Please note: This is a Sole Source Notification. Specifications include, but are not limited to: The Johnson Creek Watershed Council (JCWC) performs direct service to BES that fulfills BES stormwater regulatory requirements outlined in the City's Municipal stormwater permit and numerous strategic initiatives, from the BES strategic plan, including Initiatives 4 & 5 state that BES will: • Use expertise in equity to inform our community relationships and communications and • Work with businesses, residents, educational institutions, non-profits, and agencies to partner on projects and support private activities that complement bureau work. a. The Johnson Creek Watershed Council (JCWC) is a nonprofit, community-based organization with expertise and experience working in the Johnson Creek watershed, which covers about 52 square miles; about 20 square miles of the watershed is within the City of Portland. Services provided by the JCWC are watershedfocused, beyond jurisdictional boundaries, recognizing the importance of land-based activity and its effect on water quality. The Bureau of Environmental Services brings this same watershed approach to regulatory compliance and investment. It relies upon the Council's unique services including, public events, stewardship actions, environmental education, and direct communications to activate the community in support of the shared watershed health and equity goals of the Council and bureau, focused within the watershed. JCWC provides opportunities for equity-driven workforce development and community wide engagement by recruiting, managing, and training community and under-represented student volunteers and interns for Watershed Council-sponsored education, restoration, recreation, and monitoring projects. The Council performs this work, centering equity in all aspects of programming and delivery as directed by its Strategic Plan Goals and Commitments and JCWC Action Plan. b. The unique qualifications of the JCWC include a knowledgebase, skills, capacity, and practices that focus on watershed health topics tailored to the unique geography, geology, social conditions demographics, industrial activity, and political dynamics of the watershed. The City of Portland recognized JCWC in 1992 in a city resolution which describes the partnership between JCWC and BES in the development and implementation of the Johnson Creek Resources Management Plan. Since 1995, the board has brought together jurisdictional partners, advocacy organizations, neighbors, and volunteers to provide leadership through strategic plans, initiatives and committees formed to address the ever-changing dynamics and urbanization of this service area. The Council and staff hold educational and direct work experience in the service areas Sole Source Request Rev 11/2016 required to meet the bureau's needs such as event-hosting, stewardship activism, education, community science, and communications that engage all sectors in the protection and enhancement of the Johnson Creek Watershed. c. Oregon Revised Statute provides that legal basis distinguishing the Johnson Creek Watershed Council from all other service providers. ORS 541.895 provides the basis for creating local watershed councils for the specific purpose of protection and enhancement, recognizing that each of the state's watersheds is unique. The statute states that voluntary initiation of protection and enhancements at the local level is the most effective management technique and that partnerships among the community, tribes and representatives of state and local governments should be locally controlled.
