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THE NATIONAL GROUPa bi-partisan company WEST LLc March 17, 2003 The Partners, Mr. Tom Kirk, Executive Director Salton Sea Authority 78-401 Highway 111, SuiteT Danki S. Mitrovkh La Quinta, CA 92253 Lindn K. Mbrovtch Dear Mr. Kirk, Please find attached our response to your Request for Proposal, Developing a WiHiatn C. O/dcUrf Preferred Salton Sea Restoration Project. James B. Riden Our team of experts has the necessary background and desire to fulfill the agency’s requirement goal to be your Restoration Plaiming and Management Team for the Project. R. Hunter Bkkn We look forward to the opportunity to discuss our proposal and your request in , ,..|J greater detail at the earliest date possible. Whatever the outcome of your selection, our team wishes all of you at the Authority much success in the challenge that lies ahead of you. Sincerely, Linda K. Mitrovich, Partner 10900 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 801 Los Angeles, CA 90024 310.481.0920 phone 310.481.0915 fax http://TNGWest.com Response to Proposal: Developing a Preferred Salton Sea Restoration Project March 17, 2003 Overview The National Group West, LLC. (TNG West) is a newly organized governmental affairs company that specializes in finding viable solutions to complex problems, including environmental problems. While the formal group is new, the principals have spent their careers ■ accomplishing the impossible. Our expertise is in building specialized teams that can identify the real problem, work with the client to develop a strategy, and then implement the strategy to ^ achieve the client’s objectives. We have learned that each project requires a specialized Team having a range of expertise to be successful in developing a comprehensive and cohesive strategy to meet to the client’s goals. The Request for Proposal for Developing a Preferred Salton Sea Restoration Project (RFP) is just the type of challenge TNG West relishes. We know from experience and reviewing the history of major environmental problems that a clear vision, hard work, focus, patience, and strong consensus building skills are required to fmd| a viable solution. To date, the general rule for solving environmental problems has been that they take an extremely long time to resolve and implement because of the number of conflicting issues. It is sometimes 50 years or more from the time the problem is identified until a solution is fully implemented. The restoration of the Salton Sea is already many years into a process: the constraints have been identified, solutions have been offered and evaluated, but no project to achieve the restoration has been selected or funded. At this juncture, in order to reach agreement on a proposed project for the restoration of the Salton Sea, it is necessary to build consensus, initiate momentum, and raise awareness within all members and levels of the community (i.e., the local community, environmental and interest groups, governmental agencies, and elected officials). The Team members assembled by TNG West have been selected for their expertise and ability to work together on highly controversial and complex projects. All Team members have the required experience and skills needed to develop a Preferred Salton Sea Restoration Project. The Team members are Psomas and Associates, engineering and water quality; Chambers Group, j biological resource management; Y Com, community outreach; Sharon Lockhart, environmental regulatory specialist; and Claire Schlotterbeck, environmental community activist. As this core Team better understands the project’s issues and needs, it is expected that other experts may be added to aid in this effort. The Team realizes that work in the RFP is an important step in building for the long environmental review and funding process. The Team also believes that the effort may take longer than the year allotted, but will implement procedures to fast-track the work program if it is absolutely necessary to complete the project in one year. ■'-i I Page 1 The TNG West Team is committed to utilizing existing resources and providing new opportunities to move a project forward. We are a very creative Team that brings passion and excitement to the projects we work on, which in turn breathes new life and energy to sustain long, on-going processes. Five project phases have been identified for the public ;ij outreach/consensus building program and the technical development program. Phase One is to I; conduct a status analysis and initiate the technical and financial analysis/development. The technical/financial program continues throughout the remaining phases. Phase Two is an education outreach. Phase Three is the consensus building program. Phase Four is development and selection of a proposed project for the restoration of Salton Sea. This phase includes the development of the final cost estimate and financial plan. Phase Five is the symposium. Each of the phases has several elements that are described in the following section. Approach. It should also be noted that even though the work effort is described as phases, these phases may occur concurrently. It is envisioned that the Board will play a vital role throughout all phases of our work effort. Phase One, the Status Analysis, will include such activities as a review of existing project ]j information, a Board retreat, and meetings with community members and leaders, environmenta and interest groups, public agencies, and elected officials. Based on the information gained during this effort, the Education Outreach phase will be initiated. The goal of the Education Outreach is to provide all parties with the same level of information and understanding prior to initiating consensus building activities. Phase Three, an active Consensus Building program, will include another series of meetings as well as other consensus building activities to establish a dialogue, understand the view of all stakeholders, negotiate key issues, remove roadblocks, find common ground, and determine areas of agreement. Phase Three will be designed to i transition into Phase Four, the Development of Project Recommendations. Once the Board selects a proposed project, the Symposium will be held to further build project momentum and | raise awareness. j,| While performing the public outreach/consensus building programs, special attention will be ' ' made to laying the groundwork for the many processes that follow the Board’s selection of a proposed project including; environmental review, governmental approvals, appropriations and funding (i.e., federal, state, and private), and potential lobbying and legal needs. TNG West and its Team members are committed in providing the Authority their continued excellence throughout the project selection process. It is the goal of this Team to assist the Authority in reaching an agreement on a viable proposed project for the restoration of the Salton Sea. Approach Reaching a consensus on an agricultural, habitat restoration, passive and active recreational, sport fishery, or economic development issue can be hard. Building a consensus on any project trying to integrate these issues can be more than difficult, if the consensus to be reached is real. Real consensus building is hard work. It is not about flashy brochures or slick flyers, it is about fiilly informing the stakeholders of the facts so that differences can be aired and rational decisions can be made. It is the difference between mowing and weeding: one only touches the surface while the other goes to the root. The TNG West Team is highly experienced in true consensus building, specializing in creating public outreach strategies that are designed for the specific needs of the project. The TNG West Team is skilled in blending the technical with the laytech to develop communication strategies that reach all stakeholders - technical, political, environmental, and community - to foster the dialogue and interaction necessary to build consensus. The Team is well balanced in its individual expertise and talent - technically, politically, environmentally, and community - and will provide the Salton Sea Authority a full service Public Outreach, Restoration Planning, and Management Team. Equally important is the depth of Team’s expertise. The TNG West Team not only is capable of finding the successful path to reach consensus, but is also able to carry consensus building a step further. Through their knowledge of environmental compliance, federal and state lobbying, appropriations, funding programs, and economic and community development, as well as water related experience, the TNG West Team members will be able to provide insight and recommendations to help guide the decision making process towards a project that can ultimately be completed - a project that not only addressees the technical issues, but also anticipates the environmental, political, funding, and community issues. ■ Five project phases have been identified to aid the Authority in making a selection of a proposed project. Phase One is to conduct a Status Analysis. Phase Two is an education Outreach. Phase Three is the Consensus Building Program. Phase Four is Development and Selection of a Proposed Project for the restoration of Salton Sea. Phase Five is the Symposium. It should also be noted that even though the work effort is described as phases, these phases may occur concurrently. It is envisioned that the Board will play a vital role throughout all phases of our work effort. Status Analysis - 90 Days The Status Analysis will be the initial effort. It will include such activities