WA Blueberry Commission Research 2025

The Washington Blueberry Commission is seeking research proposals for 2025, targeting comprehensive agricultural studies focused on blueberry production and management. This procurement opportunity covers 24 specific research priorities across multiple Washington counties, including Franklin, Chelan, Yakima, and Grant Counties, among others. The research proposals must address critical industry challenges such as spotted wing drosophila management, disease pest control, pollination techniques, and organic production strategies. Researchers are required to submit comprehensive proposals limited to five pages, detailing project justification, objectives, procedures, expected benefits to Washington blueberry growers, references, and a detailed budget. Proposals are due by December 11, 2024, with virtual presentations to the research committee scheduled for December 17, 2024, and potential additional presentation at the 2025 Washington Small Fruit Conference. Evaluation criteria will focus on the relevance and potential impact of proposed research on Washington blueberry growers, with a strong emphasis on addressing the Commission's ranked research priorities.

The procurement is open to academic and research institutions, with no specific set-aside designations mentioned in the documentation. Multiyear proposals up to three years will be considered, though formal funding can only be guaranteed on an annual basis. The Commission requires that successful researchers present their findings at a grower meeting and/or annual berry research review meeting, and explicitly prohibits indirect and overhead costs in the proposed budgets. While specific budget ranges are not detailed, the proposal format requires a comprehensive breakdown of projected expenses including salaries, operations, travel, meetings, equipment, and benefits. Researchers must transparently report all secured or pending funding sources that could support the project. The procurement suggests the Commission has reasonable confidence in funding multi-year proposals, contingent upon adequate progress and continued funding availability. Interested parties can seek additional proposal preparation assistance through the Procurement Coordinator, Megan Finkenbinder, who can be contacted at mfinkenbinder@agr.wa.gov.