Funding Opportunities for the Western IPM Center

Western IPM Center Request for Applications — Ongoing Pest Management Strategic Plans

The Western Integrated Pest Management Center announces the availability of funds and requests proposals to develop new or update existing Pest Management Strategic Plans in the West.

Pest Management Strategic Plans (PMSPs) are widely recognized as a conduit for communication from growers and other IPM practitioners to regulators and granting agencies. These documents give a realistic view of pest management issues and strategies used in the field and provide a forum for agricultural producers and allied professionals to set meaningful research, regulatory, and educational priorities. Pest Management Strategic Plans (PMSPs) are developed by growers and other stakeholders to identify the pest management needs and priorities of a particular commodity or site.  Each plan focuses on commodity or site pest management issues in a particular state, region or the nation. The plans take a pest-by-pest approach to identifying the current management practices (chemical and non-chemical) and those under development. Plans also state priorities for research, regulatory activity, and education/training programs needed for transition to alternative pest management practices.

Although the IPM Centers have sponsored the majority of completed PMSPs to date, other agencies and groups such as EPA and grower organizations have also funded the development of these documents. The involvement of multiple organizations and facilitators makes it necessary for authors to follow a system that will ensure consistency in the content and format of all PMSPs. For specific information and required elements of a PMSP, please visit the National IPM Centers Web site’s Guidance in Developing a Pest Management Strategic Plan at http://www.ipmcenters.org/pmsp/index.cfm. Completed PMSPs are hosted on the National IPM Centers Web site at http://www.ipmcenters.org/index.cfm. 

Numerous benefits may result from completing a PMSP. 

• Regulators receive information on actual pest management practices and therefore will be less likely to use default assumptions in risk assessments.
• Regulators are provided information on important uses for special concerns (e.g., resistance management, geographical concerns).
• Stakeholders identify appropriate contact people to facilitate future communication.
• Grant seekers acquire documentation of stakeholder priority needs to support funding requests.
• Growers have available documentation to support Section 18 Emergency Exemption and Section 24(c) Special Local Needs requests.
• Commodity groups gain insight in emerging pest management issues toward prioritizing their research, education or other programs they sponsor.
• Commodity representatives get a document that can be used to convey their needs to policy makers.
• Support for IR-4 Food Use Workshop research prioritization is provided.
• Registrants may use PMSPs to identify niche markets for development of new products.
• Workshops provide a forum to discuss reduced-risk management options.

The IPM Centers serve as the lead organization to aid in the proper completion, distribution and Web publication of PMSPs. Authors are encouraged to contact their region’s IPM Center early in the PMSP development process. Center contacts can

1. help to identify stakeholders for PMSP work groups
2. assist with the draft document structure
3. facilitate meetings
4. check the final draft to assure it meets the national content standards
5. assist  with funding, in some cases, and
6. forward the finished PMSP to the national database.

Although steps 1 - 5 can be accomplished without IPM Center assistance, the final PMSP must go through the appropriate regional IPM Center office before it is forwarded for public posting. The guidance and involvement of the IPM Centers will help to build more useful and effective PMSP documents.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

II. REVIEW PROCESS AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. Lack of existing PMSP or Crop Profile.
2. Feasibility of completing the project objectives within the proposed time frame.
3. Appropriateness and clarity of the requested budget.
4. Backgrounds and qualifications of  personnel in relation to the proposed objectives.
5. Completion time line.
6. Last revision date of existing PMSP.

III. PROJECT AND AWARD INFORMATION

1. Available Funding
   Approximately $50,000 is available for this program. 
   
   
2. Eligibility
   Geographically, the Center covers the following states and territories: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam and Northern Marianas. Applications from private individuals and institutions, businesses, commodity organizations, and governmental and non-governmental organizations are invited.  The primary project director must be from within the Western Region; however, collaboration with individuals outside the region is encouraged.

   Project directors must collaborate with stakeholders as outlined in the Guidance document.

IV. APPLICATION FORMAT

1. Title:  Should be brief, clear, and specific. The title must be limited to 100 spaces (letters, punctuation, and spaces between words).
   
2. Curriculum Vitae:  Submit a curriculum vitae for the Principal Investigator and any co-P.I.s of no more than 3 pages including any relevant publications during the last 5 years.
   
3. Probable Duration:  An estimate of the time that will be required to complete the objectives must be a component of all proposals. The duration of a project must be for less than one year.
   
4. Length of Proposal:  Proposals should not exceed three (3) pages in length, excluding budgets and other attachments. Proposals must be typed in a 12 point font using 8-inch by 11-inch paper, single-sided and single-spaced with one-inch vertical and horizontal margins. Arial, Bookman Old Style, Times New Roman or Times fonts are preferred. Pages must be numbered beginning with the proposal narrative.
   
5. Collaborative Arrangements
   If the project includes consulting, collaborative or sub contractual arrangements, such arrangements should be fully explained and justified in the budget and budget narrative.  In addition, evidence should be provided that the collaborators involved have agreed to render these services, such as a letter of intent or statement of work from the individual or organization.
   
6. Budget:  Each proposal must include a detailed budget and a brief budget justification statement (i.e., Budget Narrative) is required and must provide details for each item in the budget. Indirect costs of up to 20% of the total cost of the project can be supported by these funds. Additional details on budget issues are available, upon request, at the Western Integrated Pest Management Center office.
   
7. Final Report: A final PMSP must be submitted to the Director within 120 days of the PMSP workshop. This document must meet the standards set forth in the Guidance document on the National IPM Centers Web site.
   

V. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Mr. Rick Melnicoe
Western Integrated Pest Management Center
Department of Environmental Toxicology
4249 Meyer Hall (Needed Only for FedEx)
University of California
One Shields Avenue
Davis, California 95616-8588
530-754-8378