Consultancy Brief & Request for Proposal The River Derwent Project: Securing Quality Water Supplies Stage 1: Consultation and Scoping Report

October 2016

NRM South and the Derwent Estuary Program are seeking to engage a suitably qualified consultant in the provision of professional services to undertake the above project

For further information contact: Luke Diddams Planning and Knowledge Manager NRM South (03) 6221 6121 [email protected] P.O. Box 425 South Hobart TAS 7004

Background Who are we? NRM South and the Derwent Estuary Program are working together to initiate the development of a ‘The River Derwent Project’. NRM South is the regional NRM body for southern Tasmania. NRM South was established under the Tasmanian Natural Resource Management Act 2002 (the Act) as one of the three natural resource management bodies in the State. The Act prescribes the functions of the organisation, which can be summarised as:   

identifying the region’s natural resource management priorities; developing a regional plan to address these priorities; and facilitating the implementation of actions designed to enhance natural resource management in the region.

We achieve this through providing knowledge and information, engaging and developing community capacity, partnering and leveraging funds, and delivering strategic on ground works. NRM South covers the twelve municipal areas comprising Think South (formerly the Southern Tasmanian Councils Authority) and includes the coastal zone and adjacent State waters. The Derwent Estuary Program (DEP) is a regional partnership between local governments, the Tasmanian state government, commercial and industrial enterprises, and community-based groups. Its objective is to restore and promote the Derwent estuary. The DEP was established in 1999 and has been nationally recognised for excellence in coordinating initiatives to reduce water pollution, conserve habitats and species, monitor river health and promote greater use and enjoyment of the foreshore. The Derwent Estuary Program’s Environmental Management Plan (2009) (http://www.derwentestuary.org.au/environmental-managementplan/) guides the activities of the organisation. What do we need and why? The River Derwent is the economic, social and environmental lifeblood of the region – providing Tasmanians with essential drinking water, power, food, production and recreation opportunities. Historically, the Derwent River has had some of the cleanest water in Australia, but there have been a number of recent warning signs that this is changing: power security, taste and odour issues in drinking water; fish kills; algal blooms; increasing nutrients and water temperatures; and low oxygen levels. NRM South and the Derwent Estuary Program are working in partnership to initiate the development of ‘The River Derwent Project’, which will examine security and improvement of water resources in the Derwent Catchment (including a water quality and quantity improvement plan). It is anticipated that ‘The River Derwent Project’ will be a 3-5 year project delivered in a number of stages.

This ‘Request for Proposal’ seeks to engage a consultant to develop the first stage of the ‘The River Derwent Project’ – a ‘Scoping and Consultation Report’. This first step is essential in garnering support from the community, industry and other key stakeholders. It is proposed that in developing a ‘Scoping and Consultation Report’, the consultant will consider the consultation needs of the program, undertake workshops and consider feedback received from a broad range of stakeholders, and develop a full scoping report. In order to complete these three elements a significant amount of community and professional engagement will be required. Later stages of the project (outside the scope of the current ‘Request for Proposal’) will include the assessment of management actions and scenarios through water quality and quantity improvement modelling and stakeholder consultation. This information will be used to develop the ‘The River Derwent Project’ Plan. The final ‘The River Derwent Project’ Plan will be innovative and future-focussed, implemented in conjunction with farmers, industry, community and scientists to guide a whole-of-catchment approach to securing and enhancing water resources. In developing ‘The River Derwent Project’, we hope to make available the most advanced information and accurate, local tools to assist farmers and water-dependant industries within the Derwent catchment. Our vision for the program is to enhance our water resources through community-wide planning involving the horticulture, dairying, aquaculture, and livestock industries, as well as the drinking water and energy sectors.

Project Aims This work will support the implementation of the NRM Regional Strategy for Southern Tasmania (2015-2020) (http://www.nrmsouth.org.au/projects/nrm-strategy/) by addressing key management targets and by identifying the roles and opportunities for catchment stakeholders moving forward. The final ‘The River Derwent Project’ Plan will improve our knowledge and management of the Derwent catchment (WMT1), examine and expand water quality monitoring (WMT3) and recommend measures to manage and optimise river ecosystem health (WMT4). By progressing this project, we are able to implement a number of “Water Asset Priority Actions (WPA)” including:     

WPA1 (develop and implement strategic WQIP) WPA2 (knowledge and capacity-building products and resources) WPA7 (develop water quality-based reference groups) WPA8 (inform policies and plans, and guide evidence-based decision-making) WPA12 (activity to improve ecosystem health for rivers, water bodies and freshwater, including surface and groundwater, dependent ecosystems)

This work will contribute to Water Asset Resource Condition Targets (WCTs) including: 

WCT1 (improved river conservation value - CFEV)

 

WCT3-6 (reduced loads of nutrients, turbidity, bacteriological, toxicant and surface water salt in key catchments) WCT7 (improved stream condition)

The proposed work supports the Derwent Estuary Program’s Environmental Management Plan (2009) (http://www.derwentestuary.org.au/environmental-management-plan/), see section ‘5.4 Managing Environmental Flows and Catchment Water Quality’ page 52-54. The DEP environmental management plan is currently under revision.

Task Brief The Consultant will be required to deliver Stage 1 of the ‘The River Derwent Project’, which is to develop a ‘Consultation and Scoping Report’. It is expected that the Consultant will respond to this ‘Request for Proposal’ outlining their preferred approach. It is expected that in order to complete the project community and professional engagement will be carried out. The consultant may wish to consider two elements in their proposed approach: a consultation plan including some engagement with community, industry and other stakeholders; and a scoping report (as outlined below). The Consultant may consider this option when outlining their preferred approach in developing a ‘Consultation and Scoping Report’. 1. Consultation Plan and stakeholder engagement (up to 30% project costs) Work with the Derwent Estuary Program (DEP) and NRM South to develop a consultation plan and deliver key elements in engagement activities. The consultation plan will consider the consultation requirements for the development of ‘The River Derwent Project’ Plan (a water quality and quantity improvement plan for the Derwent River catchment). Tasks may include:     

Work with NRM South and the DEP to draft an initial consultation plan Stakeholder analysis: identify stakeholders and end users of the plan Describe the purpose of consultation and engagement strategies for each stage of the project Identify specific consultation requirements for the scoping stage of the project, including any stakeholder workshops and timing Where appropriate, attach templates for any electronic or paper-based consultation tools that are recommended for the scoping phase (such as surveys or questionnaires)

An introductory workshop with some stakeholders was held on 11 April 2016 to provide information on the current issues and knowledge base for the catchment. A scoping and visioning exercise has not yet been completed with stakeholders. It is expected that in order to complete the project, community and professional engagement will be carried out prior to developing the scoping report. This may include working with the DEP and NRM South to deliver:

  

Community forum/workshop(s) to inform community of initial scoping of a River Derwent Strategy & Small group (focus group) workshops (target to identify values, issues and potential management actions, and/or 1 on 1 consultation with key stakeholders

2. Scoping report (up to 70% project costs) In developing the scoping report, the successful consultant will:  



Consider stakeholder feedback Undertake a desktop review to: o Identify relevant literature (and build on Derwent Catchment Review 2011) o Identify data sets and availability o Assessment of available models (pros and cons) o Identify values, issues, threats, impacts, sources and types of pollution and future pressures (referring to literature and results of the stakeholder workshops) o Identify potential management actions (referring to literature and results of the stakeholder workshops) Describe the scope of the final ‘The River Derwent Project’ Plan – including: o Planning approach analysis o Objectives, outcomes and outputs o Scope  Consideration of whether the plan should examine water quantity as well as water quality improvement measures  Expectations management  Feasibility (include indicative costings for developing to the next step (i.e. a full strategy (ID opportunities/risks))  Planning horizons for the final ‘The River Derwent Project’ Plan (a water quality and quantity improvement plan, and the implementation approach beyond the plan) – for example recommending either a 5 or 10 year Plan  Definition of catchment boundaries and logical sub-catchment areas o Risk management/barriers/constraints to planning o Assumptions and constraints

Consultation Consultation will be vital for the successful completion of this project. Primary contact and consultation will be with the Project Lead at NRM South and the Derwent Estuary Program.

Consultation will be required across a range of stakeholders including key staff at NRM South and the Derwent Estuary Program, local landholders, selected stakeholders and other specialist NRM practitioners and scientists where required. Consultation is expected with a broad variety of sectoral audiences, which may include:     

Project steering committee (details in Governance section below); Water managers; Waterway users; Landholders and primary producers; and State and Local Government, non-government organisations, NRM consultants and research institutions.

There needs to be consideration of engaging with those outside of the ‘normal’ NRM audience base to consider values, interests and feasibility of recommendations.

Background Information & Reports Background information and reports that will be required to complete this work includes, but is not limited to:  

Derwent Catchment Review 2011 http://www.derwentestuary.org.au/scientific-andtechnical-reports/ Natural Resource Management Strategy for Southern Tasmania 2015-2020 http://www.nrmsouth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/NRM-Strategy-SOUTH2015.pdf

Project Meetings and Governance Project meetings with the organisational representatives will be required at regular intervals throughout the project time line to ensure that the project is progressing and also to integrate any additional information or tools which become available. The organisational representatives at this time are: -

Luke Diddams, Planning and Knowledge Manager, and Nepelle Crane, Catchments and Coastal Coordinator, NRM South Christine Coughanowr, Program Director, and Jason Whitehead, Scientist (Catchment & Stormwater), Derwent Estuary Program

Presentations to the steering committee will be required at key points (e.g. at the completion of draft reports). The steering committee for the project is the Derwent Catchment Working Group. At this time, the Derwent Catchment Working Group includes representatives from TasWater, Hydro Tasmania, University of Tasmania, DPIPWE, Derwent Estuary Program and NRM South, Tassal, EPA, Derwent Catchment NRM, Derwent Valley Council.

Project Outputs This project will develop a series of products including:     

A Final Consultation Plan and presentation to the Derwent Catchment Working Group. An Interim report providing a summary of the stakeholder consultation carried out. A Draft Scoping Report and presentation to the Derwent Catchment Working Group. A Final Scoping Report and presentation to the Derwent Catchment Working Group. A one page ‘Prospectus’ providing cost estimates and describing the project and why it is important.

Presentations may be delivered by the consultant to various audiences regarding the methodology, engagement, results and recommendations. Anticipated audiences include: o NRM South staff and NRM South Board Sub-committee; and o Derwent Catchment Working Group o Derwent Catchment NRM Committee (with an invitation extended to local landholders) A digital copy of the above presentations will be required

Budget and Timeframe Tenders Close

11 November 2016

Consultant appointed

25 November 2016

Project initiation meeting

28 November 2016

Interim Report Due

13 January 2017

Final Report Due

28 February 2017

Presentation of Results

To be negotiated

The budget for the entire project is expected to be in the order of $15,000 - $20,000.

Form of Response Please respond detailing the proposed methodology to deliver the project including the knowledge and skills of the individuals proposed to deliver the project and your availability to conduct the body of work. Additionally, a detailed fee schedule is to be provided, with preference for a fixed fee proposal. The lowest cost proposal will not necessarily be the proposal accepted.

Criteria for Assessment Proposals from consultancies will be assessed according to the following criteria – assessment weightings will apply as indicated in brackets for each criteria. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Merit of proposed methodology and understanding of the task and issues involved (30%) Relevant experience conducting similar work and project team experience (30%) Value for Money (20%) Ability to work effectively with the project lead and partners (10%) Availability to conduct the work within the identified timeframe (10%)

Closing Date All proposals must be received by:

5:00 pm, Friday 11 November 2016.

Late responses may not be considered.

Lodgement can be made by email to -

[email protected]

Or by mail to -

Luke Diddams Planning and Knowledge Manager NRM South PO Box 425, South Hobart TAS 7004