Notice for Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Western Shore Shoreline Management Plan

Mobile Bay National Estuary Program

The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program seeks a qualified environmental or natural resource planning, engineering, or other similar firm to prepare a Comprehensive Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) for the Western Shore of Mobile Bay, in Mobile County, Alabama. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process will be used to select a firm who can develop a plan to address shoreline management holistically based on new and available data. Statements of Qualifications (Statements) must be sent via email to Christian Miller cmiller@mobilebaynep.com and received no later than 3:00 p.m. CST, Friday, August 18, 2023.

Summary of Offering

The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) has received funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Coastal Resilience Fund to support implementation of a comprehensive watershed management plan for the western shore of Mobile Bay with a focus on the development of a SMP.

The purpose of the Comprehensive Shoreline Management Plan is to promote the wise stewardship of the water quality and living resources of Alabama’s estuaries and coast. This Comprehensive Shoreline Management Plan will serve as a tool to evaluate, plan, and implement appropriate management strategies along the western shore based on the shoreline environment instead of property lines. This plan will build a community of practice based on sound scientific data and analyses to assist waterfront property owners, local governmental agencies, and natural resource managers with strategies to promote the best nature-based solutions to shoreline management.

The goals of this project are to:

• Enhance the resilience of the intertidal habitats along the western shore of Mobile Bay to enhance habitats for oysters, finfish, crabs, and shrimp native to this area.
• Expand protection of critical community assets including Port infrastructure, the Brookley Aeroplex, and evacuation routes.
• Increase stakeholder acceptance of nature-based solutions and increase opportunities for their installation to strengthen the shoreline’s ability to provide ecosystem services.
• Improve environmental management along the western shore of Mobile Bay by providing government, resource managers, and NGOs with a prescriptive science-based plan for shoreline stabilization and habitat management.

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