricultural Extension, USVI Department of Agriculture, local farmers associations, and others.

One part time person will be supported to conduct this work.

2.0 Background

In February 2014 the USDA established a Caribbean Climate Hub (CCH) located with the USDA Forest Service International Institute of Tropical Forestry in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. The CCH is one of ten regional hubs nationwide with a mission to develop and deliver applied scientific research that will help farmers, ranchers, and forest managers reduce the risks of climate change and improve rural economies and food security. The CCH works with USDA agencies to deliver information that helps land managers in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands adapt to climate change and extreme climate events by coordinating with local and regional partners in federal and state agencies, universities, NGOs, and the public.

Central to the mission is to provide information and technical support for land managers to better plan, prepare, and respond to hurricanes, drought, heat stress, floods, pests, fire, and changes in growing season. Additionally, the CCH provides outreach and training for agencies and land managers on ways to mitigate risks and thrive despite changing climate.

Principle goals for 2021-2026 are:

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Planning of short and long-term strategy to accomplish the Hub mission.

Learning through modeling expected consequences of future climate expectations and lessons learned from past and current conditions.

Stakeholder Engagement, including assessments and analyses to better understand the stakeholder network, communication bottlenecks, and to effectively engage stakeholders.

Communications, including establishing effective communications about climate adaptation and mitigation that include a web presence, agricultural database, videos, and factsheets.

Science Delivery, including the dissemination of assessments of climate-related risks and vulnerabilities of forestry and agriculture in the US Caribbean.

Actions, to increase the implementation of practices that reduce risks to climate change in tropical agriculture and forestry by identifying and sharing best practices.

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

The Contractor should have experience in outreach, education, and science delivery in topics related to climate change effects on working lands and rural communities. The Contractor should have experience in administration, project oversight experience and capacity building activities in the US Virgin Islands, including trainings and partnership formation. The Contractor should have experience in the development of reports and scientific synthesis, and public presentations on topics related to climate change effects on the US Virgin Islands.

Knowledge Required by the Position. Professional knowledge on project administration, natural resource management, community development, capacity building, climate change in the Caribbean. The ability to communicate verbally and in writing is imperative. Incumbent must possess public speaking skills.

Project details. The work will be conducted over a 12-month period. Tasks will include:

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Work together to create and edit CCH documents about the effects of climate change on USVI working lands and rural communities, including reports, modules, website posts, videos, and factsheets.

Provide event coordination support for CCH in-person activities held in the USVI, including stakeholder engagement, promotion of activities, identification of venues, and logistic support before, during and after the activity.

Provide event coordination and logistics support to CCH virtual activities including stakeholder engagement, promotion of activities, logistic support before, during and after the activity.

Support communication and science delivery about climate adaptation and mitigation practices to USVI partners and stakeholders including the dissemination of assessments of climate-related risks and vulnerabilities of forestry and agriculture in the US Caribbean.

Attend workshops held by CCH partners in USVI and assist with event evaluation and reporting.

Continued communication and collaboration with partners in USVI: USDA agencies, UVI Agricultural Extension, USVI Department of Agriculture, local farmers associations, and others.

4.0 Deliverables / Schedule

Item No. Deliverable Objective Due 1 Professional services to deliver expertise in project administration, natural resource management, community development, capacity building, climate change in the

USVI.

Provide a variety of services to enhance engagement and service delivery of the Caribbean Climate Hub to the US Virgin Islands:

organizing meetings, providing logistics, communication with partners, participation in product development and delivery.

Monthly delivery of services with effort shared among tasks 1-6.

The Contractor will provide the Contract Official Representative (COR) with written monthly activity reports and written quarterly progress reports, written or oral ad hoc updates, and written invoices for payment. The work will be done under the supervision of the Hub Director, Dr. William Gould. All information produced will be for the exclusive use of the USDA Forest Service unless and until authorized for other uses. Publications resulting this work will recognize the contribution of the Forest Service and appropriate Forest Service personnel will be considered for authorship.

Deliverables will be reports on progress of the project as well as peer reviewed publications and participation in the development of outreach material, press releases, public communications, reports, or other documentation. All deliverables will be subject to adherence to USDA standards and policies, subject to review and approval by the Institute and any other contributing partners and made publicly available through the Climate Hub and partner communication venues.

5.0 Travel

The contractor will need to travel to the three main islands of the USVI as well as to Puerto Rico with up to 4 1–2-day trips per year. The contractor will also be expected to be available for reasonable travel for HUB purposes when mutually agreed between the COR and the Contractor.

6.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

Senior Scientific and Administrator

Key Personnel Minimum Qualifications:

-- PhD degree in natural sciences -- Experience (10+) years in university teaching and administration -- Demonstrated ability to develop peer reviewed research in natural sciences -- Demonstrated ability in teaching and administration at the University level -- Experience in research and science education administration and policy.

-- Demonstrated ability to review and consult on climate change impacts and solutions relevant to the USVI.

7.0 Security Requirements - N/A

8.0 Data Rights

All information produced will be for the exclusive use of the USDA Forest unless and until authorized for other uses. Publications resulting from this work will recognize the contribution of the Forest Service and appropriate Forest Service personnel will be considered for authorship.

9.0 Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology Standards – N/A