Invasive Species Rapid Response After Action Report | F22AS00243

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.

• 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.

Apply for F22AS00243

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