Conract Description: Since its inception in FY2003, Project #2003-017-00 (the Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program; ISEMP) has been developing two novel monitoring and evaluation programs: (i) subbasin-scale pilot status and trend monitoring efforts for anadromous salmonids and their habitat in the Wenatchee/Entiat, John Day and South Fork Salmon River basins, and (ii) effectiveness monitoring for suites of habitat restoration projects in selected watersheds within the three target subbasins. This work - critical for implementing the 2000 NMFS FCRPS Biological Opinion (RPA Actions 180, 181, and 183) (BiOp) and UPAs from the 2004 BiOp - builds on current status and trend monitoring programs within each of these basins. Several regional and local organizations are funding and implementing these programs. In short, this project has integrated existing and new monitoring and evaluation activities in three pilot subbasins to help ensure that provisions of the BiOp are satisfied. This contract is one of several contracts that will implement this project. The final report for this contract will contain data that will 1) be submitted to NOAA Fisheries (also a contractor under this project) for use in a project level integrated Annual Report and 2) be submitted to BPA as a contract final report according to the terms of this contract.  Terraqua's role has been, and continues to be, to enable the Bonneville Power Administration to continue to implement Project #2003-017-00 in the Wenatchee and Entiat and other pilot subbasins. Objectives of this work have been, and continue to be:

- Coordinate contract development between Bonneville and entities participating in implementation of the ISEMP program in the Wenatchee/Entiat and other pilot subbasins.

- Coordinate contract implementation between Bonneville and entities participating of the ISEMP program in the Wenatchee/Entiat and other pilot subbasins to insure that implementation activities meet the purpose and needs of the ISEMP program.

- Implement selected monitoring and analysis activities.

- Coordinate the design and testing of a data management system to support the program with local ISEMP contractors including the development of field protocols coupled with metadata necessary for proper data management .

- Analyze and report results related to the implementation of monitoring activities.

This contract represents an increase in scope and budget of about 28 percent over the previous Terraqua Release #2 of Contract 27480 primarily due to the expansion of ISEMP monitoring and coordination activities in the Entiat subbasin and expanded field work support of repeat habitat sampling and snorkel/redd survey field assistance..

To offset the expanded costs associated with this expanded scope of work, Terraqua has: maintained the same rates for key positions as were charged in previous years; has elevated lower-cost staff to assume some of the responsibilities previously executed by more senior staff; and has reduced the scope of some coordination elements that were more prominent in earlier releases as those elements have been completed or institutionalized to the point they are relatively maintenance-free. The following list describes details associated with some of the significant scope/budget differences compared to Release #2:

- A 50% increase in budget for "Coordination" (i.e. task 7.1 compared to Release #2 task 6.1) is modeled on the actual number of hours spent on Coordination in FY2007 plus additional time for Terraqua/ISEMP staff to participate in processes in the Entiat that will encourage successful implementation of the Entiat IMW program.

- The budget for "Implementation Strategy" design (i.e. 7.2 vs. Release #2 task 6.2) has been reduced 63% to reflect the fact that decision tracking tool development is largely completed and will now oncly require periodic updating.

- The budget for Task 7.3 is slightly higher than Release #2 Task 6.3 because these two tasks are different.  Terraqua will no longer be coordinating the development of the data management system as a separate task (though our coordinators will still participate with on-going development under Task 7.1) because the bulk of the work has been shifted over to the UCSRB data steward and/or other ISEMP staff.  The new work in Task 7.3 is actually a continuation of work elements from Terraqua's FY06 and FY05 budgets (which work was not included in the FY07 budget/scope because of programmatic budget shortfalls).

- The budget for Task 7.4 is slightly lower to reflect a scaling-back of internal staff meetings.

- The budget for Task 7.5 is about 75% of the previous Task 6.5 budget because revisions to existing documents (protocols) is less expensive than the initial drafting that occurred in Task 6.5.

- Task 7.6 is 14% more expensive than Release #2 Task 6.6 because of a 6% increase in macroinvertebrate analysis costs and an 8 % increase in the number of samples expected to be processed resulting from additional sampling in the Entiat.

- Task 7.7 represents an 37% expansion of effectiveness monitoring with the budget increasing only 24% compared to Release #2 Task 6.6. We expect to be able to achieve this efficiency due to the use of lower-cost staff and because of efficiencies achieved at sites that have been previously monumented

- Task 7.8 is based on a similar work element in Terraqua's contracts last year and in the first two years where we provided contingency support for habitat field crews. This work element is necessary because the shear number of sites requiring snorkeling, and the short time frame that the sampling must occur, has swamped the staffing capabilities of our usual list of ISEMP contractors.  We are also responding to problems with redd survey contractors who had staffing and training issues in 2008 and 2007 by providing additional training and being ready to assist with those contractors should the need arise in mid field season.

- The budget for Task 7.9 has increased 58% for twice as much work; this benefits from the afore mentioned staff efficiencies.

- The budget for Task 7.11 has decreased to one-quarter of last year's budget to reflect the amount of effort that actually went into producing this past year's annual review.

-  Task 7.12 is an augmentation of the macroinvertebrate analysis tasks done in this contract and in previous annual contracts.