Ensuring the Quality and Credibility of Information

	Peer Review Checklist
		This checklist describes information that will be posted online when we conduct a peer review, following guidelines detailed in the OMB Peer Review Bulletin. About the document • Title • Short description of the document • Estimated dissemination date of the final version of the document About the peer review process • Kind of peer review that will be conducted    ◦ Panel,    ◦ Individual letters,    ◦ National Academy of Sciences review, or    ◦ Other procedure approved by OMB • Anticipated number of reviewers • Reviewer selection method    ◦ Reviewers selected by the Service or    ◦ Reviewers selected by a designated outside organization • Primary disciplines or expertise needed in the review (describe). • Estimated start date of peer review About public participation • Opportunities for the public to comment on the work product to be peer reviewed (Indicate whether such public comments will be sought and describe how comments are to be submitted.) • Indicate whether the public, including scientific or professional organizations, will be asked to nominate potential peer reviewers. Contact • Contact information for one or more staff regarding this peer review.

Enhancing the Quality and Credibility of Information In order to ensure the quality and credibility of the scientific information we use to make decisions, the Fish and Wildlife Service has implemented a formal "peer review" process for influential scientific documents. While we have always consulted experts to ensure that our decisions are based on sound science, through this peer review process we follow the guidelines for Federal agencies spelled out in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) "Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review," (PDF, 263 KB) released December 16, 2004. Part of the peer review process is to provide information online about how each peer review is to be conducted, as described in the checklist in the opposite column.

Support Contractors Available to Conduct Peer Reviews

To support the objective of scientific integrity and peer review, the Service (and all other DOI agencies) has convenient use of several agreements (contracts). The scope of these available agreements includes:

• Supporting peer reviews (of documents, data, models, study plans, proposals, and other forms of scientific information)
• Preparation and/or editing of NEPA documents
• National Wetland Inventory mapping, field surveys
• Hypothesis testing
• Field research studies
• Analysis of data
• Development and testing of scientific models
• Gathering and synthesis of information, literature, or cartography
• Preparation of reports
• Organization and conduct of public meetings
• Other science-related activities

Click here to view the full Performance Work Statement. The awardees of these agreements are EMPSi, AMEC, and Atkins, and include other teaming partners such as ABR, Geo-Marine, Resolve, Parametrix, and SWCA.

All units of the Service may access these contractors by task order through their servicing contracting offices. The servicing contracting office can request to use these agreements by completing and submitting an Authorization for Use Form via email to Steve Gess, steve_gess@fws.gov, (303) 236-4334.

Click here to view instructions on How to Use the IDIQ Contract.

For more information contact Richard Coleman, rick_coleman@fws.gov, (303) 236-4443, Senior Science Advisor and FWS Scientific Integrity Officer.

Peer Review Agenda

To learn more about projects scheduled for peer review in your area, please visit our regional and Washington, DC, peer review sites. Click on the map or locate the region or state of interest in the list below: