Ensuring the Quality and Credibility of Information

In order to ensure the quality and credibility of the scientific information we disseminate to the public, 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 science is sound, through this peer review process we will follow the guidelines for Federal agencies spelled out in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) “Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review,” released December 16, 2004.

Part of the peer review process is to provide information on the Web about how each peer review is to be conducted, as described in this checklist.

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: support peer reviews (documents, data, models, study plans, proposals, and other forms of scientific information) and include many supporting activities such as 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; and 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 submit an authorization for use form via email to Steve Gess, steve_gess@fws.gov, (303) 236-4334. Click here for Authorization for Use Form.

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:

map of USFWS regions Alaska Region Southeast Region Southeast Region Northeast Region Midwest Region Southwest Regions Mountain-Prairie Region Pacific Region Pacific Region CNO



The US Fish and Wildlife Service has offices in every state and many territories. To find the office nearest you, please contact your Regional office or check out our online office directory.

Also, please remember that fish and wildlife management is handled by states, territories, and tribes too. See the list of state and territorial fish and wildlife offices for their contact information.

Region States within Region
Region 1 — Pacific California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington
Region 2 — Southwest Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Region 3 — Great Lakes, Big Rivers Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin
Region 4 — Southeast Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, U.S. Virgin Islands
Region 5 — Northeast Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia
Region 6 — Mountain-Prairie Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming
Region 7 — Alaska

Alaska
Region 8 — Pacific Southwest California, Nevada
Region 9 — Headquarters Programs Washington Office
Fisheries and Habitat Conservation
International Affairs, Division of Scientific Authority
Law Enforcement
Migratory Birds

 

 

Peer review is a way of assessing the quality of a document by submitting a draft of the document for scrutiny and comment by specialists in the field who were not involved in producing the draft. Typically, the draft's author will make corrections and clarifications to address the comments of the peer reviewers.

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 

 

Last updated: May 16, 2012