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Request
for pre-proposals (RFP)
Summer 2007 |
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Submissions were due August 17, 2007. There were 59 pre-proposals submitted: 28
in Ecology, 23 in Marketing and Food Systems, 4 in Policy and 4 for the Special
Call. Leopold Center staff and advisory board members currently are reviewing
all submissions.
To review the Leopold Center’s 2007 Request for Pre-proposals, use the links
below that go to a PDF document that
requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.
About the Summer 2007 Request for pre-proposals (RFP)
The Leopold Center was established by the Iowa Legislature as part of the Iowa
Groundwater Protection Act of 1987. Its legislatively mandated mission is
to identify and reduce negative environmental and socio-economic impacts of
agricultural practices, contribute to the development of profitable farming
systems that conserve natural resources, and cooperate with Iowa State
University Extension to inform the public of new findings.
The Center’s work is organized in three initiative areas—ecology, marketing and
food systems, and policy—each aimed at enhancing the condition and viability of
Iowa’s natural resources in varying, yet integrated ways. These three
initiatives have separate sections in the RFP.
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Special Call: The Center will convene and support a new
work team focused on the opportunities for grass-based livestock
systems to enhance Iowa’s economy, as well as the physical and
social environment. The team should involve multiple
organizations seeking research and education solutions. See the
Special Call -- livestock team
for more details.
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Important information about the RFP process
Who may submit a pre-proposal? Investigators representing any Iowa
nonprofit organization/agency and/or educational institution (such as soil and
water conservation districts, schools and colleges, and regional development
groups). The Center strongly encourages the involvement and collaboration of
farmers, landowners, and farm-based businesses in the pre-proposal process.
Please refer to each initiative’s RFP section to find the best fit for your
pre-proposal, and follow these general directions. Prepare a one- or two-page
concept paper containing these elements:
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Separate cover page with project title, contact
information for the principal investigator, dollar request by year, and
an indication of the initiative area–ecology, marketing and food
systems, policy, or special call for a work team–that best fits your
pre-proposal. Do not count the cover page or letters of support as part
of your page total.
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Objectives—What do you want to achieve? Must be
well defined and measurable.
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Strategies —What activities will help you achieve
project objectives? Describe by objective.
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Focus areas—How does your pre-proposal fits
within one or more focus areas for one of the initiatives or goals found
in the special call?
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Outcomes—What will happen in the short and
intermediate term if you achieve your objectives?
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Evaluation How you will determine if you have
achieved your objectives? (Brief)
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Budget estimate and brief financial explanation
by calendar year, starting February 1, 2008. Funding may be for multiple
years, depending on initiative or special call area.
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Which of the following best describes your estimated
budget? Does this change per year of your request?
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LCSA will provide all funding.
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LCSA funds are a start, but work is contingent
on other funds to meet all desired outcomes.
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LCSA funds are filling a gap in ongoing work
sponsored by other funding.
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LCSA funds will support completing part of the
work even if funds from other sources are not received.
How to submit? An electronic copy (sent via e-mail or delivered on
digital media such as CD or diskette) or one hard copy must be received by
5:00 p.m. August 17, 2007. No faxes, please. Electronic version may
be a pdf, .doc, or .wpd file or contained within the body of the e-mail. Send
your copy to the appropriate contact person listed in the RFP.
What happens after submission? An invitation to submit a full proposal
will be based upon review of all pre-proposals by the Leopold Center Advisory
Board and staff. Proposals will be screened for economic, environmental, and
community/social sustainability. The Center will notify all applicants in late
September 2007 as to whether they will be invited to submit a full proposal.
Full proposals will be submitted by early November, and funding decisions made
by mid-January 2008. Due to previous multiple-year funding commitments, the
Center may be working with a somewhat reduced funding base for this RFP.
Screening and reviewing guidelines for Leopold
pre-proposals
Ecology, Marketing and Food Systems, and Policy Initiatives
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What is the concept’s potential to provide economic
sustainability for farmers?
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What is the concept’s potential to conserve Iowa’s soil
and water resources
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What is the concept’s potential in contributing to the
social fabric in rural Iowa communities?
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How well does it fit with (one or more) initiative
objective and focus areas?
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Does the pre-proposal budget document potential
leveraging of resources?
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Does the pre-proposal clearly communicate the project
idea and provide realistic strategies to achieve the objectives?
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Does the pre-proposal contain all the information
requested in the RFP?
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If the concept does not have a good fit with objectives,
is it exceptionally innovative and does it address an important need
related to the Center’s mission?
Screening and reviewing guidelines for
Leopold pre-proposals
Special Call for a grass-based livestock systems work team
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Does the concept address production, ecological,
marketing, and policy issues faced by Iowa farmers?
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How many of the objectives found in the grass-based
livestock work team portion of the RFP does the pre-proposal address?
How well does it address these objectives?
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How well does the pre-proposal address each of the work
team function descriptions?
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Are two or more organizations providing leadership, and
what is the capacity of those organizations and people to do so?
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Is there a broad base of organizations that will be
engaged in the work team?
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Does the pre-proposal clearly communicate the project
idea and provide realistic strategies to achieve the objectives?
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Does the budget include evaluation and communication
resources?
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Does the pre-proposal budget document potential
leveraging of resources?
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Does the pre-proposal contain all the information
requested in the RFP?
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