According to information published by USDA APHIS, the current HPAI outbreaks have been detected in commercial and backyard poultry flocks in 29 states, posing an urgent threat to the U.S. poultry industry. In addition to infecting poultry, HPAI is also detected in wildlife, particularly wild birds. This suggests a possible role of wild birds in transmitting HPAI to turkey and poultry flocks. However, the exact pathways involved in HPAI spread on poultry farms remain unknown and this information is critically needed by turkey and poultry producers to help control HPAI. To address this need, the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences announce a Request for Proposals (RFP).
This RFP solicits proposals that aim to assess the role of wildlife in transmitting HPAI to turkey and poultry. Proposed studies may involve generation of new data or analysis of existing data, or both. The proposed work must demonstrate relevance to prevention and control of current and future HPAI outbreaks, and/or ecological and management understanding of wildlife-disease interactions that would enable better prediction and management of HPAI. Interdisciplinary teams and approaches are especially encouraged.
Eligibility
The principal investigator (PI) must have a regular appointment at ISU and be eligible to serve as PI under existing eligibility guidelines (https://www.research.iastate.edu/for-researchers/ethics-integrity-and-o…). Investigators relevant to the research but employed by State (e.g., DNR), federal (e.g., USDA ARS) agencies or other appropriate stakeholders may serve as Co-Investigators and cross-organizational collaborations are strongly encouraged.
Maximum Award and Timeline
Up to $100,000 can be requested for a single project. All proposed activities must be completed within a 12-month period.
Proposal Guidelines
A. Cover Page:
- Project title
- Name, department and signature of PI and Co-Investigators.
- Amount of Funds requested (direct costs only; no IDC will be included for the use of these internal funds)
- Start and end dates of project
- An email from department chair acknowledging endorsement of the project
B. Project Summary
- Provide a summary (250 words or less) of the project that includes a statement of the problem, hypothesis to be tested, research plan, and expected results.
C. Body of Proposal/Basis for Project Assessment (maximum of 2 pages, single-spaced) including:
- Statement of the problem/hypothesis and objectives/aims
- Relevant background information and preliminary data (where available)
- Significance and relevance to HPAI prevention and control
- Plan of work: approach and methodologies
- Expected outcomes and impact
- Potential for generating additional extramural funds.
D. Key References (one page, single-spaced).
E. Letters of Collaboration from critical collaborators whose efforts and products are required for successful project execution. Letters should articulate the contributions to the project and should not be simple letters in support of the proposed effort.
F. Biographical Sketch (maximum of one page for each investigator, single-spaced) including name, title, education, research and professional experience, and a list of up to 10 relevant publications.
G. Budget and Budget Justification (one page total; no indirect costs). Cost-share from other sources (funding from individual PI, dept or college resources, or external organizations; and/or in-kind contribution) will be considered advantageous, but is not required.
Submission Deadline
Submit the entire proposal as a PDF package no later than 5 PM Central Time, May 20, 2022 here: https://iastate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4PJOKDmVDDuuI8S
Proposal review
CVM and CALS leadership team plus invited experts will review submitted proposals and make funding decisions by May 31.