Knowledge Synthesis and Knowledge Gap Identification to support the implementation of the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Action Plan

Title of Project: Knowledge Synthesis and Knowledge Gap Identification to support the implementation of the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Action Plan Project Purpose: Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) requires assistance in establishing an Adaptive Management process as part of our commitment to support the implementation of the Canada-Ontario Lake Erie Action Plan (CO LEAP). The adaptive management process is the framework for ECCC to understand the impact of management plan options on the waters of the Lake Erie Basin and to evaluate the success of implementation actions under the Plan. It is a formal process to utilize what ECCC learns from monitoring performance indicators to adjust management actions to increase the reduction of phosphorus loads. This formalized adaptive management process will allow ECCC to make science based management decisions for Lake Erie. The contractor must provide scientific consensus statements of 6 - 8 policy theme areas to be identified that are critical to ECCC, including a synthesis of the relevant science, the required research and monitoring and conceptual models describing the relevant management practices that are important to meeting P load reduction targets. Objectives of this work: Develop a consensus of relevant scientific knowledge for each policy area to provide ECCC with the scientific foundation for management decision-making. Specifically, this work will consist of five major tasks for each policy theme:

Review and write a synthesis of the relevant scientific research available to address each policy theme area. Each synthesis must include a comprehensive summary of the relevant science for each theme area, highlighting what is known and the level of confidence, gaps in the scientific knowledge, and the risks associated with each gap as it relates to the successful implementation of the CO LEAP. Using the synthesis, draft a conceptual model of the relevant processes governing nutrient loss to Lake Erie that must be managed in responding to each policy theme area. Conduct a peer review of each completed synthesis. Complete the development of scientific consensus by soliciting the perspectives of ECCC staff, which must comprise the three following products for each policy theme area: finalize the synthesis of the scientific knowledge required to address the policy theme area, finalize the research and/or monitoring required to generate data to address scientific knowledge, and finalize the conceptual model for each policy theme area gaps.

Provide a final synthesis for each theme area including: the conceptual model, the scientific consensus statement, the research and/or monitoring requirements to address the question, and the expected data/information that will be derived from the research .