General

What is the Strategy Review System?

The Strategy Review System (SRS) was created to help the Chesapeake Bay Program apply the adaptive management decision-making framework to its work toward the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Following the adoption of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, Goal Implementation Teams (GITs) developed Management Strategies for the outcomes that support the Agreement's goals. These strategies explain how the outcomes are to be accomplished and how the progress will be monitored, assessed, and reported. The Strategy Review System is the process of adaptively managing and implementing the Management Strategies and their long-term goals through short-term action. To learn more about the Strategy Review System, visit the Strategy Review System Overview page.

Who manages the Strategy Review System?

The Management Board manages the partnership’s work to achieve the outcomes of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. This includes the Strategy Review System (SRS). The Management Board has charged the Enhance Partnering, Leadership and Management Goal Implementation Team (GIT 6) with facilitating the SRS process; the SRS Planning Team manages its implementation.

What is a Quarterly Progress Meeting?

A Quarterly Progress Meeting is a meeting between the Management Board and a pre-defined cohort of workgroups and Goal Implementation Teams (GITs) that report progress toward their outcome, explain challenges, and make requests for action, support or assistance. There are seven Quarterly Progress Meetings during a single cycle of the Strategy Review System, and these meetings take place every three months.

What is a cohort?

A cohort is a pre-defined group of the workgroups and Goal Implementation Teams (GITs) that represent a set of outcomes. There are seven cohorts, and each one participates in its own Quarterly Progress Meeting with the Management Board. These cohorts were designed to bring related work together and to cue discussion at the most appropriate times. Their placement in the Strategy Review System schedule was determined with the timing of data updates and key meeting in mind.

Which cohort do I belong to?
  • The Aquatic Life Cohort includes the Blue Crab Abundance, Blue Crab Management, Forage Fish, Oysters and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation outcomes.
  • The Clean Water Cohort includes the Forest Buffers, Toxic Contaminants Policy and Prevention, Toxic Contaminants Research, Water Quality Standards Attainment and Monitoring and 2017 and 2025 Watershed Implementation Plans outcomes.
  • The Climate Change and Resiliency Cohort includes the Black Duck, Climate Adaptation, Climate Monitoring and Assessment, and Wetlands outcomes.
  • The Healthy Watersheds Cohort includes the Brook Trout, Fish Habitat, Fish Passage, Healthy Watersheds, Protected Lands and Stream Health outcomes.
  • The Local Action Cohort includes the Land Use Methods and Metrics Development, Land Use Options Evaluation, Local Leadership and Tree Canopy outcomes.
  • The Next-generation Stewards Cohort includes the Environmental Literacy Planning, Student and Sustainable Schools outcomes.
  • The Stewardship Cohort includes the Stewardship, Diversity and Public Access Site Development outcomes.

Preparing for a Quarterly Progress Meeting

When is my Quarterly Progress Meeting?

Quarterly Progress Meetings take place every three months. Dates and deadlines specific to your cohort can be found on the Meetings and Deadlines page.

What do I need to do to prepare for my Quarterly Progress Meeting?

Before each Quarterly Progress Meeting, workgroups and Goal Implementation Teams (GITs) should submit three documents to the SRS Planning Team: a Logic & Action Plan, a Narrative Analysis and a Presentation. Workgroups and GITs are also invited to meet with the SRS Planning Team to discuss meeting preparation; meet with the Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting Team to practice and receive feedback on their draft Presentations; and meet with their pre-assigned point of contact for personalized help. Visit the Strategy Review System page to learn more.

Who is my point of contact and how can they help me?

Seven weeks before each Quarterly Progress Meeting, the SRS Planning Team assigns a point of contact to the members of each cohort. This point of contact is available on an as-needed basis to walk you, your workgroup or your Goal Implementation Team through key documents and review these documents before you submit them to the Management Board. To find your point of contact, visit the Document Status page.

Where can I find my existing Logic & Action Plan, and the Narrative Analysis and Presentation templates?

The Download Templates section in the ChesapeakeDecisions right-side navigation provides links to the documents templates as well as a link to access previous Management Strategies and Logic & Action Plans on SharePoint. If you experience difficulties with accessing SharePoint, please contact the CBPO Help Desk at 410-267-5769 or helpdesk@chesapeakebay.net.

When are my documents due?

The Logic & Action Plan, Narrative Analysis and Presentation should be sent to SRS@chesapeakebay.net by noon on the day two weeks before your Quarterly Progress Meeting. You should also plan to have draft versions of your Logic & Action Plan and Narrative Analysis seven weeks before your Quarterly Progress Meeting for your meeting with the SRS Planning Team. Dates and deadlines specific to your cohort are available on the Meetings and Deadlines page.

How do I submit my documents to the SRS Planning Team?

To submit your documents to the SRS Planning Team, please email your Logic & Action Plan, Narrative Analysis and Presentation to SRS@chesapeakebay.net.

Who should give my team’s Presentation at the Quarterly Progress Meeting?

The workgroup chair, coordinator or other subject matter expert serving on the team that is responsible for achieving your outcome should give your Presentation at the Quarterly Progress Meeting. However, the SRS Planning Team recommends the appropriate Goal Implementation Team chair introduce the speaker and discuss any requests of the Management Board once the presentation is over.

How can I make an effective request for action, support or assistance from the Management Board?

Be clear about what you need, but be open to several possible solutions. If possible, indicate how not responding to this request could hinder the partnership’s progress toward your outcome. Describe what the workgroup has already tried to address the issue and consider whether you need direct action from the Management Board or whether the Management Board can facilitate action by another group. Where appropriate, coordinate similar or shared requests with other Goal Implementation Teams and workgroups.

Participating in a Quarterly Progress Meeting

What do I need to do to during my Quarterly Progress Meeting?

During a Quarterly Progress Meeting, each representative of the outcomes that are up for discussion will have 15 minutes for an introduction by the Goal Implementation Team (GIT) chair and a Presentation to the Management Board. The Presentation should indicate whether the Chesapeake Bay Program’s assumptions about an outcome have changed and whether the partnership’s actions are having the intended effect. The Presentation should include potential adaptations or changes in management approaches and its course for the next two years. Generally, the GIT chair also speaks after each Presentation to discuss any recommendations or requests that have been made to the Management Board. Each Presentation is followed by focused discussion (usually about 30 minutes) and identification of next steps. Some Quarterly Progress Meeting agendas also include time for discussion of “cross-outcome” issues.

Continuing After a Quarterly Progress Meeting

What do I need to do after my Quarterly Progress Meeting?

After each Quarterly Progress Meeting, the Management Board staffer distributes draft actions and decisions to the Management Board chair and coordinator; Enhance Partnering, Leadership and Management GIT (GIT 6) chair; and outcome leads for their review. Outcome leads can request clarifications via the Management Board staffer to the Management Board chair and coordinator. These actions and decisions provide clarity on next steps needed to resolve outstanding issues. Outcome leads, or other responsible parties, can then begin working on follow-up actions needed at the next or subsequent Management Board meetings. You will also need to revise your Management Strategy and Logic & Action Plan to make sure these documents reflect your logic and your lessons learned. Visit the Strategy Review System Overview page to learn more.

How will my Quarterly Progress Meeting impact my outcome’s Management Strategy or Logic & Action Plan?

The influencing factors, existing efforts and gaps identified in your Logic & Action Plan should inform the Management Strategy that guides the Chesapeake Bay Program toward its goals and outcomes. The long-term management approaches identified in your Management Strategy are meant to be achieved through the short-term actions identified in your Logic & Action Plan. These short-term actions should be traced back to the factors, efforts and gaps identified in your Logic & Action Plan. Visit the Strategy Review Overview page to learn more.

When is my revised Management Strategy and Logic & Action Plan due?

Your revised Management Strategy and Logic & Action Plan are due no later than 16 weeks after your Quarterly Progress Meeting. To submit your documents, please email them to SRS@chesapeakebay.net. Dates and deadlines specific to your cohort can be found on the Meetings and Deadlines page.

How do I submit my Management Strategy and Logic & Action Plan for review or as final?

Workgroup and Goal Implementation Team chairs, working through their assigned coordinator or staffer, should submit the final versions of their Logic & Action Plans and Management Strategies to SRS@chesapeakebay.net.

What if I need an extension?

If you need to request an extension, please send an email as soon as possible to the Enhance Partnering, Leadership and Management GIT (GIT 6) chair and vice chair. The request should come from the GIT chair and include the reason why an extension is needed, how much additional time will be needed, and careful consideration of the impacts the extension will have on staff who may also be supporting other cohorts.

How should I manage my requests for action, support or assistance from the Management Board?

The Management Decisions page contains a complete list of requests for action, support or assistance from the Management Board. You can use this page to track the status of your request(s) or contact the SRS Planning Team if you need to bring something to the attention of the Management Board.

Strategic Science and Research Framework FAQs

What is the Strategic Science and Research Framework?

The Strategic Science and Research Framework (SSRF) was developed by the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) to help focus existing science resources, leverage the research enterprise, and more effectively provide science to advance CBP’s efforts and decision-making. It arose from a need to track and assess the abundance and breadth of science needs across the partnership more consistently. The SSRF was developed in coordination between CBP’s Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting (STAR) team, the Goal Implementation Teams, and the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC). It was specifically designed to consider both short-term operational and long-term fundamental science needs, to integrate STAC report recommendations, and to be repeatable and consistent by connecting to the CBP’s Strategy Review System (SRS) process. Through the SSRF, the CBP can better look at science needs across the program, assess whether those needs are being met, and recommend approaches to address them.

What is the Chesapeake Bay Program Science Needs Database?

The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) has developed the Strategic Science and Research Framework to consistently identify and assess both short- and long-term science needs of the partnership. These science needs are captured and tracked in the Science Needs Database, which is continually updated throughout the year. The database provides the most up-to-date list of science needs from across the partnership and additional information on each need such as a detailed description, status, and engaged or potential resources identified to address the need. Science needs captured in this database are identified 1) by CBP Goal Implementation Teams as necessary to make progress toward Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement goals and outcomes, 2) through the CBP’s adaptive management Strategy Review System, or 3) from CBP’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) report recommendations. CBP uses this database to engage science partners, identify opportunities to better align or evolve resources, update activities and workgroups to address needs, and inform STAC of research priorities. This database can also be used by science providers to identify projects or collaborations of interest on which to engage CBP. Science providers can represent a wide range of entities including, but not limited to, academic institutions, federal and state agencies, local entities, nonprofit organizations, and public science programs.

Who manages the Strategic Science and Research Framework?

As requested by the Management Board, a team was created to carry out the Strategic Science and Research Framework (SSRF). The team includes members from the Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting team (STAR), Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC), and the Goal Implementation Teams (GITs). During each monthly STAR meeting, the team will engage the user community on moving the process forward. STAR works with the GITs to identify and update science needs in consultation with STAC. STAR leadership maintains the Science Needs Database and oversees edits and additions to the science needs.

How does the Strategic Science and Research Framework align with the Strategy Review System?

A key component of the Strategic Science and Research Framework (SSRF) is that it coordinates with and integrates into the Strategy Review System (SRS), CBP’s adaptive management decision-making framework. The SRS runs on a two-year cycle to give each cohort of workgroups and Goal Implementation Teams an opportunity to report progress on their associated outcome in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting team (STAR) works with cohorts to consider new science needs while developing their SRS materials, identify any changes to those needs and make connections between their Logic & Action Plans and the science needed to accomplish them. After a cohort’s Quarterly Progress Meeting with the Management Board, the cohort is invited to discuss their science needs with STAR at a STAR Science Needs Meeting. After the cohort has discussed and updated their science needs, the cohort is invited to present and discuss those needs with the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC).

When are the science needs updated?

Cohorts may update their science needs while going through the Strategy Review System (SRS) process every two years. Specific times are identified in preparation for and follow-up from the cohort’s Quarterly Progress meeting to discuss science needs with the Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting (STAR) team and the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC). Outside of the SRS process, new or changing science needs may be discussed with STAR and updated in the Science Needs Database.

What is the Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting Science Needs Meeting?

Six weeks after the cohort’s Quarterly Progress Meeting, a representative from each outcome is invited to present their updated science needs and/or explore possible science needs at a Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting (STAR) meeting. This STAR Science Needs Meeting provides an opportunity for in-depth discussion about the cohort’s science needs, potential resources to address them, and cross-Goal Implementation Team connections and considerations. A portion of the discussion is focused on addressing any science needs concerning indicators. The science needs list does not need to be finalized by the STAR meeting, but a draft update is beneficial and requested for discussion.

What is the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee Science Needs Presentation?

Following the Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting (STAR) meeting, cohorts continue to finalize their science needs based on feedback from STAR members. A representative from the cohort is invited to present the updated science needs at the next Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) Quarterly Meeting. This is an opportunity to share Chesapeake Bay Program science needs with the academic community, assess current efforts to address any of the science gaps, and potentially identify research directions and interested science partners. A cohort representative provides a detailed outline of their needs, along with suggestions on how STAC members could assist in addressing research-based gaps.

Ask a Question

Send a question to the SRS Planning Team by emailing SRS@chesapeakebay.net or by contacting an individual team member.