The Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Invasive Species Matrix Team requests proposals that engage a local community in the removal of invasive species from local communities in Maryland. Any Maryland resident is eligible to be a principal investigator, submit a proposal and receive funding. The proposal submission must:
An invasive species is a non-native species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. While many aquatic species may be introduced to a water body, very few become established, and fewer are regarded as invasive. In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, there are 120 introduced and established aquatic species (mostly fishes). Eighteen percent of these are regarded as invasive. Current initiatives to prevent future introductions have included outreach and passage of laws and regulation. Control of existing invasive species proves more costly and time-consuming. The control of aquatic invasive species that are established in Maryland’s waterways has included harvest and/or herbicides. To engage the public and partners in control efforts, as well as remove biomass of aquatic invasive species, the department developed this Request for Proposals from Marylanders. The objectives of a proposal should address: 1) engagement of a local community of Marylanders; and 2) removal of an aquatic invasive species from Maryland waters.
Visit our
AISC Proposal Solicitation Form and submit the information. You will be asked for contact information, proposal objectives, a map or description of the project site, proposal methods, expected impact and a budget. The expected impact should be an estimate of how much of the invasive species will be removed.
Applicants may contact the department’s Invasive Species Matrix Team with questions during their proposal development. Initial contact can be made by emailing:
joseph.love@maryland.gov.
Grant proposals will be reviewed with existing literature and risk assessments by staff of Maryland Department of Natural Resources who are members of the department’s Invasive Species Matrix Team and a member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Grants will be issued in the form of contracts to the principal investigator. Proposals will be evaluated and discussed to determine which will be funded and at what level. Effort will be made to fund all selected proposals to the requested level.
What is the review process? Proposal Due
| April 15, 2022 |
Principal Investigator Notified
| May 15, 2022
|
Notice of Award and Contract
| May 31, 2022 |
Project May Begin
| June 1, 2022 |
Interim Report Due
| August 1, 2022 |
Invoice Due (if needed)
| August 1, 2022
|
Final Report Due
| November 30, 2022
|
All Invoices Due (if needed)
| November 30, 2022
|
Expenses will be paid by the principal investigator. The principal investigator will then send receipts and invoices to the department (
joseph.love@maryland.gov) for reimbursement. Receipts must reflect the charges identified in the approved budget of the proposal. Reimbursements typically take one month.
Interim and Final reports will be submitted by deadline to
joseph.love@maryland.gov. Reports will convey progress toward objectives up to the date of submittal.
Invoices and reports must be submitted by the deadline specified in the timeline. Reports should reflect progress toward objectives, as well as convey any challenges or problems with meeting the objectives.
Projects may start June 1, 2022 and last one day, or multiple days. Projects should be completed by November 30, 2022.
Eligible Aquatic Invasive Species Invasive species listed in Maryland’s Aquatic Nuisance Species Plan include those below. The proposal should focus on one or more of these high priority species. At the end of the year, the level of harvest or removal of the aquatic invasive species will be reported online, along with the cost of the project and the grantee.
Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)
| Northern Snakehead (Channa argus)
|
Brazilian elodea (Egeria densa)
| Nutria (Myocaster coypus)
|
Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis)
| Parrot Feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)
|
Common Reed (Phragmitis australis)
| Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salacaria)
|
Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata)
| Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambrus clarkia)
|
Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)
| Rusty Crayfish (Orconectes rusticus)
|
Flathead Catfish (Pylodictus olivaris)
| Virile Crayfish (Orconectes virilis)
|
Green Crab (Carcinus maenas)
| Water Chestnut (Trapa natans)
|
Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)
| Whirling Disease (Myxobolus cerebralis)
|
Japanese Shore Crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus)
| Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
|
Marsh Dayflower (Murdannia keisak)
| Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)
|
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
| |
Principal investigators, or the people organizing the removal effort and writing the proposal, can ask for a minimum of $500 and up to $10,000. Categories that can be funded are: Personnel; Travel; Supplies; and Equipment. A budget narrative describing how funds will be fund in one or all categories will be submitted with the proposal. Examples of funding include (but are not limited to): travel to field sites; gift cards; gloves; harvesting tools; printing costs for outreach materials.
Match is not required, but is encouraged.
Funding cannot be used for lobbying or for paying a person to lobby. Lobbying is influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any U.S. agency, a Member of the U.S. Congress, or an officer or employee of the U.S. Congress, or an employee of a Member of the U.S. Congress connection with the award.
Miscellaneous Information A permit may be required for work in public waters. For more information, please visit:
The principal investigator is responsible for acquiring all necessary permits and permissions to carryout their proposed project.
