News

Tellus Civic Science Certified to the Women Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Program

June 10, 2024

Tellus Civic Science Corporation (Tellus) has been certified to the Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The Program provides support to women business owners by setting aside contracts that limit competition to only WOSBs, focused on goods and services (identified via NAICS code) where WOSBs have historically and currently are underrepresented.

Under the FAR 19.1506, a contracting officer may make a sole-source award to a WOSB or Economically Disadvantaged Women Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) where (1) none of the exclusions set forth in FAR 19.1504 apply; (2) the acquisition is assigned an appropriate NAICS code; (3 ) the contracting officer does not have a reasonable expectation that offers would be received from two or more EDWOSBs or WOSBs, as the case may be; (4) the anticipated price of the contract, including options, will not exceed $6.5 million for a contract carrying a manufacturing NAICS code or $4 million for contracts within any other NAICS code; (5) the EDWOSB or WOSB has been determined to be a responsible contractor; and (6) the award can be made at a fair and reasonable price.

Tellus is excited to be able to utilize this important WOSB certification to improve our global environment, mitigate the impacts of climate change, strengthen community resilience and National security, create a more equitable world for all, and provide positive planet solutions.

Tellus Awarded General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) for Comprehensive Environmental Services for Federal Clients

April 15, 2024

Tellus Civic Science (Tellus) is delighted to announce we have successfully been awarded our General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), 47QRAA24D002R. This vehicle is an important tool for our strategic growth, providing an avenue for our government clients to procure our environmental consulting services under NAICS 541620, to include but not limited to, resource conservation and restoration, environmental compliance and pollution prevention, climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental management systems, sustainability and net zero consultation. The ten-year government-wide acquisition contract has a pre-negotiated list of services, labor categories, prices, and delivery terms that simplifies procurement for government agencies and the military. Tellus is thrilled utilize this pathway to provide Positive Planet Solutions to benefit human health and the environment.

https://www.gsaadvantage.gov/ref_text/47QRAA24D002R/0Z2LP4.3USYJS_47QRAA24D002R_TELLUSGSAMASCATALOG.PDF

Tellus Partners with Claremont Graduate University to Create ResilientScape, a Natural Disaster Screening Tool for Environmental Justice Communities

March 7, 2024

In the summer of 2023, Tellus Civic Science (Tellus) entered into a collaborative partnership with Claremont Graduate University’s (CGU) Geographic Information System (GIS) Practicum to develop a mapping tool—ResilientScape—with the goal of identifying environmental justice (EJ)
communities in California that are environmentally and socio-economically disadvantaged and also at high risk for natural hazards, such as drought, flooding, heat waves, and wildfires. EJ communities that endure high exposure to climate change impacts need targeted support to improve disaster preparedness and resiliency, such as community planning, capacity building, green infrastructure, and renewable energy projects – ResilientScape helps to highlight those areas in California that are at risk. Tellus developed the concept for ResilientScape, established core requirements of the tool to meet the needs of EJ communities, and provided regular guidance to the GIS Practicum students as they digested large public datasets and developed the user interface and tool functionality. As Professor Claudia Cáceras, Ph.D., who leads the GIS Practicum, describes the students’ experience, "Our Fall 2023 GIS Practicum students worked on the design, implementation, and evaluation of a GIS-based solution to support underserved communities in California. This real-world experience helps the transition from students to practitioners. We appreciate the work experience on this project and collaboration with Tellus."

Tellus is excited to publicly launch the beta version of ResilientScape, through which the firm hopes to engage strategic partners and further tailor the tool’s functionality to best facilitate the needs of prospective users. The core data for ResilientScape comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Risk Index (NRI) and CalEnviroScreen, a tool that helps identify communities disproportionately impacted by multiple sources of pollution, provided by California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). Within the ResilientScape tool, users can filter by geographic area (down to the census tract), socio-economic and environmental indicators, and natural hazard types. Tellus is grateful for the ongoing partnership with CGU, which is hosting ResilientScape, and the dedication of the students who built the tool: Hunter Sayre, Anjan Rana Magar, Juan Parrilla, Ahmad Alasmar, Mohammed Aljohani, Abdullateef Almuhrij, Fares Alrewily, and Mansi Alsmarah.

Tellus Civic Science Wins Contract to Support Environmental Security for USINDOPACOM

November 28, 2023

Axient LLC recently awarded Tellus Civic Science (Tellus) a subcontract to provide environmental security consultation to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) under contract with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. Tellus will manage the planning, concept development, facilitation, and execution of two events – the 2024 Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Forum (IPESF) and a Plastic Pollution Policy (P3) workshop. In addition, Tellus will continue activities and engagements with working groups and partner nations under the Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Partnership (Partnership), www.ipesp.org.

The Tellus’ team has been assisting INDOPACOM with the execution of the IPESF since 2016 and is honored to have the opportunity to continue supporting this multilateral event, which brings Indo-Pacific nations together to share lessons learned and best practices on a wide array of environmental security issues, as well as facilitates collaborative environmental security project development. Historical themes for the event have included energy security; water and food security; climate adaptation and resiliency planning; women, peace and security; combating wildlife trafficking; coastal ecosystem restoration; blue carbon; sustainable fisheries; and plastic pollution.

During the 2023 IPESF in Sri Lanka, a partner from Fiji brought the need for a regional plastic pollution policy for Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) to the attention of INDOPACOM. Though plastic pollution is a global environmental issue, for PICTs the effects of plastic pollution are detrimental to their marine ecosystems, human health, and their economies that rely on coastal tourism. Plastic pollution contributes to national fragility by negatively impacting PICTs primary food source of protein from the ocean. The P3 workshop will bring together and build PICTs’ capacity by developing a methodology for data collection and technological tool development, as well as developing a regional policy, built upon existing policies, that is aimed at reducing plastic pollution through more holistic and effective policy development and implementation.

Coastal Resilience Workshop in Palau Brings Together Subject Matter Experts Focused on Innovative and Nature-Based Solutions

October 31, 2023

Together with the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), Tellus Civic Science (Tellus) organized the first Coastal Resilience Workshop (CRW) in Palau from 12-14 September 2023. Over 70 coastal ecosystem subject matter experts and policy makers from 10 countries in the Indo-Pacific Region attended the event, which was co-hosted by the Palau Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Environment (MAFE), and supported by Department of Defense's (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP).

The event themes included the utilization of R&D and technology to improve coastal ecosystems, as well as holistic and traditional practices to protect and restore these critical environments. The three-day workshop consisted of presentations, panel sessions, working group exercises, and a site visit led by the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) to Ngermid Bay coral reef monitoring site, a coral nursery for heat tolerant corals, and Lighthouse Reef. Topics of discussion covered mangrove, seagrass, and salt marsh ecosystem protection and restoration; next generation coral reef development to withstand greater storm surges; aquaculture development; the opportunities associated with blue carbon credits within the Indo-Pacific region, and nature-based solutions. Working groups developed needs assessments and project concepts for addressing gaps in science around coastal ecosystem protection and restoration. These outputs will be used to guide future DoD investments.

Media Coverage

Palau Wave Productions, U.S. EMBASSY, REPUBLIC OF PALAU: COASTAL RESILIENCE WORKSHOP 12-14 SEPTEMBER, September 11, 2023

Island Times, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Partners with Republic of Palau to Host Coastal Resilience Workshop, September 12, 2023

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Coastal Resiliency Workshop: Reef Restoration, Protection, September 15, 2023

Marines, COASTAL RESILIENCY WORKSHOP: REEF RESTORATION, PROTECTION, September 22, 2023

Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS), Coastal Resiliency Workshop: Reef Restoration and Protection, September 12, 2023

coastal-resilience-workshop-palau_edited

Tellus Supports U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Sri Lanka Navy with the 12th Annual Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Forum

September 18, 2023

Tellus Civic Science’s (Tellus) leadership has supported the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s (USINDOPACOM) Environmental Security Program since 2016, including the organization of the annual Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Forum (IPESF), which is located in a different country each year. This year, the Sri Lanka Navy cohosted the IPESF in Colombo from August 14-17, with 135 participants attending from 28 countries.

Tellus developed the events’ themes and agenda in close coordination with the Sri Lanka Navy and USINDOPACOM, selected the speakers, coordinated the workshops, and organized all event logistics. The forum themes were: 1) Climate Change and Security; 2) Maritime, Ocean, & Water Security; 3) Impacts of Urbanization & Land Security; and 4) Building National & Regional Resilience. The event included the official launch of the new Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Partnership (Partnership) website at www.ipesp.org, for which Tellus prepared the content.

Tellus organized a two-part classroom-based workshop to build climate resilience capacity of partner nations by training them on how to employ data science in climate risk management, led by Kalei Miller (Pacific Disaster Center) and Taryn Ino USINDOPACOM (Climate Change Impacts Program), and educating them on how to navigate the complex climate finance ecosystem, led by Dr. Valerie Hickey (World Bank) and local financial institutions including Alliance Bank, and TWC.

The Tellus planning team organized two field workshops: 1) Mangroves and Measuring Blue Carbon for Resilience, led by Dr. Rich MacKenzie (US Forest Service) and Dr. Rupesh Bhomia (Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF), and 2) Coral Reef Science and Restoration, led by Admiral Piyal De Silva (Retired Sri Lanka Navy) and Dr. Adam Smith (Reef Ecologic).

Tellus-Supports-12th-Annual-Indo-Pacific-Environmental-Security-Forum.jpg

Tellus Helps Execute First Ever USINDOPACOM Invasive Species Forum

August 10, 2023

In support of the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), Tellus Civic Science (Tellus) assisted in the planning and execution of the first ever Invasive Species Forum, held in Tamuning Guam, 17-19 July 2023. USINDOPACOM and the Government of Guam—with support from the Department of Defense's (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP)--convened military, civilian agencies, and academia from the Indo-Pacific region to discuss the current state of the science on invasive species research and development (R&D), share best practices in both terrestrial and marine biosecurity, and develop a needs assessment and research project concepts.

The workshop outcomes that were produced by over 70 participants will be used to advance the science for improving detection, surveillance, mitigation, and eradication of invasive species. Tellus was responsible for developing the three-day workshop agenda, identifying key stakeholders and subject matter experts, and facilitating all event logistics.

Tellus Celebrates Earth Month

May 3, 2023

Tellus loves our planet and we work every day to conserve our natural resources, mitigate the impacts from climate change, and foster healthy communities. At Tellus, every day is Earth Day! We celebrated our favorite holiday by volunteering with the community-based organization “I Love a Clean San Diego” in the 21st Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup. Adrienne Taylor, Head of Strategy and Execution and her daughter supported a community cleanup at the Tijuana River Valley Community Garden. The space is located just north of the Mexico-U.S. border and provides local residents with garden plots. The surrounding area is heavily overgrown with invasive species and volunteers worked to clear acres of vegetation to reduce over-crowding of native plants and fruit trees. Tens of volunteers combed the area to pick up trash. “It felt good to give back to the community that we love. It is important for me to instill in my daughter that each person on this planet can make an impact through individual contribution and awareness,” said Ms. Taylor.

Tellus Civic Science Wins First Contract

October 3, 2022

Only three months after company formation, Tellus Civic Science (Tellus) was awarded their first contract, from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Alaska District. This first contract is symbolic because it represents the positive impacts that Tellus’ is driven to accomplish and the positive planet solutions that are the core of Tellus’ mission, vision, and services. As part of this contract, Tellus will support the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM)’s Pacific Environmental Security Partnership (Partnership) by organizing the 2023 Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Forum (IPESF)

in Sri Lanka, Coral Reef and Seagrass Preservation Forum in Palau, and Invasive Species Forum in Guam. Team Tellus has successfully supported USINDOPACOM with the preparation, coordination, facilitation, and management of three previous international forums: 2017 IPESF USA-Alaska, 2021 Virtual IPESF, and 2022 IPESF Maldives. As a result, Team Tellus has helped USINDOPACOM develop comprehensive, current, and state-of-the-science events, developed an international network of environmental security subject matter experts and practitioners, established best practices for working with foreign nations on a wide range of environmental security issues, and created a forum for international stakeholders to collaborate and learn. For more information on the IPESF, please visit ipesf.org.