Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA APHIS 10025 OA000000 26 0001
The New World Screwworm Grand Challenge is a USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) discretionary funding opportunity designed to accelerate the United States response to the growing threat of New World screwworm (NWS) and to help prevent the parasite from spreading northward. The program is framed as part of USDA's broader 2025 plan to protect the country from NWS and is meant to fund both near-term, fast-impact projects that can strengthen rapid response while sterile insect capacity is still ramping up, and longer-term investments that expand national preparedness and control options for the future. In total, APHIS is making up to $100 million available through this Grand Challenge to support practical tools, technologies, and approaches that can improve readiness and containment, with an emphasis on innovations that may also translate to other animal disease response efforts.
A central driver behind the Grand Challenge is the scale-up of sterile insect production, which remains a cornerstone of NWS control strategy. APHIS notes it is already moving forward with additional sterile insect production facilities, with a stated target of full capacity reaching 300 million sterile flies per week by March 2029. Because that capacity is still several years away, APHIS is explicitly looking for projects that can fill the gap in the interim by boosting control capabilities sooner, while also funding durable solutions that keep paying off after expanded production comes online. The opportunity is structured as cooperative agreements, signaling that APHIS expects active involvement and coordination between the agency and awardees rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
Projects must align with one of four funding priority topics. Topic 1 focuses on enhancing sterile NWS fly production, which could include improvements that increase output, reliability, efficiency, quality, scalability, or speed of production and distribution. Topic 2 supports the development of novel NWS traps and lures, aiming to improve detection, monitoring, and potentially localized suppression through better attractants, trap designs, or deployment methods. Topic 3 targets therapeutics or treatments for animals, meaning products or interventions that could treat, prevent, or control NWS infestations in livestock or other animals, with a particular emphasis on options that could be stockpiled and used quickly if NWS reaches the United States. Topic 4 is a broader category intended to capture other tools that bolster preparedness or response, which could include surveillance technologies, diagnostics, operational planning tools, field-deployable systems, or other innovations that strengthen the overall response framework.
Funding is expected to support roughly 20 awards. Individual awards are generally not anticipated to exceed $5 million, but APHIS leaves room to go above that ceiling when a proposal meaningfully contributes to preventing NWS spread, addresses multiple priority topics, or can demonstrate a strong ability to rapidly improve animal health outcomes and/or delay the parasite's advance. APHIS also indicates it may offer partial awards below the requested amount; applicants can accept or decline, but if they accept, they should expect to revise their application to align with the reduced budget and address reviewer concerns. The program is time-bounded and designed for execution rather than long exploratory research, with project work expected to begin in the May 1 to June 1, 2026 window and conclude no later than two years after the start date unless APHIS approves an extension in writing. Pre-award costs are not allowed, so applicants should plan for a clean start at the award date rather than back-charging earlier work.
Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and other eligible entities as described in the notice. Applicants must have an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) registered in SAM.gov, and proposals must clearly address at least one of the four priority topics. The application is subject to an initial screening process, and APHIS is explicit that incomplete packages or missing required forms will be deemed ineligible and will not advance to full review. Submission pathways depend on applicant type: non-federal applicants must submit through ezFedGrants, while federal applicants submit via email to NWS.Grand.Challenge@usda.gov. The deadline is firm: applications must be received by February 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, and late submissions will not be considered. For administrative or technical questions, APHIS directs applicants to the Grand Challenge webpage materials or the program email address listed above.Apply for USDA APHIS 10025 OA000000 26 0001
- The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "New World Screwworm Grand Challenge" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.025.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-01-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-02-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): New World Screwworm Grand Challenge (USDA APHIS)
1) What is the New World Screwworm (NWS) Grand Challenge?
The New World Screwworm Grand Challenge is a USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) discretionary funding opportunity intended to accelerate the United States response to the growing threat of New World screwworm (NWS) and help prevent the parasite from spreading northward.
2) What is the overall goal of this funding opportunity?
The overall goal is to support practical tools, technologies, and approaches that improve U.S. readiness and containment capabilities for NWS, including near-term projects with fast impact and longer-term investments that strengthen national preparedness and control options.
3) How much total funding is available through this Grand Challenge?
APHIS is making up to $100 million available through this Grand Challenge.
4) How many awards does APHIS expect to make?
Funding is expected to support roughly 20 awards.
5) What is the typical award size, and can it exceed the stated maximum?
Individual awards are generally not anticipated to exceed $5 million. However, APHIS indicates it may consider awards above $5 million when a proposal meaningfully contributes to preventing NWS spread, addresses multiple priority topics, or demonstrates a strong ability to rapidly improve animal health outcomes and/or delay the parasite's advance.
6) What happens if APHIS offers a partial award below the requested amount?
APHIS may offer partial awards below the requested amount. Applicants may accept or decline the partial award. If accepted, applicants should expect to revise their application to align with the reduced budget and address reviewer concerns.
7) What type of funding mechanism is used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The opportunity is structured as cooperative agreements, which indicates APHIS expects active involvement and coordination with awardees rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
8) Why is APHIS emphasizing near-term projects as well as longer-term investments?
A central driver is the scale-up of sterile insect production, a cornerstone of NWS control strategy. Since expanded sterile insect capacity is still ramping up, APHIS is seeking projects that can strengthen rapid response sooner while also funding durable solutions that remain valuable once expanded production comes online.
9) What is APHIS's stated target for sterile insect production capacity?
APHIS states a target of reaching full capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week by March 2029.
10) What must a project align with to be eligible for consideration?
Proposals must clearly address at least one of the four funding priority topics described in the notice.
11) What are the four funding priority topics?
The four priority topics are:
- Topic 1: Enhancing sterile NWS fly production
- Topic 2: Developing novel NWS traps and lures
- Topic 3: Developing therapeutics or treatments for animals
- Topic 4: Other tools that bolster preparedness or response
12) What kinds of projects fit under Topic 1 (enhancing sterile NWS fly production)?
Topic 1 may include improvements that increase output, reliability, efficiency, quality, scalability, or the speed of production and distribution of sterile NWS flies.
13) What kinds of projects fit under Topic 2 (novel traps and lures)?
Topic 2 focuses on improved detection and monitoring and may also support localized suppression through better attractants, trap designs, or deployment methods.
14) What kinds of projects fit under Topic 3 (therapeutics/treatments for animals)?
Topic 3 supports products or interventions that could treat, prevent, or control NWS infestations in livestock or other animals, with particular emphasis on options that could be stockpiled and used quickly if NWS reaches the United States.
15) What kinds of projects fit under Topic 4 (other preparedness/response tools)?
Topic 4 is a broader category intended to capture additional tools that strengthen preparedness or response, such as surveillance technologies, diagnostics, operational planning tools, field-deployable systems, or other innovations that improve the overall response framework.
16) Is this opportunity intended for long exploratory research?
No. The program is described as time-bounded and designed for execution rather than long exploratory research.
17) When is project work expected to begin?
Project work is expected to begin in the May 1 to June 1, 2026 window.
18) How long can a project last?
Projects must conclude no later than two years after the start date, unless APHIS approves an extension in writing.
19) Are pre-award costs allowed?
No. Pre-award costs are not allowed, so applicants should plan for a clean start at the award date rather than charging earlier work to the agreement.
20) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), and other eligible entities as described in the notice.
21) Are there registration requirements to apply?
Applicants must have an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) registered in SAM.gov.
22) How do applicants submit their application?
Submission depends on applicant type:
- Non-federal applicants: must submit through ezFedGrants
- Federal applicants: submit via email to NWS.Grand.Challenge@usda.gov
23) What is the application deadline?
Applications must be received by February 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Late submissions will not be considered.
24) What happens if an application package is incomplete or missing required forms?
APHIS states that incomplete packages or applications missing required forms will be deemed ineligible and will not advance to full review.
25) Is there an initial screening step before full review?
Yes. The application is subject to an initial screening process.
26) Where should applicants direct administrative or technical questions?
APHIS directs applicants to the Grand Challenge webpage materials or to email NWS.Grand.Challenge@usda.gov for administrative or technical questions.
27) What kinds of outcomes is APHIS emphasizing across the portfolio?
APHIS emphasizes practical readiness and containment improvements, including innovations that can strengthen rapid response while sterile insect capacity scales up, and solutions that remain valuable afterward. APHIS also notes an emphasis on innovations that may translate to other animal disease response efforts.
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