Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 12 194
Apply for PA 12 194
- The Food Drug Administration in the education environment food and nutrition health natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CVM Vet LRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Program (U18)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.103 Food and Drug AdministrationResearch.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 17, 2014 and posted on Jun 4, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 15, 2014 Application Due Date(s) July 2, 2012, April 15, 2013 and April 15, 2014 are due, by 500 PM local time of applicant organization. Resubmission Due Date(s) October 15, 2012, October 15, 2013 and October 15, 2014 are due, by 500 PM local time of applicant organization.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $21,500.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Special district governments County governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) City or township governments State governments.
- The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for FDA support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Governments Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government U.S. Territory or Possession
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Opportunity Summary:
The CVM Vet LRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Program (U18) is an FDA cooperative agreement opportunity designed to expand and strengthen the Veterinary Laboratory Response Network (Vet LRN) by bringing additional veterinary diagnostic laboratories into a coordinated national system. The central purpose is surge capacity: when animal food, feed, or veterinary drug problems trigger animal illness investigations or large-scale emergency events, the FDA wants a ready pool of capable labs that can rapidly analyze a higher-than-normal volume of samples. In practical terms, funded laboratories serve as an on-call analytical workforce that can be tasked to test implicated products and related materials during outbreaks, contamination incidents, or surveillance activities.
A key feature of the program is that the samples are not limited to finished animal food or drugs. Assignments can include animal food/feed/drugs themselves, environmental samples tied to animal food/feed/drug manufacturing or handling, and animal diagnostic materials such as necropsy tissues or clinical specimens. Samples are expected to originate from federal, state, or local agencies, and the Vet LRN Program Office (VPO) within FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine coordinates the flow of work. That coordination includes deciding how many samples each lab receives and when they arrive, in consultation with state and local laboratory authorities. Beyond emergency response, routine federal or state surveillance assignments may also generate sample testing work. The FDA notes that a target workload of about 100 samples per laboratory per year would be considered optimal, which signals that the program is meant to keep labs engaged and proficient while still preserving capacity for sudden spikes in demand.
Another major goal is standardization across the network so results are consistent and comparable from lab to lab. Awardees are expected to implement standardized analytical methods and use common equipment platforms, with the equipment provided through the award. The program also emphasizes standardized analytical worksheets and electronic reporting, which helps the FDA aggregate results quickly during investigations. To support this, the FDA provides training and proficiency testing for each approved method and platform. Participating laboratories are also expected to put in place a basic quality management framework. Rather than forcing a single rigid system, the FOA describes a minimal quality management approach that builds on each lab's existing practices, refined through consultation between the VPO and the laboratory's management team.
The cooperative agreement structure also means labs may be asked to do targeted, short-term technical work beyond routine testing. The FOA specifically calls out small scale method development and method validation projects directed by the VPO. In addition, labs may receive "matrix extension" assignments, which typically means adapting an existing method to a new sample type (for example, applying a validated method from one feed ingredient to another or from one environmental substrate to a different one). These tasks can come with rapid turnaround expectations when tied to an active contamination event or emerging public/animal health concern.
Funding is intended to cover the practical costs of being response-ready and interoperable with the network. The announcement indicates support for supplies, equipment, personnel time, and portions of annual operating and maintenance expenses. The FOA also notes that each laboratory should develop its own consensus decision-making process, including the size and format of its internal group(s). Federal representatives may be invited to participate as nonmember liaisons or advisors, but award funds cannot be used to pay for federal employees to travel to or participate in those meetings, which is an important restriction for budgeting and planning.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary cooperative agreement under FDA (CFDA 93.103). The FOA anticipated up to 30 awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $500,000 and individual award amounts generally in the $20,000 to $21,500 range (award floor $20,000; ceiling $21,500). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as public and private institutions of higher education, state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and other tribal organizations, along with certain eligible federal agencies and U.S. territory or possession agencies. The FOA also highlights that institutions serving historically underrepresented groups in higher education (such as HBCUs, HSIs, TCCUs, and Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian-serving institutions) are encouraged to apply.
Key dates listed in the record include multiple application due dates across cycles (July 2, 2012; April 15, 2013; and April 15, 2014) with corresponding resubmission deadlines (October 15 in each year), all due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. The opportunity ultimately closed October 15, 2014 and was archived November 14, 2014. The listed grants management contact for access issues was Yemisi Akinneye, Grants Management Specialist at the FDA (Oluyemisi.Akinneye@fda.hhs.gov; 240-402-7560).
FAQs: CVM Vet LRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Program (U18)
What is the CVM Vet LRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Program (U18)?
It is an FDA discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity (CFDA 93.103) intended to expand and strengthen the Veterinary Laboratory Response Network (Vet LRN) by bringing additional veterinary diagnostic laboratories into a coordinated national system.
What is the main purpose of this program?
The central purpose is surge capacity. The program is designed so that, when animal food, feed, or veterinary drug issues trigger illness investigations or large-scale emergency events, FDA has a ready pool of capable laboratories that can rapidly handle a higher-than-normal volume of samples.
How does FDA expect funded laboratories to be used during events?
Funded laboratories function as an on-call analytical workforce. They can be tasked to test implicated products and related materials during outbreaks, contamination incidents, emergency response situations, or surveillance activities coordinated through the Vet LRN Program Office (VPO) within FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine.
What types of samples might a participating laboratory be asked to test?
Assignments can include animal food, feed, and veterinary drugs, as well as environmental samples linked to animal food/feed/drug manufacturing or handling. The FOA also includes animal diagnostic materials such as necropsy tissues or clinical specimens.
Are samples limited to finished animal food or finished veterinary drugs?
No. The scope is broader than finished products and can include environmental samples and animal diagnostic materials tied to investigations or surveillance activities.
Where do the samples come from?
Samples are expected to originate from federal, state, or local agencies.
Who coordinates the testing assignments and sample flow?
The Vet LRN Program Office (VPO) within FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine coordinates the flow of work, including assigning sample volumes and timing, in consultation with state and local laboratory authorities.
Is the work only for emergency response, or can it include routine activities?
It can include both. In addition to emergency response work, routine federal or state surveillance assignments may also generate sample testing work.
What workload does FDA consider "optimal" for participating laboratories?
The FOA notes that about 100 samples per laboratory per year would be considered an optimal target workload. This suggests the program aims to keep labs engaged and proficient while preserving capacity for sudden spikes.
What does the program require regarding standardized methods and consistency across laboratories?
A major goal is standardization so results are consistent and comparable across the network. Awardees are expected to implement standardized analytical methods and use common equipment platforms (with equipment provided through the award). The program also emphasizes standardized analytical worksheets and electronic reporting.
Does FDA provide training or proficiency testing?
Yes. The FDA provides training and proficiency testing for each approved method and platform to support consistent implementation across participating laboratories.
What are the quality management expectations for awardees?
Participating laboratories are expected to put in place a basic quality management framework. The FOA describes a minimal quality management approach that builds on each laboratory's existing practices and is refined through consultation between the VPO and the laboratory's management team.
What is the cooperative agreement aspect of this opportunity?
Because it is a cooperative agreement, laboratories may be asked to do targeted, short-term technical work beyond routine testing. The FOA specifically identifies small-scale method development and method validation projects directed by the VPO.
What are "matrix extension" assignments?
Matrix extension assignments generally mean adapting an existing method to a new sample type, such as applying a validated method from one feed ingredient to another, or from one environmental substrate to a different one.
Can these special technical assignments have rapid turnaround expectations?
Yes. The FOA notes these tasks can come with rapid turnaround expectations when tied to an active contamination event or emerging public/animal health concern.
What types of costs is the funding intended to support?
Funding is intended to support the practical costs of being response-ready and interoperable with the network, including supplies, equipment, personnel time, and portions of annual operating and maintenance expenses.
Are participating laboratories expected to have an internal decision-making process?
Yes. The FOA notes each laboratory should develop its own consensus decision-making process, including deciding the size and format of its internal group(s).
Can federal representatives participate in a laboratory's internal groups or meetings?
Federal representatives may be invited as nonmember liaisons or advisors. However, award funds cannot be used to pay for federal employees to travel to or participate in those meetings.
How many awards were anticipated under this FOA?
The FOA anticipated up to 30 awards.
What was the estimated total funding amount and typical award size?
The estimated total funding amount was $500,000. Individual award amounts were generally in the $20,000 to $21,500 range, with an award floor of $20,000 and a ceiling of $21,500.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education; state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments; other tribal organizations; certain eligible federal agencies; and U.S. territory or possession agencies.
Were any specific types of institutions encouraged to apply?
Yes. The FOA highlights that institutions serving historically underrepresented groups in higher education, including HBCUs, HSIs, TCCUs, and Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, were encouraged to apply.
What were the application due dates mentioned for this opportunity?
The record lists multiple application due dates across cycles: July 2, 2012; April 15, 2013; and April 15, 2014. Each was due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
Were resubmissions allowed, and if so, what were the deadlines?
Yes. Resubmission deadlines were listed as October 15 in each year referenced, due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity closed October 15, 2014 and was archived November 14, 2014.
Who was the listed grants management contact for access issues?
The listed grants management contact was Yemisi Akinneye, Grants Management Specialist at FDA: Oluyemisi.Akinneye@fda.hhs.gov, 240-402-7560.
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