CH2M HILL Polar Services: supporting scientific research throughout Alaska.

• Author: Anderson, Tasha
• Position: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Typically when people think of the valuable resources available in Alaska, they think of removable resources--oil and gas, gold, silver, coal, timber, fish--or they think of Alaska experiences, such as sightseeing, hunting, hiking, or exposure to culture. But Alaska is also the only form of access to the Arctic from the United Sates. Many are aware that this access is important for shipping lanes and infrastructure, but the science industry, though perhaps with a smaller budget, also finds much of Alaska invaluable in terms of research.

Part of the reason that Alaska is ideal for research is access to the Arctic as well as large swaths of land minimally touched, if at all, by human influence. Of course, these benefits to research are also hindrances in terms of keeping researchers warm, fed, and moving to optimal locations.

Since 1999 CH2M HILL Polar Services, or CPS, has been a services and support company for Alaska research funded by the National Science Foundation. "In November, 2011, CH2M HILL Polar Services was awarded a third consecutive Arctic Research Support and Logistics Services contract for the National --Science Foundation. The contract spans eight years and is estimated at approximately $325 million," says CH2M HILL Communications Director Bill Doughty.

CH2M HILL Polar Services

CPS is a collaborative organization consisting of CH2M HILL, Polar Field Services, Inc., SRI International, and UMIAQ. Alaska Science Support Manager Marin Kuizenga says, "CH2M HILL is the prime that holds the contract with the National Science Foundation; my company, Polar Field Services, does the field logistics for the contract; and then Stanford Research Institute, or SRI, does the communications component. UMIAQ Science Provides Barrow area logistics support."

According to Doughty, the scope of the contract includes logistics planning and operations for science projects; procurement and inventory management; aviation services; engineering and design services; facilities planning, constructions, maintenance, and operations; information technology and communications support; field safety and risk management; quality management; and stakeholder coordination.

Kuizenga says, "I see us as an equipment and services cooperative. We hold inventory of equipment and professionals that are there to assist [researchers] to implement their field plans. Some groups only want a satellite phone, and for some projects were doing full-on staffed field camps."

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