The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Council), established through Congress under the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 (also known as the Magnuson-Stevens Act, or MSA), is responsible for developing polices to manage US fisheries in the US Pacific Islands. The Council prepares management plans and plan amendments for fisheries in the US Exclusive Economic Zone waters off of the Territories of American Samoa and Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the State of Hawaii and US Pacific Remote Island Areas. The MSA has 10 National Standards which the Council must consider and address in all management actions. National Standard 8 requires proposed management actions to address impacts to fishing communities. The MSA also includes special provisions that require the Council to support continuation of US Pacific Island traditional fishing practices. Other authorities, Executive Orders (EOs) and policies supporting communities to be considered include:
- Regulatory Flexibility Act/EO 12286 Responses to Environmental Damage
- EO 13985 Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities
- EO 14031 Advancing Equity, Justice and Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders
- EO14008 Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad
- EO 12898 Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All
- NOAA Equity and Environmental Justice (EEJ) Strategy
- Pacific Islands Regional EEJ Implementation Plan
In 2022, the Council convened a workshop to discuss organizational changes needed to advance EEJ in Western Pacific fisheries. The workshop highlighted actions to support EEJ in the islands. These actions include outreach and engagement, building local capacity, fostering the bottoms-up approach, collaborating with local agencies, and supporting self-governance. The Council is developing a strategic plan to support EEJ in US Pacific Islands fisheries. To support this effort, the Council is calling for proposals for contractual services on a time and materials basis to facilitate and coordinate community meetings throughout the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) to help inform the EEJ plan development.
CONTRACT SERVICE: Coordinate and Facilitate Community Meetings
CONTRACT PERIOD: The contract is expected to begin April 1, 2024, and end June 30, 2024.
SCOPE OF WORK: The Contractor will organize a series of community meetings throughout the MHI to solicit and record input from the fishing and unserved communities to identify objectives, priorities and activities the Council can include in its EEJ plan.
The Contractor will be required to:
- Coordinate with Council staff on development of a plan, schedule and agenda to hold a series of EEJ meetings with fishing and underserved communities throughout the MHI;
- Coordinate with Council staff and other participants on the preparation of meeting materials, documents, presentations and reports;
- Regularly provide written reports to the Executive Director and program staff summarizing project status, issues and needs;
- Provide oral reports and presentations on project outcomes to the Council and Council family as needed (e.g., Standing Committees, Scientific and Statistical Committee, Archipelagic and Pelagic Plan Teams, Advisory Panel, Fishery Industry Advisory Committee and other Council body meetings as appropriate;
- Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
ELIGIBILITY: The potential Contractor must:
- Possess a detailed working knowledge of the MSA and other policies, regulations, and guidance documents relating to marine resource management and conservation in the Pacific Islands Region;
- Be familiar with international, national, state and local organizations and governance bodies, policies and guidance related to marine resource management and conservation;
- Be familiar with the responsibilities of the Council as well as Pacific Island community cultures and natural resources;
- Be familiar with local fishery agencies, federal fishery agencies, and fishing and seafood communities in Hawaii;
- Possess excellent verbal and written communication and leadership skills and ability to work independently to produce deliverables on schedule;
- Be able to travel throughout the MHI to support project development, monitoring and execution; and
- Be available to commence work in April 2024, and complete work in June 2024.
REQUIREMENTS: The contractor will work independently and coordinate with the Council program staff to meet deliverable timelines. Proposals will be evaluated on a competitive basis based on the eligibility criteria as stated above. The selected contractor will commence work in April 2024.
HOW TO APPLY: Proposal submissions should include the following items (maximum 3 pages): (a) Name, affiliation, and contact information of the principal contractor(s); (b) a brief statement addressing the qualifications and requirements as stated; (c) contractor’s compensation rate, inclusive of all taxes and fees; and (d) a curriculum vitae or resume for each project participant.
Proposals may be submitted by e-mail (attach materials in PDF) to info@wpcouncil.org or via regular mail to: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council, 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, Honolulu, HI 96813.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Proposals will be accepted until March 30, 2024, or until a contractor is engaged, whichever occurs first.
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