Request for Pre-Proposals
Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture
Due Monday, April 30, 2007
The Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture (CTSA) requests pre-proposals for aquaculture applied research that addresses problems and opportunities for aquaculture industry in CTSA’s region within the strategic areas defined below. Special emphasis will be given this year (CTSA Year 21) to the priorities specified under each strategic area. Pre-proposals that target these priority issues will receive highest preference, although all proposals from researchers are welcome and will be considered. CTSA strongly encourages interagency cooperation and shared funding of priority projects.
CTSA’s mission is to support aquaculture research, development, demonstration, and extension education in order to enhance viable and profitable aquaculture in the United States. CTSA is funded by an annual grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. The CTSA region includes the following areas: Hawaii, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Strategic Areas and Year 21 Priorities
v Offshore Aquaculture
Offshore aquaculture has the potential to greatly expand marine finfish production in Hawaii and the American Insular Pacific. Hawaii is in the national spotlight and leads the nation in industry development of open-ocean aquaculture. Yet this industry is still new and fragile. Pre-proposals focused on resolving bottlenecks or ensuring the sustainability of offshore aquaculture in the region will receive highest priority.
Year 21 Priorities
- Moi hatchery: d7–d8 mortality and other critical periods during the larval rearing cycle
- New species (tuna or snapper)
- Mass, cost-effective fry production technology
v Health Management
Aquaculture in the Pacific lacks a concerted effort toward health management, diagnostics, and research. Hawaii and the U.S-affiliated Pacific Islands are uniquely isolated to ensure biosecurity yet extremely vulnerable if disease does arise. CTSA will support both targeted and strategic work toward health management of all species. Pre-proposals tackling a specific problem of industry importance or working to ensure long-term biosecurity in the region will receive highest priority.
Year 21 Priorities
- Finfish health database
- Vaccine development
v Ornamental Aquaculture
Hawaii is well positioned both strategically and geographically to develop robust freshwater and marine ornamental industries. However, after years of funding support from CTSA, freshwater ornamental operations in the state still need ways to improve profitability. There are unique challenges to both marine and freshwater ornamental culture. Pre-proposals addressing production bottlenecks will receive highest priority.
Year 21 Priorities
- first feeds for marine larvae
- new marine benthic egg layers
- ability to remove constraints to profitability for ornamental culture, especially for freshwater ornamental operations
v Innovative Aquaculture
Hawaii and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands have an advantage—the existence of a variety of species that are exclusively native or endemic to their islands—upon which niche markets can be built. To succeed in the Pacific region, however, and regardless of species cultured, small aquafarmers must leverage innovative approaches that either reduce the costs of or bring added value to their production efforts. Highest priority will be given to pre-proposals targeting small farm viability through the development of niche markets (especially for endemic species), multiple markets for a single species, multiple profit centers for farms, or post-harvest value added processing.
Year 21 Priorities
· Bivalve culture (native species)
· Multi-tasking species
o Fresh or marine species marketable as both ornamentals and food
o Species with 2–3 markets at different life stages
· Multi-profit centers
o Polyculture
o Value-added (post-harvest) processing
o Integrated agriculture
v Pacific Island Development
There are unique technical, social, and economic challenges to aquaculture development in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands. In many cases, technology is available but expertise and training are needed to jumpstart development. Other important concerns are assessing available resources and identifying opportunities. Pre-proposals centered on technology transfer of existing technologies will receive highest priority.
Year 21 Priorities
- Aquaculture planning
- Shrimp (SPF) technology transfer
- Finfish culture technology transfer
Process and Instructions
When submitting pre-proposals, researchers should identify the strategic area targeted. All pre-proposals received by the deadline, Monday, April 30, 2007, will be reviewed by CTSA’s Industry Advisory Council (IAC). This year, principal investigators for some pre-proposals (selection based on IAC reviews) will be invited to give a short presentation on their proposed research to a combined meeting of CTSA’s Technical Committee (TC) and IAC, responding to questions and feedback on how to improve their approach. Of those pre-proposals presented, only some (selected by the IAC) will move forward with requests for a full proposal. Full proposals will receive both internal and external review for technical quality and industry impact. Proposals included in the CTSA Year 21 Plan of Work and approved by the CTSA Board of Directors and the USDA are expected to have funding available for implementation by July 2008.
CTSA typically does not fund projects for more than $100,000 per year. CTSA gives preference to projects that will deliver the most benefits at the lowest cost. Due to its limited project budget (< $400,000), CTSA will distribute funding to the highest ranked proposals until it has exhausted all available funds.
Eligible Applicants
Universities, community colleges, or nonprofit research institutions and organizations must lead project execution. Private individuals or commercial companies are welcome to participate in research work but cannot act as the prime contractor for any project.
Pre-Proposal Guidelines
Although an individual may submit a maximum of three pre-proposals, a researcher can act as principal investigator to only two projects in a single funding cycle. Pre-proposals must be no more than two pages (single-spaced, 12-pt. font, 1-inch margins), and the required format is Microsoft Word. Each pre-proposal must state which strategic area and priority it is targeting. Pre-proposals must include the following sections:
Proposed title or main idea
Problem statement
Clearly explain the significance of the targeted problem and its relation to future industry development.
Proposed objectives
Define and number objectives that are achievable and measurable. Please visit the CTSA Web site at www.ctsa.org to view previously funded projects so that your pre-proposal does not duplicate the work of completed or current projects.
Approach
Describe the principal approach that the project work group will use to accomplish the objectives outlined in your pre-proposal.
Duration
If a project’s duration is to be more than one year, then your pre-proposal must include objectives and approach for each year.
Estimated budget
Estimate the amount of funding needed to accomplish objectives. A breakdown need only include total estimates for major categories, such as salary, supplies, and equipment.
Project work group members
List members, by name and affiliation, who will participate in the execution of the proposed project.
How to Submit
Please e-mail pre-proposals to kedennis@hawaii.edu by Monday, April 30, 2007. If you have any questions, please contact Kathryn Dennis via e-mail or by telephone at (808) 956-3529. If necessary, pre-proposals may be faxed to (808)-956-5966 or mailed to the following address:
Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture
University of Hawaii at Manoa
3050 Maile Way, Gilmore Hall 124
Honolulu, HI 96822-2231
