The Windward Islands Research & Education Foundation (WINDREF) has initiated a landmark coastal preservation project to address severe climate-induced erosion in the Grenadian community of Telescope, St. Andrew. The Telescope Living Shoreline (TLS) Project represents a strategic response to decades of environmental degradation that has threatened both local livelihoods and critical marine ecosystems.
Historical sand mining operations, once the primary sand source for Grenada’s construction industry, precipitated devastating coastal erosion and habitat destruction until the government enacted a complete ban on beach sand mining in 2009. This environmental crisis has been compounded by the systematic deterioration of the region’s coral reef system, which has historically served as a natural barrier against wave energy. Scientific assessments indicate the reef crest has experienced substantial lowering while live coral coverage has dramatically decreased, crippling the ecosystem’s regenerative capacity.
The coastal retreat has reached alarming rates of approximately 65 centimeters annually in certain areas, with eroded sediments adversely affecting nearby seagrass beds and remaining coral formations. Additional pressures include agricultural runoff and inadequate drainage systems from informal settlements. These cumulative factors have transformed Little Bay from a premier recreational destination to a landscape of environmental emergency, where homes, infrastructure, and human safety face imminent threat.
WINDREF is now soliciting professional design and construction supervision services for innovative shoreline stabilization works through a competitive bidding process. The implementation period for the successful bidder is established at 32 weeks, with selection procedures following the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund’s Procurement Guidelines using the Quality Cost Based Selection (QCBS) methodology.
Interested firms must submit electronic proposals by 3:00 PM on January 12, 2026, with technical proposals to be unveiled virtually at 3:15 PM the same day. Comprehensive bidding documentation is available upon request via specified email channels using the reference code RFP No. TLS/QCBS/CS/03. WINDREF explicitly retains the right to accept or reject any submission without incurring liability for preparation costs incurred by bidders.