CONCUR, Inc. helps government agencies, communities, business and citizen organizations engage in collaborative problem solving and craft robust solutions to complex environmental and public policy disputes. This assistance is vital as decision-makers at all levels strive to forge effective policies in an increasingly fractious and resource-constrained landscape.

We specialize in analyzing and resolving complex disputes involving natural resources and infrastructure, and the communities and enterprises that depend upon them. CONCUR works closely with the full range of affected parties to build broad-based agreements that are fair, effective and stand the test of time. We help clients and stakeholders strengthen their use of negotiation, take stock of external challenges, build internal capacity, and forge more sustainable relationships with peer organizations and team members.

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Environmental Policy Analysis

CONCUR's environmental policy analysis services help organizations take the initiative when dealing with federal, state and local agencies. Organizations can be more effective by acting proactively to understand and comply with public policy and regulatory requirements and by integrating these requirements into their own strategic planning and day-to-day operations.

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Facilitating Agreements

We believe that carefully structured dialogues – mediated or facilitated by skilled third-party neutrals – frequently offer a more effective and durable method to resolve conflicts and build consensus around controversial and often technically complex public policy issues. Agreement-focused facilitation and mediation is our core service.

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Professional Training

Our program was developed in response to a growing demand for more effective problem-solving skills among top policy makers and administrators, business, industry and community groups and attorneys. The CONCUR training program provides participants with the tools to help resolve complex disputes within or between organizations and agencies.

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Scientific Review

Resolving a complex public policy dispute requires that interested parties share an understanding of the technical dimensions of the problem they face. Whether the challenge is reducing pollution of the marine environment or cleaning up a toxic waste site, the most accurate scientific information must be collected and utilized.

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Situation Assessment

A Situation or Conflict Assessment is an objective evaluation of the situation conducted by a neutral expert based on confidential interviews with stakeholders. One of its main purposes is to recommend whether a consensus-based process is likely to be fruitful and, if so, how it should be structured and prepared.

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Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning is an essential component to an organization's overall success. CONCUR’s approach can help key personnel prioritize their collective goals in a safe, structured environment, recognize and tap internal expertise, and create mechanisms for implementing key ideas.

At CONCUR, we draw upon our experience in resolving tough disputes in both the public and private sectors to design training courses in negotiation, facilitation and partnership building.

We developed this training program in response to a growing demand for more effective problem-solving skills among top policy makers and administrators, business, industry and community groups and attorneys. CONCUR trainings provide participants with the tools to help resolve complex disputes within or between organizations and agencies.

CONCUR offers two annual open-enrollment training courses: “Negotiating Effective Environmental Agreements,” a two-day introductory course, and “Facilitating and Mediating Effective Environmental Agreements,” an advanced three-day course. Participants typically include staff of local and federal natural resource agencies, top environmental NGOs, and private firms dealing with environmental permitting and stakeholder engagement/public relations.

We also offer private, customized training courses in negotiation, facilitation and partnership building. We work with organizations to determine their training needs and then design courses specifically tailored to the issues they are working to resolve, on subjects ranging from

CONCUR staff have designed and taught dozens of customized training programs for clients, including: the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office of the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the California State Water Resources Control Board and the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards, Nevada Division of Water Planning, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the New Zealand Environment Court, water resource managers in Angola, Namibia, and Botswana, and the New Zealand Ministries for the Environment.

Praise for past training courses:

Very well done – I especially enjoyed the blending of the theoretical and the practical application through the simulations.

This training exceeded my expectations. At this point in my career it is tough to find courses that add value to my learning experience. This one did.

It was not a single part, but the whole that made the course most effective. Maintain the balance between theory and practice!

This was a very useful course – it kept me engaged. I’ll take back a lot of new strategies. It was also a good opportunity for self-assessment.

Huge gratitude for sharing your expertise and for the great work you’re doing!

Thank you! I feel personally empowered – and enriched – by this experience.

Praise for CONCUR instructors:

Scott is an incredible resource; he is open to questions and demonstrates a great willingness to share his experiences and knowledge.

Meredith is an excellent presenter and well-spoken. Scott and Meredith worked extremely well together, balancing each other with complimentary approaches.

Scott is an excellent presenter who exudes expertise in negotiations. I appreciated his friendly demeanor and can-do attitude.

Meredith is articulate, knowledgeable and welcoming – she plays an excellent support role.

For more information on creation of a customized course for your organization please send an email to meredith@concurinc.net or call (510) 649-8008.

Welcome In-Water Workshop participants. Using the link below you will find background papers relevant to the upcoming workshop as well as a complete agenda.

Access documents here.