Considering a new Multistate Project?

Considering starting a new Multistate Project and have no idea where to begin?

What exactly is a Multistate Research Project?

• Multistate Research Projects:
  • The membership of a Multistate Research Project is made up of SAES scientists, an AA, NIFA representative, other public and private sector scientists, and as applicable, extension specialists and/or extension agents.
  • This type of activity involves cooperative, jointly planned research employing multidisciplinary approaches in which a SAES, working with other SAESs, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), or a college or university, cooperates to solve problems that concern more than one state and usually more than one region.
  • In addition, the following must be demonstrated in the project proposal:
    • The objectives are clearly focused.
    • Each participant listed has direct involvement in the accomplishment of the stated objectives.
    • The project is multistate and multidisciplinary
    • The project proposal has been peer-reviewed.
    • The proposed project is oriented toward accomplishment of specific outcomes and impacts and based on priorities developed from stakeholder input.
    • The project is responsive to NIFA goals.

A first step prior to entering the proposal in NIMSS would be to reach out to the initial participants to get a synopsis of current research and future plans over the next couple of years.  A brief overview of the steps to help create the proposal are:

Develop the group and establish leadership

• Identify a leader who will be responsible for moving the proposal forward
• Seek multidisciplinary collaborators from a minimum of two SAES
• Encourage diverse representation of participants across the LGU system at the writing stage

Define the objectives

• Look for areas of similarity and synergy
• Define 2-4 lines of effort where more than ½ the group are working
• Define potential goals/objectives for a 5-year project and narrow to a manageable number of objectives (2-5 or 3-4 is the sweet spot)
• Avoid lumping too much into broad topics; choose what they would actually want to do together

Identify objectives where each participant can contribute

• Everyone does not have to work on every objective
• Participants can contribute to multiple objectives

Create small subset groups to develop skeleton ideas of how to approach each objective

• Select leaders for each objective
• Discuss possible activities

Establish the writing team

• 2 or more people per objective group
• 1-2 who will lead the writing group and draft the proposal
• 1-2 who will write a brief literature review
• Detail the objectives and procedures (activities)

Formation of a Development Committee

Under some circumstances, it is recommended that a completely new project begin as a Development Committee.  Starting as a Development Committee gives the project organizers 2 years to fully flesh out the project while providing them access to travel funds to meet to develop the full proposal.

• Development Committees (DC) are approved for two years for the sole purpose of developing a full proposal to establish a new Multistate Research Project.
• Procedures for requesting a Development Committee:
  • Proposals for new or replacement Multistate Research Projects may be (1) prepared by a group of interested scientists (“bottom-up” approach) and submitted by a sponsoring Director or Administrative Advisor (AA) or (2) identified by the Association and assigned to a Director for development in a “top-down” approach.
  • To initiate any kind of new Research Project (DC, S, SERA), a sponsoring SAES Director or Administrative Advisor first submits a Request to Write a Proposal in the National Information Management Support System (NIMSS).  This action will result in a temp### being assigned to the new project.
  • Next, using NIMSS Appendix A, a Development Committee (DC) proposal is prepared and submitted in NIMSS.
    • Advisory Committees and the Executive Committee review the DC request and recommend disposition of the proposal to the Executive Director who collects and summarizes all inputs.
    • A request for a DC can be approved or rejected on vote by the Executive Committee with additional input from Association directors if needed or desired.
  • A full proposal is submitted by expanding and editing the DC proposal in the NIMSS database. Both the DC Administrative Advisor and the Writing Committee Chair will have access to edit the proposal using NIMSS.
  • The Writing Committee is strongly encouraged to consult the Multistate Review Committee’s criteria that are used in making the final decision on approval or disapproval of a Multistate Research Project proposal.  These criteria can be seen in the Appendix H form, Multistate Research Committee Evaluation Form.
• When the Association approves a Development Committee, the Chair or Chair-Elect appoints an Administrative Advisor(AA). The AA becomes the driving force to get the committee established and authorizes an organizational meeting via NIMSS.
  • The AA communicates with each SAES director and cooperating entities in the region and inviting participation on the DC. Individual scientists or Department Head/Chairs that proposed the new activity will generally participate on the DC.
  • Travel expenses for authorized Development Committee meetings may be paid from an individual station’s multistate research funds. These are the ONLY funds available for a DC.
  • AAs are responsible for ensuring that appropriate disciplinary mix is considered in soliciting membership for the DC.
  • The AA calls the first meeting of the Development Committee and assists in the election of a Chair and Secretary from the members. He/she explains the purpose and intent of the Association for the activity, conveys any specific guidance generated by the Association, and reviews and interprets the procedures for developing the project proposal.
  • The AA assists the committee in organizing a writing team responsible for developing the full project proposal.
• The writing team will draft the project proposal and with the AA’s concurrence, place in in NIMSS.
  • Specific requirements of the proposal are available in Appendix Aof the Guidelines for Multistate Research Activities. The procedure that will be used by the Southern Region Multistate Research Committee (MRC) in reviewing the proposal should be used as guidance in drafting the proposal. (See Appendix H).
• The AA is responsible for distributing via NIMSS the draft of the project proposal to Directors of individual participating stations and cooperating agencies for review, comment and assignment of resources to the project (See Appendix E).
• The AA notifies the NIMSS System Administrator of the names and e-mail addresses of at least three individuals to serve as peer reviews.
  • These three may include those Advisory Committee members agreeing to serve as peer reviewers. Peer reviewers are not necessarily limited to persons within the region. (See Appendix Cand Appendix G). Reviewers may be knowledgeable department heads/chairs or senior scientists. Advisory Committees may be used to recommend reviewers or to conduct the reviews.
  • In the case of fundamental conflict or reviewers, the AA will obtain an additional scientific review for reconciliation. The purpose of the review is to ensure sound quality of science and relevance.
  • Reviews are conducted at this level to assure minimum delay and maximum coupling of findings with the Development Committee.
  • The DC should consider the reviews and address concerns raised by the reviewers. Specifically, the DC should provide a written point-by-point description of how the proposal has been revised in response to recommendations or concerns of the reviewers. The DC should also indicate any reasons for not adopting recommendations of reviewers.
• Once the AA is satisfied that the DC has responded appropriately to the reviewers comments/concerns, the revised proposal, along with the reviewers comments and the written response from the DC, is submitted to the SAAESD Office for Multistate Research Committee (MRC) Review.
  • Any concerns raised by the MRC will be relayed to the DC via the Administrative Advisor.
• Once the DC has satisfactorily addressed concerns, the MRC Chair will send the completed proposal to Executive Director with recommendation of approval. The Executive Director sends the proposals to USDA/NIFA for approval. Multistate projects are usually approved for 3-5 years.
• Upon approval of the project, members of the Development Committee often become the Technical Committee for the project.