Biological and Technical Support Services for Community Involvement Program Activities – North Coast Area

TITLE Biological and Technical Support Services for Community Involvement Program Activities in the North Coast Area

BACKGROUND

Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP) delivers the Community Involvement Program (CIP) with the intent of providing technical support to salmon enhancement projects and habitat enhancement /restoration projects undertaken by local community groups and volunteers. SEP also delivers a formal education program – known as the Stream to Sea Program. The intent of the program is to encourage students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, as well as First Nations, local communities and external parties to participate in cooperative fisheries and watershed stewardship activities.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada requires contractors to assist in the delivery of the Stream to Sea Program and to provide biotechnical support and assistance to CIP community groups to ensure CIP projects are carried out in a technically sound manner.

Fisheries and Oceans, Canada, requires contractors to provide bio-technical support to CIP projects and community groups as defined by the Community Advisor for each of the following geographic areas:

• Haida Gwaii

SERVICES REQUIRED AND CONDITIONS OF WORK

Bio-technical support is required year round and duties vary by season and geographic area. Bio-technical services will be defined on a project specific basis through the development of work plan details using the information provided by geographic area in Scope of Work. The Contractor will work with the Community Advisor(s), to provide technical support to CIP projects. Please note that work priorities can change quickly, often on short notice, due to weather, fish availability and other factors beyond the control of the Community Advisor. 

General contract activities include, but are not limited to:

• Fish Production: collecting broodstock, spawning and incubation, hatchery rearing of juvenile salmon , operating sea pens, and providing fish culture support to CIP hatcheries
• Restored/ Enhanced Habitat: conducting fry salvage programs, riparian planting and management, water quality and temperature monitoring, habitat surveys and mapping, and habitat restoration
• Salmon Stock Assessment: including juvenile salmon counting programs, juvenile salmon density inventories, hydraulic sampling programs, sampling for biological traits, and adult escapement assessment
• Education and Awareness: providing classroom sessions, hosting educational field trips, developing and delivering educational programs, participating in trade shows/education fairs/community events
• Administration: providing support to CIP participants on project development and implementation, project funding applications and report writing

  RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS

  The Contractor is expected to provide the following resources:

• A vehicle suitable for transporting equipment and accessing field sites often accessed via logging roads 
• Personal field gear

  LOCATION OF WORK

  The majority of the contractor activities are based in the field. The Contractor must be prepared to work outside in all weather conditions, in isolated areas and in and around water. The contractor is expected to conduct the work associated with this contract either at participating schools, hatchery and field sites or at the contractor’s office.

  A list of work sites for Haida Gwaii area is provided in Appendix 2 “Community Involvement Projects.”

  LANGUAGE OF WORK

  Services provided under this contract are required in the English Language.

  TRAVEL AND LIVING EXPENSES

  There is no travel for this requirement.

  SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

  Recognizing that the education of children and minors is a component of this contract, the contractor shall exercise due diligence in the selecting of and supervision of staff/volunteers and assignment to duties that involve visiting children or other vulnerable visitors.

  INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

  The Contractor must maintain adequate insurance coverage for the duration of any and all contract work. Compliance with Insurance requirements does not release the Contractor from or reduce its liability under this contract.

  The Contractor is responsible for deciding if additional insurance coverage is necessary to fulfill its obligation and to ensure compliance with any applicable law. Any additional insurance coverage is at the Contractor's expense, and for its own benefit and protection.

  CONTRACTOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  The Contractor is required to review the work plan details (Appendix 1) in consultation with the Community Advisor within four weeks of contract initiation and to participate in updates/revisions throughout contract duration as the Community Advisor, community project or field situations require. 

  The Contractor is required to maintain communication with the Community Advisor on progress, technical support and equipment needs through progress meetings throughout the duration of the contract.

  The Contractor is required to consult with the Community Advisor prior to advancing or supporting enhancement, assessment, or restoration initiatives or strategies suggested by CIP partners.

  The Contractor is required to contact the Community Advisor prior to providing technical support on project or CIP issues.

  The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that fish culture practices are consistent with the requirements of the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations (PAR) Community Enhancement license conditions for the facility. The Contractor must be aware of egg and release targets for each community hatchery they provide support to. Deviations from targets identified in the Facility Production Plan must be reported immediately to the Community Advisor. The Contractor will provide support to CIP salmon enhancement project groups for biological data collection and record keeping in a manner consistent with the Community Enhancement Best Management Practices and will follow DFO standards and guidelines associated with fish production, as well as BC Aquaculture Regulations Policies as applicable to CIP salmon enhancement projects.

  The Contractor is responsible for providing the Community Advisor with Brood Summary data as it pertains to the ‘License to operate a classroom incubator for salmonids’.

  FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  The Community Advisor is the primary contact and final decision-making authority for all issues related to activities paid for by this contract. 

  The Community Advisor is responsible for providing community partners with CIP direction, advice and support as it pertains to salmon enhancement activities, and project development associated with salmon stock assessment and salmon habitat enhancement and/or restoration.

  The Community Advisor is responsible for providing and familiarizing the Contractor with the PAR Community Enhancement licence for projects the Contractor will support. The Community Advisor is responsible for ensuring that the PAR Community Enhancement licence conditions are met. Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) staff will monitor PAR performance (Fish Health Management Monitoring Checklists). The Community Advisor will be responsible for identifying, documenting and assisting with the resolution of issues of PAR non-performance.

  The Community Advisor is responsible for providing and approving templates for biological record keeping.

The Community Advisor is responsible for providing some resource materials in support of contract objectives such as the Salmonids in the Classroom Manuals, DFO biological guidelines and policies and equipment that are required to fulfill contract objectives.