There is approximately $600,000 available this grant year for core project funding. There should be a single competitive RFA describing 3 separate funding opportunities: State Contacts, Crop Profiles and Pest Management Strategic Plans, and Special Projects. 1. State Contacts. For a state information network, contracts will be funded for up to $25,000, with no more than 1 award per state. The RFA will require that at least the following be addressed:
a. Serve as the primary contact for regulatory questions. Outcomes will be the number of information requests and responses. These will be monitored by an online system and database developed by the Center and used by the state contacts to receive and reply to requests. The system will also include a follow-up on the final EPA disposition, where possible, in conjunction with OPMP.
b. Establish and maintain a stakeholder network to develop state priorities. It is expected that the stakeholder network will include other federally funded state contacts such as the state IPM Coordinator, the state PSEP coordinator, IR-4, etc. The outcome will be a publicly available (online) list of the members of this network organized by issues/expertise and organized listing of priorities, with an explanation of the process used to establish the priorities.
c. Provide oversight of crop profiles and PMSPs developed in the state. The outcome will be a report detailing the numbers and criteria used for this oversight.
d. Attend an annual state contact meeting arranged by the Center in consultation with the PIs. Outcome will be participation in the meeting.
For full funding, other activities will be expected. The RFA should include examples of acceptable activities. Steering Committee and Advisory Council members will provide suggestions for examples of these activities (examples to date: fact sheets on invasive pests, pest alerts, coordination with other programs).
2. Crop Profiles and Strategic Plans (PMSPs). An emphasis will be placed on PMSPs and Crop Profiles that provide the necessary base information for priority PMSPs. Priorities for specific profiles and strategic plans will be developed by the Center. The protocols for setting these priorities will be developed prior to the RFA. Funding for this area will be approximately 50% of remaining funds ($150,000). However, the Scientific Review Panel can, at their discretion and based on the number and quality of proposals, move some of these funds to the "Special Projects" category below.
3. Special Projects. The Steering Committee will suggest for consideration in the RFA specific priority areas, based on the priorities established by the Center using the protocols established by the Advisory Council and Steering Committee. Regardless of the priority areas, the following criteria will be used for project selection:
Applicability to wider area
Demonstrated funds leveraging
Emerging issues
Innovative partnerships (not just LGIs)
Not currently funded by other programs
New tools and delivery systems
Entrepreneurial
Generally start up (not maintenance), or a unique opportunity
Fits mission of center
Includes development of IPM elements
Incorporates short-term "planning grants" (may relate to PMSPs)
Funding for this area will be approximately 50% of remaining funds ($150,000). However, the Scientific Review Panel can, at their discretion and based on the number and quality of proposals, move some of these funds to the "Crop Profiles/PMSPs" category above.
A single Scientific Review Panel (SRP) will review all proposals, but separately reviewing the projects in the 3 categories. The SRP will be chosen by the Center staff from among individuals suggested by the Steering Committee, and will consist of individuals both from ouside the region. This was a condition imposed by USDA/CSREES. In no case shall any member of the SRP have a proposal under consideration by the SRP. In addition, where any possible conflict of interest shall occur (as defined by USDA/CSREES policy) with a specific P.I., that reviewer shall be excused from deliberations involving that P.I.'s proposal.
4. Emergency Needs. The Center Director, after consultation with staff and the Steering Committee Chairman, may fund short-term "Emergency" projects where timelines do not permit waiting for the RFA process. Funding is limited to $5,000 per project. The Director will report on such expenditures to the Steering Committee at each meeting. There is a total of $35,000 in this category. This amount will be reviewed annually and excess funds will revert to the Special Projects category.