Some person

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

274 Roberts Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 000-0000

April 1, 2006

Chairman of Agriculture
Republic of China
Beijing, China

SUBJ: A Proposal for a background report on hydroponic gardening

Thank you very much for your request for a report on detailing hydroponic gardening and
farming.

I appreciate the need and desire for an alternative method of crop yield in your country.
With the population growth China has been experiencing, not to mention over growth and
development of industries in your cities since the opening of your borders for
international trade, it has become necessary to seek out an optimal, alternative method of
utilizing space and the resources available for crop yield. Also, it is a known fact that the
yellow sand dust from the Yangzi River in your country is causing fertile soil to be
unusable for certain crops.

Hydroponic gardening is an innovative way for agricultural production that needs no soil.
A controlled environment created for hydroponic gardening can be constructed anywhere.
This method can be employed by an individual as well as a collective for crop
production.

Enclosed is a proposal for a background report on hydroponic gardening and farming.

The proposal will outline my understanding of the need for the report, benefits of such
report, and general description of the report as well as an outline of the report. I have
also included a tentative schedule for the completion of the report, my qualifications, and
the cost of the report.

Please consider my proposal carefully, and if you have any questions do not hesitate to
call. I hope to be contacted at your earliest convenience, so that I may commence with
the project. Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

Some Person
Enclosure
 Proposal for the Background Report on Hydroponic Gardening

Following is a proposal for the report on detailing hydroponic gardening and farming as
an alternative source of agricultural production.]

Need for the Report

China has been experiencing a sudden growth in the cities with opening of the borders for
international trade and multinational investment. The rapid urbanization of the country
has made it necessary to find an alternate crop yield for the consumption by the largest
population of the world. Also the problematic yellow sand dust from the Yangzi River
threatening parts of Chinas land to become barren and desert like, calls for an
investigation into an innovative way of no soil production of crop. Hydroponic
gardening and farming is one such method. Basic understanding of the method will
allow for better decision making for an effective program.

Benefits of the Report

A fundamental knowledge about hydroponic gardening and farming will help the Chinese
government make a wise decision based on the need and resources available. The
members of the committee that will be making a ruling on what is best for the country
will benefit greatly from a report detailing what hydroponic gardening and farming is all
about. After reviewing the report, I am confident that the committee members will be
able to make an informed and educated decision.

General Description of the Report

The report will cover topics that are relevant to the understanding of hydroponic
gardening and farming. It will briefly discuss the history of hydroponics, definition of
hydroponic gardening, processes involved in the method, and the current innovations in
hydroponics to be reviewed by the committee. The report will be 10 to 15 pages in
length and will be composed in language that is easy to understand. Technical terms and
processes will be defined and explained in detail. The report will be in black text and
delivered in bound edge format.

Sources for the Report

The following sources will be used:

1. Hydroponic Gardening for Beginners. 2005. Greentrees Hydroponics. 2 April

2006.
<http://www.hydroponics.net/learn/hydroponic_gardening_for_beginners.asp>.
2. Hydroponics in Gardening. 2001. Master Garden Products. 2 April 2006.
<http://www.mastergardenproducts.com/gardenerscorner/hydroponics_in_gardeni
ng.htm>.
3. Kauffman, MS. Hydroponic Gardening. No date. About Gardens. 2 April 2006.
<http://aboutgardens.org/Hydroponic-Gardening.htm>.
4. Logan, Marty, Mark Foss. Urban Agriculture Reaches New Heights Through
Rooftop Gardening. IDRC Reports. 22 Jan. 2004. International Development
Research Centre. 2 April 2006.
 5. Zapp, Jorge. United Nations Hydroponic Projects Used For Model
Development. 25 June 1999. Institute of Simplified Hydroponics. 2 April 2006.
<http://www.carbon.org/AboutOurPrograms1/Models.htm>.

Note: Other resources will be used for the report as needed.

General Outline of the Report

The following is an outline of the contents that will be presented in the report:

I. Introduction
a. What is Hydroponics?
b. General history of Hydroponics
II. How does hydroponics work?
III. Successes with hydroponics
IV. Further studies with hydroponics
V. Glossary

Tentative Schedule and Timeframe

Following is a proposed schedule for the completion of the report:

Begin further research for the report July 2, 2006

Complete research and start draft July 16, 2006
Finalize draft with tables and charts July 23, 2006
Submit report for approval July 25,2006
Final report delivered to Ministry of Agriculture July 30,2006

Cost for the Report

The major cost of the report is as follows:

Estimated time of labor 150 Hrs.

Hourly rate of labor $120.00 per hour
Total for labor $18,000.00

The total costs, including the labor costs, are as follows:

Labor costs (as shown above) $18,000.00

Printing and binding (based on 100 copies) $200.00
Grand Total $18,200.00

Note: If further presentation is needed, other costs will be added as necessary.

Qualifications
I am currently the head of research of Hydroponic at Cornell University Agriculture
Department. I have published numerous papers on Hydroponic method of agriculture. I
have previously developed a program in the pine woods of Scotland utilizing Hydroponic
gardening for fresh vegetation production as well as in Alaska. The governments that I
have provided reports on Hydroponics include Japan, Korea, and cities such as Hong
Kong and Taiwan.

Conclusion
As outlined above, my understanding of your need for the report and benefits of the
report makes me confident that the report you have requested will be of great importance.
My qualifications and experience makes me a good candidate to provide a report of your
requirements. Please consider what I have proposed and contact me in near future so that
we may proceed with the project. Thank you very much.