TEXAS EQUINE RESEARCH FUND

Request for Proposals

Letter of intent due: February 22, 2002
Proposal deadline: March 22, 2002

This is a request for proposals for funding from the Texas Equine Research Fund administered through the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

Authorization
The Texas Racing Act (Sect. 27.6.08, Article 179e) has authorized the allocation of funds for the "promotion of equine research for race horses." The Fund is designated as the "Equine Research Fund." Monetary assets of the Fund are to be used for equine research administered by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (TAES). The Act also provides for the establishment of an Advisory Committee representing both academia and industry to consult with the Director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station on matters pertaining to "research needs and priorities of the horse racing industry." This request for proposals is based upon recommendations from the Texas Equine Research Account Advisory Committee (TERAAC).

Research Targets

Equine Research Projects

1. Funds will be allocated for short-term equine research projects (up to two years in duration with a limit of $25,000 per year per project), at eligible institutions within the State of Texas, that address the needs and priorities of the Texas Horse Racing Industry.

Who is eligible to apply?
Any full-time faculty member at an academic institution in the State of Texas may be a principal investigator of a research proposal in this program. It must be shown that the institution has the facilities and support of the proposed research. Each faculty member may submit only one project proposal as a Principal Investigator.

What are the criteria for selection?
Proposals will be evaluated for (1) scientific merit; (2) research capacity; and (3) budgetary feasibility of the approach (cost of the proposed approach vs. competing approaches or proposals).

How will proposals be reviewed?
Peer reviewers, who are experts in the disciplines represented in the proposals, will be asked to review the proposals, and rank the proposals if more than one proposal is submitted in any one discipline, and provide comments regarding their review and ranking. Proposals will be sent only to reviewers who are in the same discipline represented in the proposal. The identity of the reviewers will remain confidential.

The proposals, along with the comments and rankings by the peer reviewers, will be presented to the Texas Equine Research Account Advisory Committee for their assessment of the relevancy of the proposed research. The TERAAC may (but are not required to) consider the comments and the rankings of the peer reviewers. Members of the TERAAC who have submitted proposal(s) for Committee consideration will not participate in any manner in the evaluation, review, approval, or discussion of any proposal before the Committee. The TERAAC will make recommendations to the Director of the TAES concerning the relevancy of proposals as well as those that should be considered for funding.

After consideration of the evaluations of the peer reviewers, and those of the TERAAC, the Director of the TAES will select the proposals for funding within the limits of available resources.

Available Funding

Fifty percent (50%) of the available funds will be allocated supplementing the financial support of ongoing equine research programs currently funded through the Equine Research Fund. The amount of funds allocated to each program will be determined by the Director of the TAES in consultation with the relevant department heads under whom the research is being conducted.

Fifty percent (50%) of the available funds will be allocated to short-term equine research projects (up to two years in duration with a limit of $25,000 per year per project.) Any of these funds not allocated for short-term research will be made available for ongoing research projects. The Director of the TAES, in consultation with the relevant department heads, will determine the amount of funds each department will receive to supplement ongoing research.

Letters of Intent
Please provide the Deputy Director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station with a letter of intent to submit a research proposal by February 22, 2002. This letter should provide the title and a one-page abstract. This information is needed at this time to avoid delay in the selection of peer reviewers. A proposal will not be accepted without prior submission of a letter of intent.

What is the schedule for proposal submission and review?
January 28, 2002         Call for proposals sent out
February 22, 2002       Letters of intent to submit a proposal are due at 5:00 p.m.
March 22, 2002           Proposals are due at 5:00 p.m.
July 2002                    Notification of awards

Where do I send my letter of intent to submit a proposal and my proposal package?
Send your letter of intent to submit a proposal and your proposal package to (email and/or fax copies are not acceptable):

Dr. Charles Scifres                                 Attention: Equine Research Fund
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
113 Jack K. Williams Administration Building
Texas A&M University
#2142 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-2142
Phone: 979-845-8486

How must results be reported?
The Director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station will request a report of progress at the end of each funding year, and again at the completion of the project. Second year funding for short-term research projects and additional supplemental funding for ongoing research projects will depend upon satisfactory first year progress as determined by the Director of the TAES in consultation with the TERAAC. The Director will share the results of the annual and final reports with the Texas Equine Research Account Advisory Committee.

What are the format and length of the proposals?
Proposals should utilize the following format:

1. Title page (page 1)
2. Description and objectives (hypothesis to be tested) of the chosen research area - what you propose to accomplish.
3. Significance - why should this proposal be funded and how does it address the needs the Texas Horse Racing Industry.
4. Methodology - how, when, and where the research will be accomplished; what tangible results are expected and what will be done with them.
5. Previous work and present outlook.
6. Experimental design and procedures
7. Budget (by year total)
8. Budget justification
9. Relationship of current and pending funding on the proposed project/program
10. C.V. of the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigators (limit each to 2 single-spaced pages)
11. Appendix - letters/documents confirming additional financial support, collaborations, other agreements, etc.

Items 1 through 6 above, must be no longer than ten (10) double-spaced pages with 1 inch margins on all sides and no smaller than 11-point font. All proposals should be signed by the PI/Co-PIs and appropriate departmental and/or institutional administrators.

Approved Animal Care and Use and/or Biohazard permits must be sent to the TAES Director's Office before animal or biohazard experiments can be conducted.

Budget Information
Indirect costs and other administrative costs are not allowed. Fringe benefit cost may vary depending on contractual arrangements.