Opportunity Information: Apply for FWS R6 ES10UT003
Apply for FWS R6 ES10UT003
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Field evaluations of a systemic flea control insecticide in Utah prairie dogs (Cynomys parvidens)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.650 Research Grants (Generic).
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 4, 2009 and posted on Nov 4, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 11, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $48,600.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
This Fish and Wildlife Service discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number FWS R6 ES10UT003; CFDA 15.650 Research Grants) focuses on protecting Utah prairie dogs (Cynomys parvidens), a federally threatened species, by improving how plague risk is managed in wild colonies. Plague outbreaks caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis have severely reduced prairie dog populations across North America, and because fleas are the main vectors that transmit plague among prairie dogs, controlling flea loads is a practical way to slow or stop epizootic events. The announcement points out that flea control can also improve prairie dog survival even in years when a major outbreak is not occurring, which makes vector management relevant both as an emergency response tool and as a preventative conservation strategy.
The core problem the grant is trying to solve is that the current go-to pesticide, deltamethrin, is difficult and expensive to use at the scale needed for meaningful conservation impact. Deltamethrin applications are described as extremely labor intensive and costly, and it is not flea-specific, implying potential inefficiencies and broader insecticide exposure than necessary. In response, this opportunity proposes field evaluation of a newly developed systemic flea control bait that uses imidacloprid. Because the insecticide would be delivered orally through bait, the approach could potentially simplify deployment, lower labor demands, and provide longer-lasting protection compared to repeated dusting or other intensive treatments. The grant is designed to determine whether this bait actually works under real-world conditions and how it could be used across larger landscapes.
The goals and objectives are straightforward and applied. First, the project must evaluate how effective imidacloprid oral baits are at reducing flea abundance and flea prevalence on wild prairie dogs. Second, it must measure how long that effect lasts, meaning how many weeks or months flea suppression persists after treatment. Third, the project should assess strategies for broad-scale application, which includes practical questions like optimal rates and methodologies, how well prairie dogs accept the bait, and how to design treatments that could be operationally feasible for managers attempting colony-level or landscape-level plague mitigation.
The required work plan centers on field research conducted in 2009 and 2010. Researchers would apply the imidacloprid bait at selected study sites and then capture and monitor prairie dogs within sampling plots. Flea loads would be measured at monthly intervals for up to four months after treatment, allowing the project to quantify both immediate efficacy and short-term durability. The emphasis on repeated, structured post-treatment sampling suggests the agency wants data that can support management decisions, such as when re-treatment might be needed, whether certain application approaches outperform others, and whether bait delivery is a realistic alternative to deltamethrin-based methods.
On the administrative side, the opportunity was posted November 4, 2009, with an original and current closing date of November 11, 2009, and an archive date of December 11, 2009. The estimated total funding amount is $200,000 across an expected five awards, with an award ceiling of $48,600 and no stated minimum award floor. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, and eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to any additional clarifications in the full announcement. The agency contact listed for access issues is Al Pfister (phone 970-243-2778 x29; fax 970-245-6933), with an email field referenced but not provided in the text shown. Additional funding beyond the described support is explicitly contingent on the availability of funds, signaling that follow-on or expanded work could be possible but is not guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this grant opportunity about?
This U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discretionary grant opportunity supports field research to improve plague risk management in wild Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens) colonies by evaluating a systemic flea control bait that uses imidacloprid.
Which species is the focus of this funding opportunity?
The focus is the Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens), which is federally listed as a threatened species.
What conservation problem is the grant trying to address?
The grant targets plague impacts on prairie dogs. Plague outbreaks caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis have severely reduced prairie dog populations, and flea control is emphasized because fleas are the primary vectors that transmit plague among prairie dogs.
Why is flea control important for plague management?
Because fleas are the main vectors transmitting plague among prairie dogs, reducing flea loads is described as a practical way to slow or stop epizootic events. The announcement also notes flea control may improve survival even when a major outbreak is not occurring, making it relevant as both an emergency response and a preventative strategy.
What is the current common approach to flea control, and why is it a challenge?
The announcement identifies deltamethrin as the current go-to pesticide, but notes it is difficult and expensive to use at the scale needed for meaningful conservation impact. It is described as extremely labor intensive and costly, and it is not flea-specific.
What new approach is proposed under this grant?
The opportunity proposes field evaluation of a newly developed systemic flea control bait that uses imidacloprid. The concept is to deliver the insecticide orally through bait rather than through intensive external applications.
What potential advantages does an oral imidacloprid bait have compared to deltamethrin treatments?
Based on the announcement, oral bait delivery could simplify deployment, lower labor demands, and provide longer-lasting protection compared to repeated dusting or other intensive treatments. The project is intended to determine whether those potential advantages hold under real-world field conditions.
What are the main goals and objectives of the project?
The project objectives described are: (1) evaluate how effective imidacloprid oral baits are at reducing flea abundance and flea prevalence on wild prairie dogs; (2) measure how long the effect lasts after treatment; and (3) assess strategies for broad-scale application, including practical implementation questions.
What does the opportunity mean by measuring “flea abundance†and “flea prevalence�
The announcement distinguishes between reducing flea abundance and flea prevalence on wild prairie dogs. It does not provide formal definitions, but it makes clear that the project is expected to quantify how flea burdens change following bait application using field sampling on captured animals.
How long should the flea control effect be monitored after treatment?
The work plan calls for monthly flea-load measurements for up to four months after treatment, which is intended to quantify both immediate efficacy and short-term durability.
What types of field activities are expected in the work plan?
The required work plan centers on field research in 2009 and 2010. Researchers would apply imidacloprid bait at selected study sites, capture and monitor prairie dogs within sampling plots, and measure flea loads at monthly intervals for up to four months after treatment.
What kinds of “broad-scale application strategies†should be assessed?
The announcement calls for assessment of strategies for broad-scale use, including questions such as optimal rates and methodologies, how well prairie dogs accept the bait, and how to design treatments that are operationally feasible for managers working at colony or landscape scales.
What decisions is the Fish and Wildlife Service hoping the results will support?
The sampling design is described as supporting management decisions such as when re-treatment might be needed, whether certain application approaches outperform others, and whether bait delivery is a realistic alternative to deltamethrin-based methods.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is FWS R6 ES10UT003.
What CFDA program is referenced in the announcement?
The announcement references CFDA 15.650 Research Grants.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on November 4, 2009.
What is the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date shown is November 11, 2009.
What is the archive date?
The archive date shown is December 11, 2009.
How much total funding is estimated to be available?
The estimated total funding amount is $200,000.
How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The agency expects to make five awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $48,600.
Is there a minimum award amount?
No minimum award floor is stated in the information provided.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any entity type), subject to any additional clarifications in the full announcement.
Is additional or follow-on funding guaranteed?
No. The announcement states that additional funding beyond the described support is contingent on the availability of funds, meaning it may be possible but is not guaranteed.
Who is the contact for access issues, and how can they be reached?
The contact listed for access issues is Al Pfister. Phone: 970-243-2778 x29. Fax: 970-245-6933. An email field is referenced, but no email address is provided in the text shown.
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