Background

The Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board (UCSRB) works with federal and state agencies, Tribes, local governments, conservation districts, landowners, and community groups to implement the Upper Columbia Spring Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Plan.
The purpose of this BPA Programmatic contract is to guide BPA funding toward tributary habitat restoration projects that support recovery of ESA-listed Spring Chinook and steelhead while meeting BPA mitigation responsibilities. Projects are developed and selected collaboratively through a science-based process ensuring actions are biologically beneficial, cost-effective, and aligned with regional priorities.
Project selection is guided by the Upper Columbia Biological Strategy and Habitat Action Prioritization and must also meet BPA’s responsibilities under the Columbia River System Biological Opinion and Northwest Power Act. All projects must comply with the Habitat Improvement Program (HIP) guidelines (or equivalent) and align with BPA’s 2018–2023 Strategic Plan. BPA implements this work through the Fish and Wildlife Habitat Program under the area lead structure and roles, responsibilities, and contract conditions defined herein.

Regional Programmatic Coordination
1.    Provide facilitation and coordination of the Programmatic among project sponsors, Action Agency (AA) partners, and others through active engagement with the Watershed Action Teams (WATs), Methow Restoration Council (MRC), regional Implementation Team (IT), and in partnership with the regional Technical Team (RTT).
2.    Provide a facilitator for meetings, as needed to support effective communication, decision-making, and collaborative problem-solving.
3.    Assist BPA with Programmatic portfolio coordination, management, and forecasting, and provide contract development support to the HAL and COR, as requested.
4.    Support the development of reports, tools, and datasets to enhance regional planning and coordination or as requested by BPA staff.
5.    Engage with Council staff on any requested dialogue that may arise during the FFY26 contract period.

Project Identification, Planning, and Tracking
6.    Facilitate and coordinate identification of quality projects for potential BPA funding.
• Review potential projects for alignment with Programmatic goals and objectives, regional prioritization, feasibility, and opportunities for partner contributions.
• Work with Programmatic Partners and BPA on outyear planning to develop a 3–5-year project pipeline.
• Coordinate RTT review of Programmatic projects at key junctures.
7.    Track the status of all Programmatic projects, including attending design meetings to ensure alignment with BPA priorities and objectives.
8.    Coordinate regular project-level meetings and site visits with UCSRB, BPA, and sponsors to ensure the portfolio advances in an integrated, coordinated manner.
9.    Manage the BPA Technical Services contract.
In collaboration with the on-call subcontractor, the UCSRB will:
• Coordinate with Programmatic Partners to support project development needs
• Develop data products that assist with identifying and prioritizing potential BPA projects
• Support the development of project concepts that align with Programmatic objectives and regional priorities
10.    Provide outreach support, as needed, to help partners engage landowners, communicate project purpose and benefits, and facilitate project development or access agreements.

Technical Coordination and Data Management
11.    Provide support for the Programmatic through:
• Management and updates to the Prioritization Tool
• Maintenance of public access to online digital resources (GIS WebApp, maps, database)
12.    Subcontract for specialized technical roles, including:
• BioAnalysts/RTT Chair to provide technical assistance and oversight of biological-benefit criteria and scoring
• GIS expert (Aspect Geosyntec) to support Prioritization Tool maintenance, data hosting, and GIS/on-call technical assistance

Reporting
13.    Develop program reports, including monthly summaries, quarterly status reports, and annual non-technical reports.

UCSRB Personnel Roles
Executive Director (ED) – Amanda Ward
Responsible for executive oversight of UCSRB operations and contract execution. The ED will:
• Oversee Programmatic implementation, compliance, financial reporting, contract management, and voucher submission.
• Coordinate internally with the UCSRB Board and staff and externally with IT, WATs, RTT and BPA.
• Identify and resolve time-sensitive issues that may affect successful project implementation or BPA initiatives.

Program Manager (PM) – Meghan Camp
Primary point of contact for day-to-day Programmatic administration. The PM will:
• Coordinate and track Programmatic-funded activities; identify and resolve issues or delays.
• Facilitate communication and coordination between Programmatic Partners and BPA.
• Lead outyear project identification and planning.
• Coordinate RTT project reviews.
• Support regional coordination by participating in RTT, IT, and WATs.
• Support adaptive management, monitoring, and integrated recovery efforts aligned with regional plans.
• Support BPA contract development, reporting, and presentations.

Science Coordinator (SC) – Ryan Niemeyer
Responsible for data management. The SC will:
• Manage and update the Prioritization Tool.
• Maintain public access to online GIS and data resources.

Facilitator – Karen Berg
The Facilitator provides independent meeting facilitation services to support effective implementation of the Programmatic and regional coordination. The Facilitator will:
• Facilitate Implementation Team (IT) meetings, including planning, meeting management, and follow-up documentation as needed.
• Support collaborative discussion, decision-making, and process clarity among partners.
• Assist UCSRB in ensuring meeting objectives are met and discussions remain productive and focused.

Administrative Support Accounting – Shelly McMullen
• Support voucher preparation and invoice tracking.
• Maintain documentation and records required for BPA fiscal and administrative audits.
• Assist with internal financial monitoring, including tracking subcontractor expenses

Administrative Support/Outreach Coordinator – Leslie Selgestad
The Outreach Coordinator supports communication and engagement efforts related to the Programmatic. The Outreach Coordinator will:
• Support landowner outreach efforts, when requested, to advance Programmatic projects.
• Assist with regional communication and outreach for landowners, partners, and community stakeholders.
• Provide administrative support for vouchering, reporting, meeting logistics, and internal coordination.