Opportunity Information: Apply for F22AS00243
The Invasive Species Rapid Response After Action Report grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F22AS00243) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discretionary funding announcement intended to fund a national-scale assessment of the federal response to the Marimo "moss ball" incident, where aquarium moss ball products were found to be contaminated with zebra mussels. The core purpose is to look back at what happened, how quickly and effectively agencies and partners reacted, and what should change to reduce the odds of a similar aquatic invasive species (AIS) introduction happening again through commercial pathways tied to living organisms, especially the aquarium, water garden, and pet trade.
This opportunity is set up as a cooperative agreement, meaning the Service expects to be actively involved during the work. FWS staff will support the effort by sharing response details, providing points of contact, and helping the recipient access documents needed to analyze the incident. Even with that close coordination, the applicant that receives the award is expected to independently draft the after-action report and develop its own conclusions and recommendations. The work is meant to capture not just federal actions, but also coordination with state agencies, industry groups, businesses, and outreach to the public, since preventing releases by consumers and retailers is a major part of stopping spread.
The assessment is expected to address several specific objectives. It must establish a clear timeline of actions taken during the response, describe the roles and responsibilities of relevant federal agencies and how they interacted with state partners and industry sectors, and evaluate working relationships among federal agencies at ports of entry. The assessment also needs to identify obstacles that make import regulation difficult at the federal level for aquatic organisms associated with the aquarium and pet trades, which are recognized as high-risk introduction pathways. Another major focus is information sharing: the report should evaluate how quickly and through what mechanisms key information moved between parties (federal and state agencies, industry, businesses, and the public), what messages were delivered, and whether communication supported effective containment and disposal. Finally, it must identify strengths, gaps, and limitations in the overall federal response.
In terms of deliverables and process, the selected applicant is required to produce a draft outline soon after award that lays out how the final report will be organized and how findings will be presented. That outline will be reviewed by a Review Team made up of FWS staff and invited subject matter experts, who will provide feedback to ensure the planned approach will meet the expected deliverables. After the outline is accepted, the recipient must meet with the Review Team (virtually or in person) to agree on a defined work plan and clarify what information or assistance is needed to complete the assessment. Six months after that work plan is underway, the recipient must submit a brief accomplishment/progress report of about two pages summarizing progress and status.
The final after-action report is expected to do more than narrate the incident; it should translate lessons learned into practical improvements. It should summarize what actions occurred and when, across federal and state agencies, regional organizations, and industry. It should also identify gaps in regulation, enforcement, or legal authorities and comment on what changes may be necessary to prevent similar scenarios. The recommendations section is intended to be especially actionable, covering risk mitigation before import, at the point of entry, and after products enter U.S. commerce, as well as concrete steps to improve preparedness for future AIS introductions. Any other cross-cutting issues revealed through the analysis should also be addressed, especially those tied to the movement of live organisms in commerce.
A key expected outcome is that the findings will be directly applicable to strengthening national prevention and rapid response for aquatic invasive species, with emphasis on trade pathways like the aquarium and pet industries. Once the assessment is complete, the recipient must present the findings and recommendations in a 30 to 45 minute briefing (virtual or in person) to the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The resulting recommendations are also expected to be shared through existing national invasive species forums, such as the ANS Task Force and related councils and associations, to help spread the lessons learned and support consistent improvements across jurisdictions.
Administratively, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $50,000, uses CFDA number 15.608, and allows unrestricted eligibility (any eligible applicant may apply). The original closing date for proposals was May 27, 2022, and the funding activity is categorized under Natural Resources.Apply for F22AS00243
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Invasive Species Rapid Response After Action Report" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-02-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-05-27. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Invasive Species Rapid Response After Action Report grant opportunity?
This is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discretionary funding opportunity to support a national-scale after-action assessment of the federal response to the Marimo "moss ball" incident, where aquarium moss ball products were found to be contaminated with zebra mussels.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F22AS00243.
What incident is the grant focused on?
The work focuses on the Marimo "moss ball" incident involving aquarium moss ball products contaminated with zebra mussels, and the response actions taken to contain and address that aquatic invasive species (AIS) threat.
What is the main purpose of the assessment funded by this grant?
The purpose is to look back at what happened during the response, assess how quickly and effectively agencies and partners reacted, and identify changes that could reduce the likelihood of a similar AIS introduction happening again through commercial pathways tied to living organisms, especially the aquarium, water garden, and pet trade.
What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This opportunity is set up as a cooperative agreement, meaning FWS expects to be actively involved during the project.
How will FWS be involved during the work?
FWS staff will support the effort by sharing response details, providing points of contact, and helping the recipient access documents needed to analyze the incident.
Will the recipient be expected to reach independent conclusions?
Yes. Even with close coordination and support from FWS, the selected applicant is expected to independently draft the after-action report and develop its own conclusions and recommendations.
Is the assessment limited to federal actions only?
No. The work is intended to capture federal actions as well as coordination with state agencies, industry groups, businesses, and public outreach efforts.
Why does the opportunity emphasize communication with industry and the public?
Because preventing releases by consumers and retailers is identified as a major part of stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species, particularly when products have already entered commerce.
What are the required objectives the assessment must address?
The assessment is expected to: establish a clear response timeline; describe roles and responsibilities of relevant federal agencies and how they interacted with state partners and industry; evaluate working relationships among federal agencies at ports of entry; identify obstacles that make import regulation difficult for aquatic organisms associated with the aquarium and pet trades; evaluate how quickly and through what mechanisms information was shared among agencies, industry, businesses, and the public; assess the content and effectiveness of key messages; and identify strengths, gaps, and limitations in the overall federal response.
Does the assessment need to include a timeline of actions taken?
Yes. Establishing a clear timeline of actions during the response is explicitly listed as an expected component of the assessment.
Does the assessment need to describe agency roles and interagency coordination?
Yes. The assessment should describe the roles and responsibilities of relevant federal agencies, their interaction with state partners and industry sectors, and the working relationships among federal agencies at ports of entry.
What is meant by evaluating relationships at ports of entry?
The assessment should evaluate how federal agencies worked together at ports of entry during the response, reflecting how coordination and operational relationships may have affected response speed and effectiveness.
Does the assessment need to address challenges in regulating imports?
Yes. It must identify obstacles that make import regulation difficult at the federal level for aquatic organisms associated with the aquarium and pet trades, which are recognized as high-risk introduction pathways.
What does the opportunity require regarding information sharing and communications?
The report should evaluate how quickly and through what mechanisms key information moved between parties (federal and state agencies, industry, businesses, and the public), what messages were delivered, and whether communication supported effective containment and disposal.
What kinds of gaps is the final report expected to identify?
The final report is expected to identify strengths, gaps, and limitations in the overall federal response, including gaps tied to regulation, enforcement, or legal authorities, as described in the opportunity.
What deliverable is required soon after award?
The selected applicant must produce a draft outline soon after award describing how the final report will be organized and how findings will be presented.
Who reviews the draft outline?
A Review Team made up of FWS staff and invited subject matter experts will review the outline and provide feedback to help ensure the planned approach meets the expected deliverables.
What happens after the outline is accepted?
After the outline is accepted, the recipient must meet with the Review Team (virtually or in person) to agree on a defined work plan and clarify what information or assistance is needed to complete the assessment.
Is there a required progress report during the project?
Yes. Six months after the work plan is underway, the recipient must submit a brief accomplishment/progress report of about two pages summarizing progress and status.
What should the final after-action report include beyond a narrative of events?
It should translate lessons learned into practical improvements, summarize what actions occurred and when (across federal and state agencies, regional organizations, and industry), identify gaps in regulation, enforcement, or legal authorities, and provide actionable recommendations to reduce the risk of similar incidents.
What types of recommendations are expected?
Recommendations are intended to be actionable and may cover risk mitigation before import, at the point of entry, and after products enter U.S. commerce, as well as concrete steps to improve preparedness for future AIS introductions.
Are cross-cutting issues expected to be discussed?
Yes. The report should address other cross-cutting issues revealed through the analysis, especially those tied to the movement of live organisms in commerce.
What is a key expected outcome of the funded work?
A key expected outcome is that the findings will be directly applicable to strengthening national prevention and rapid response for aquatic invasive species, with emphasis on trade pathways like the aquarium and pet industries.
Is a presentation required at the end of the project?
Yes. Once the assessment is complete, the recipient must present findings and recommendations in a 30 to 45 minute briefing (virtual or in person) to the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force.
How are the recommendations expected to be shared beyond the briefing?
The resulting recommendations are expected to be shared through existing national invasive species forums, such as the ANS Task Force and related councils and associations, to spread lessons learned and support consistent improvements across jurisdictions.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $50,000.
What is the CFDA number for this funding opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 15.608.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning any eligible applicant may apply.
What was the original closing date for proposals?
The original closing date was May 27, 2022.
What funding activity category does this opportunity fall under?
The funding activity is categorized under Natural Resources.
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