Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Agricultural Water Policy

 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Division of Agricultural Water Policy

Solicitation for Agricultural Best Management Practices Research Projects

The advertisement below is an update to that which was published in the FAR on July 9, 2020.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) announces a general solicitation to obtain fiscal year 2021/2022 proposals for agricultural best management practices (BMP) research projects related to the OAWP BMP program to further reduce nutrient loadings to surface and ground waters and to conserve water used for irrigation. A guide for Principal Investigators who are submitting proposals can be obtained at https://www.fdacs.gov/Agriculture-Industry/Water/Agricultural-Best-Management-Practices/BMP-Research.

 Proposals should include a water quality monitoring component. There is no funding cap; however, proposals must be a prudent expenditure of state funding, and funding is subject to annual appropriations by the Legislature. A detailed budget must be included with the proposal. All proposals are due to OAWP by August 1, 2020. Projects submitted by August 1, 2020 and approved by OAWP will receive funding for fiscal year 2021/2022 (starting July 1, 2021).

OAWP research priorities include:

·       Controlled release fertilizer (CRF) – Evaluate CRF use efficiency related to seasonality, rainfall, and heat units in Florida for various commodities.

·       Fertilizer rates (agronomic rates) – Current application rate recommendations require regular re-evaluation and updating. Proposals should identify opportunities to improve rate recommendations that balance production with water resource protection and, where possible, integrate rate recommendations with the implementation of other best management practices.

·       Demonstrations of water quality improvements – Conduct demonstration projects that provide information on BMP benefits to water resources.

·       Multiple cropping systems cover crops (in coordination with Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, or alternative crops – Evaluate use to reduce nitrogen leaching in high-recharge and excessively drained springs recharge areas.

·       Legacy phosphorus – Evaluate impacts of legacy phosphorus on water quality. Evaluate opportunities to address legacy phosphorus impacts.

·       Evaluate Mehlich-3 (M-3) – Evaluate M-3 soil test requirement. M-3 may indicate that there is plenty of P in the soil, but tissue analyses show plant P deficiency. P may be in a form that is not available to the plant.

·       Organic production – Identify use and impacts on irrigated lands.

·       On-farm water treatment technologies – Evaluate and pilot nutrient reduction technologies and practices for on-farm or edge-of-farm application.

This solicitation is in response to Senate Bill (SB) 712 which was passed during the 2020 legislative session. Funding is limited to universities and state colleges with established agricultural programs. Any external party must partner with one of those institutions on a project to be eligible for funding consideration. OAWP will evaluate, analyze and utilize accepted proposals to develop a research plan and legislative budget request as required by SB 712. The research plan will help guide OAWP in decisions related to critical research work in furtherance of the OAWP BMP program. Research proposals outside of OAWP’s statutory authority will not be eligible for funding related to this solicitation.

CONDITIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Prospective contractors must be registered in the MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) system and where required, the Sunbiz system prior to submittal. Business entities which must be on file with Sunbiz include the following:  Corporations for and not for profit, Limited Liability Companies (LLC), Limited Partnerships (LP) including Limited Liability Limited Partnerships (LLLP), and organizations doing business under a fictitious name (DBA). Prospective contractors may not be considered for an award if they are not associated with a land grant university, or a qualified entity registered in the MFMP and Sunbiz system. The registration address and federal employer identification (FEID) number must match that registered with the State of Florida.

QUALIFICATIONS OF PROJECT PERSONNEL AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Prospective contractors must be able to demonstrate the following:

1) Academic credentials, performance record, and potential for completing the project;

2) Understanding of the OAWP agricultural BMP program and purpose;

3) Institutional experience and competence in the proposed study area;

4) Ability to obtain support personnel, facilities, and instrumentation;

5) Planning and administration skills needed to complete the proposed project, including the dissemination of information over the duration of the project; and

6) Each prospective contractor must provide a minimum of three (3) references for similar projects completed.

QUESTIONS AND PROPOSALS

Direct questions and proposals to: Kathryn Holland ([e-mail]), Environmental Consultant, Office of Agricultural Water Policy, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Elliot Building, 401 S. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, [phone].