Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 13 038
Apply for RFA FD 13 038
- The Food Drug Administration in the consumer protection education food and nutrition health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development, Implementation, and Management of a Funding System to Advance Conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS) (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 20, 2013 and posted on Jun 20, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 19, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $600,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $600,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This opportunity is only available to the following nonprofit organizations/associations National organization/associations whose membership includes, but is not necessarily limited to, State, local, territorial, and/or tribal retail food safety regulators. Competition is limited to these national organizations/associations for the following reasons 1. National organizations/associations with membership that includes, but is not necessarily limited to, State, local, territorial, and/or tribal retail food regulatory jurisdictions will have the relationships and communication systems to effectively promote the funding opportunities being made available under this cooperative agreement. This cooperative agreement is a new method for distributing funds of 25,000 or less to retail food regulatory programs for advancement of the VNRFRPS. Therefore, a strong communications platform to both educate potential applicants and receive feedback will be critical to the success of this project. 2. These national organizations/associations have a vested interest and share FDA s visions to advance the VNRFRPS and improve public health outcomes. They are also knowledgeable of the VNRFRPS and the requirements to achieve conformance. These national organizations can best collaborate with FDA as the funding management system is developed, such as identifying the criteria for selecting subawardees and monitoring project progress. 3. These national organizations/associations can provide a platform for sharing and national implementation of the projects pursued by the subawardees through national and regional meetings, web site, listervs, and other communications to retail food regulatory programs. Most national associations/organizations also have committees that may further advance the projects pursued by the subawardees.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity, RFA FD 13 038, is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cooperative agreement designed to create and run a national pass-through funding system that helps retail food regulatory programs strengthen their alignment with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS), also called the Retail Program Standards. Rather than funding individual state or local agencies directly through this award, FDA’s approach here is to fund one national association or organization that will build the process, rules, and day-to-day operations needed to subaward smaller grants to state, local, territorial, and tribal retail food safety jurisdictions. The practical end goal is long-term, measurable improvement in retail food safety program quality and consistency across the country, supported by targeted projects and training activities that move jurisdictions closer to meeting the VNRFRPS.
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U18), meaning FDA expects to have substantial involvement in the project beyond simply providing funds. In effect, the selected national organization would work closely with FDA to set up the funding system, promote the opportunity to eligible retail food regulatory programs, establish transparent criteria for selecting subawardees, and monitor the progress and outcomes of funded projects. The FOA highlights that this is intended to be a structured, repeatable way to distribute smaller amounts of support, described as awards of $25,000 or less, to many jurisdictions for practical improvements tied to the Retail Program Standards. These improvements could include discrete capacity-building projects, workforce development, training, documentation upgrades, self-assessment activities, or other efforts that directly support progress toward conformance with the standards.
The total estimated funding for this opportunity is $600,000, with an award ceiling of $600,000, and FDA anticipated making one award. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated. The opportunity was posted on June 20, 2013, with an original and final closing date of July 19, 2013, and an archive date of August 18, 2013. The listing references CFDA number 93.103 (FDA), and categorizes the activity broadly under consumer protection, education, food and nutrition, and health, reflecting the public health purpose of improving retail food safety regulatory systems.
Eligibility is intentionally narrow. Applicants must be nonprofit organizations or associations at the national level whose membership includes, though is not limited to, state, local, territorial, and/or tribal retail food safety regulators. Both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits are listed as eligible, and the FOA also notes “Others†with clarification in the full announcement, but the core restriction is that competition is limited to national associations/organizations with the right membership base and infrastructure. FDA gives three main reasons for this limitation. First, these national organizations already have established relationships and communication channels (for example, member networks, mailing lists, conferences, and committees) that can quickly and effectively publicize the subaward opportunities, explain expectations, and gather feedback from applicants and funded jurisdictions. Second, they tend to already understand the VNRFRPS framework and what it takes for programs to demonstrate conformance, putting them in a strong position to collaborate with FDA on designing selection criteria and oversight methods that are practical and aligned with the standards. Third, national associations can amplify the impact of the subawards by sharing results, tools, and best practices across jurisdictions through meetings, websites, listservs, and other mechanisms, helping successful approaches spread beyond the programs that directly receive funds.
In terms of what the funded national organization would actually do, the FOA centers on “development, implementation, and management†of the subaward system. That typically implies creating application materials and guidance for local and state programs, establishing a fair review and selection process, issuing and administering subawards, ensuring basic grants management controls are in place, and tracking project deliverables and outcomes so FDA and the broader retail food safety community can see what was achieved. Because the purpose is to advance conformance with the Retail Program Standards, the subawards would be expected to support concrete steps that help jurisdictions improve program elements covered by the VNRFRPS, with an emphasis on capacity building that lasts beyond the life of a single small project.
For applicants or stakeholders who needed more information at the time, FDA provided a grants management contact: Daniel Lukash, Grants Management Specialist, at 301-827-6771 or daniel.lukash@fda.hhs.gov, along with a link to the full announcement for additional details such as specific submission requirements, review criteria, and reporting expectations. Overall, this FOA is best understood as an infrastructure-and-dissemination grant: FDA funds one capable national organization to operate a small-grants program that, in turn, helps many retail food regulatory programs make practical improvements that move them toward stronger, more consistent conformance with the VNRFRPS.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is RFA FD 13 038?
RFA FD 13 038 is an FDA funding opportunity for a cooperative agreement (U18) to create and operate a national pass-through funding system. The system is intended to provide small subawards that help retail food regulatory programs improve and align with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS), also called the Retail Program Standards.
What is the main purpose of this cooperative agreement?
The purpose is to build a structured, repeatable way to distribute small amounts of support (generally $25,000 or less per subaward) to many state, local, territorial, and tribal retail food safety jurisdictions. The end goal is long-term, measurable improvement in retail food safety program quality and consistency nationwide, driven by projects and training tied to progress toward VNRFRPS conformance.
Who is FDA planning to fund through this award?
FDA anticipated making one award to a single national association or organization. That organization would then design and manage the process to issue subawards to eligible retail food regulatory programs (jurisdictions) around the country.
Does this funding opportunity directly fund state or local agencies?
No. FDA’s approach in this opportunity is to fund one national organization that will run the pass-through program. The national awardee would then subaward smaller grants to state, local, territorial, and tribal retail food safety jurisdictions.
What is meant by a "pass-through funding system" in this FOA?
It refers to a national small-grants program operated by the selected organization. The awardee would build the rules, application materials, selection criteria, administration processes, and day-to-day operations needed to award and monitor many smaller subgrants to jurisdictions working toward the Retail Program Standards.
What is the award mechanism and what does it imply?
The mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U18). This means FDA expects substantial involvement in the project, beyond providing funds. The national awardee would work closely with FDA to set up and operate the subaward program, including promotion, selection processes, and monitoring of results.
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The total estimated funding is $600,000, and the award ceiling is $600,000. FDA anticipated making one award.
Are there expected subaward sizes mentioned in the FOA?
Yes. The FOA describes subawards as smaller awards of $25,000 or less, distributed to many jurisdictions for practical improvements aligned with the Retail Program Standards.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is stated in the information provided.
Who is eligible to apply for the main (national) award?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations or associations at the national level whose membership includes (though is not limited to) state, local, territorial, and/or tribal retail food safety regulators. Both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) nonprofits are listed as eligible. The FOA also references "Others" with clarification in the full announcement, but the competition is described as limited to national associations/organizations with the relevant membership base and infrastructure.
Why is eligibility limited to national associations or organizations?
The FOA gives three main reasons: (1) national organizations already have established communication channels to quickly publicize subaward opportunities and gather feedback; (2) they often understand the VNRFRPS framework and can help design practical, standards-aligned selection criteria and oversight methods in collaboration with FDA; and (3) they can amplify impact by sharing results, tools, and best practices broadly across jurisdictions.
What kinds of activities could subawards support?
Subawards are intended to support practical improvements tied to the Retail Program Standards. Examples listed or implied include capacity-building projects, workforce development, training, documentation upgrades, self-assessment activities, and other efforts that directly help jurisdictions move toward conformance with the VNRFRPS.
What does the national awardee need to do under this FOA?
The FOA centers on "development, implementation, and management" of the subaward system. This typically includes creating application materials and guidance, setting a fair review and selection process, issuing and administering subawards, ensuring basic grants management controls, and tracking deliverables and outcomes so FDA and the retail food safety community can see what was achieved.
What does "alignment with the VNRFRPS" mean in this context?
In this FOA, alignment refers to supporting concrete steps that help retail food regulatory programs improve program elements covered by the VNRFRPS, with the aim of moving jurisdictions closer to demonstrating conformance with the standards.
What is the practical end goal of the funded work?
The practical end goal is long-term, measurable improvement in the quality and consistency of retail food safety regulatory programs across the country, supported by targeted projects and training activities that advance conformance with the Retail Program Standards.
How many awards did FDA anticipate making?
FDA anticipated making one award (to one national organization) for this cooperative agreement.
When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted on June 20, 2013. The original and final closing date was July 19, 2013. The archive date was August 18, 2013.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The listing references CFDA number 93.103 (FDA).
How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized broadly under consumer protection, education, food and nutrition, and health, reflecting a public health focus on improving retail food safety regulatory systems.
Who is the FDA contact for grants management questions (as listed in the FOA)?
Daniel Lukash, Grants Management Specialist, at 301-827-6771 or daniel.lukash@fda.hhs.gov.
Where could applicants find additional details that are not summarized here?
The FOA references a link to the full announcement for additional details such as specific submission requirements, review criteria, and reporting expectations.
How should this FOA be understood at a high level?
It is best described as an infrastructure-and-dissemination grant: FDA funds one capable national organization to operate a small-grants program that helps many retail food regulatory programs make practical improvements that move them toward stronger, more consistent conformance with the VNRFRPS.
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