Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 12 013

  • The Food Drug Administration in the consumer protection food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Food Protection Rapid Response Teams (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 13, 2012 and posted on May 3, 2012.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 6, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: State governments.
Apply for RFA FD 12 013

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Opportunity Summary:

The Food Protection Rapid Response Teams (U18) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-FD-12-013) is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cooperative agreement program designed to help state governments strengthen how they prepare for and respond to food emergencies. The central idea is to build, put into practice, and keep in place an "all-hazards" Rapid Response Team (RRT) approach within the broader national integrated food safety system. In practical terms, this means helping states develop a ready-to-activate team and structure that can respond quickly and consistently to foodborne illness outbreaks and other food and feed-related incidents, while coordinating smoothly with federal partners and neighboring agencies.

The purpose of these cooperative agreements is not just to fund one-off responses, but to support lasting program improvements. The FDA is looking for states to use the RRT concept to improve outbreak readiness and response operations, document actions and outcomes in a transparent way, and identify preventive practices that could reduce future incidents. A key emphasis is on strengthening both intra-agency collaboration (coordination within a state across divisions that handle food, feed, epidemiology, laboratories, and emergency management) and interagency collaboration (working effectively with other state agencies, local partners, and federal entities). By encouraging consistent use of nationally shared best practices and tools, the program aims to make multi-agency responses faster, more organized, and more effective, while also helping states align with the national approach to food protection.

Because this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, recipients should expect substantial involvement and coordination with the FDA. The FOA highlights that success will require extensive cooperation with critical state agencies, FDA District Offices, and other FDA program offices. It also stresses leveraging resources and harmonizing efforts with related initiatives, including work led by federal partners such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as national associations and state and local partners. The intent is to avoid fragmented response systems and instead build interoperable, mutually reinforcing capabilities across jurisdictions and agencies.

Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity in the Consumer Protection / Food and Nutrition activity category, managed by the FDA under CFDA number 93.103. Eligible applicants were limited to state governments, and the competition was described as limited, indicating that only certain applicants or a defined pool of states could apply under the terms of the announcement. The FOA anticipated multiple awards (source data lists expected awards as 10, while the narrative notes availability of up to five cooperative agreements under limited competition), with an estimated total funding amount of $3,000,000 and an award ceiling of $300,000 per award; no cost sharing or matching was required. The opportunity was posted May 3, 2012, with a closing date of July 6, 2012, and an archive date of August 5, 2012.

For applicants or stakeholders who needed the full announcement or had trouble accessing it electronically, the listed grants management contact was Lisa Ko at lisa.ko@fda.hhs.gov, and the FOA referenced an additional information link to the full announcement (RFA-FD-12-013) and the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts listing.

Food Protection Rapid Response Teams (U18) (RFA-FD-12-013) - FAQs

What is the Food Protection Rapid Response Teams (U18) opportunity?

It is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cooperative agreement program intended to help state governments strengthen preparedness for, and response to, food emergencies by building and sustaining an all-hazards Rapid Response Team (RRT) approach within the national integrated food safety system.

What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The main goal is to support lasting improvements in how states prepare for and respond to foodborne illness outbreaks and other food and feed-related incidents, using a ready-to-activate RRT structure that can coordinate smoothly with federal partners and neighboring agencies.

What does "all-hazards" mean in the context of a Rapid Response Team (RRT)?

In this context, "all-hazards" refers to a team approach designed to respond quickly and consistently to a range of food protection incidents, including foodborne illness outbreaks and other food and feed-related emergencies, rather than focusing on a single type of event.

Who was eligible to apply for this opportunity?

Eligible applicants were limited to state governments.

Was this a standard grant or a cooperative agreement?

This was a cooperative agreement, meaning recipients should expect substantial involvement and coordination with the FDA as part of the award.

What does "substantial involvement" by the FDA imply for awardees?

The funding announcement emphasized that success would require extensive cooperation with key state agencies, FDA District Offices, and other FDA program offices, along with coordination and harmonization with related initiatives and partners.

What kinds of activities was the program trying to strengthen within a state?

The program emphasized strengthening outbreak readiness and response operations, putting the RRT concept into practice, documenting actions and outcomes transparently, and identifying preventive practices that could reduce future incidents.

What is meant by "lasting program improvements" in this FOA?

The FOA indicated the intent was not to fund one-off responses only, but to support improvements that can be built, implemented, and maintained over time as part of a durable state capability.

What types of incidents was the RRT approach intended to address?

The RRT approach was intended to support rapid and consistent responses to foodborne illness outbreaks and other food and feed-related incidents.

How did the FOA describe the importance of coordination inside a state government?

It placed a key emphasis on intra-agency collaboration, meaning coordination across state divisions involved in food, feed, epidemiology, laboratories, and emergency management.

How did the FOA describe the importance of coordination with outside partners?

It emphasized interagency collaboration, including working effectively with other state agencies, local partners, federal entities, and neighboring agencies to support faster and more organized multi-agency responses.

Why did the FOA emphasize using nationally shared best practices and tools?

The FOA aimed to encourage consistent use of nationally shared best practices and tools so that multi-agency responses can be faster, more organized, more effective, and better aligned with the national approach to food protection.

How was this opportunity categorized administratively?

It was a discretionary funding opportunity in the Consumer Protection / Food and Nutrition activity category, managed by the FDA under CFDA number 93.103.

What was the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number was RFA-FD-12-013.

Was the competition open to all applicants?

No. The competition was described as limited, indicating that only certain applicants or a defined pool of states could apply under the terms of the announcement.

How many awards were expected?

The source data listed expected awards as 10, while the narrative noted availability of up to five cooperative agreements under limited competition.

How much total funding was estimated for the program?

The estimated total funding amount was $3,000,000.

What was the maximum award amount per recipient?

The award ceiling was $300,000 per award.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching was required.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on May 3, 2012.

What was the application closing date?

The closing date was July 6, 2012.

When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date was August 5, 2012.

Who was the listed grants management contact for help accessing the announcement?

The listed grants management contact was Lisa Ko, reachable at lisa.ko@fda.hhs.gov.

Where could applicants find the full announcement?

The FOA referenced an additional information link to the full announcement (RFA-FD-12-013) and noted it was also listed in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts.

What was the program trying to avoid by encouraging harmonization with related initiatives?

The FOA stated an intent to avoid fragmented response systems and instead build interoperable, mutually reinforcing capabilities across jurisdictions and agencies, including leveraging resources and aligning with related efforts such as those led by federal partners like the CDC.

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