Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 10 004
Apply for RFA FD 10 004
- The Food Drug Administration in the agriculture business and commerce consumer protection disaster prevention and relief education employment, labor and training environment food and nutrition health natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Food Safety and Security Monitoring Project (U18), FERN Radiological Health Laboratories" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.448 Food Safety and Security Monitoring Project.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 22, 2010 and posted on Apr 22, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 11, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,250,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This cooperative agreement program is only available to State, Local, and Tribal government FERN laboratories with food regulatory authority to conduct onsite inspections and is authorized by section 312 of the Bioterrorism Act. All grant application projects that are developed at State, local, and tribal levels must have national implications or application that can enhance Federal food safety and security programs. Only registered FERN Radiological laboratories that are currently receiving funding under this cooperative agreement program may apply for these competing continuation awards. Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the PD/PI is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for FDA support.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Food Safety and Security Monitoring Project (U18), FERN Radiological Health Laboratories is an FDA cooperative agreement opportunity run through the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), Division of Federal State Relations (DFSR). Its core purpose is to strengthen the nations ability to test foods for radioactive contamination during emergencies, especially incidents involving radiological terrorism, by building redundancy and surge capacity across the Food Emergency Response Laboratory Network (FERN). In practical terms, FDA is offering support so qualified State, local, and tribal government radiological laboratories can maintain and expand the people, equipment, methods, and facilities needed to rapidly screen and confirm radionuclides in food and food products when federal labs alone would not be able to handle the volume.
The program is designed to complement and upgrade non-federal food safety and security testing programs so they can operate as reliable extensions of national response capability. Funding can be used for laboratory equipment and supplies, personnel support, training in current food testing methodologies, facility upgrades, participation in proficiency testing, analysis of surveillance samples, and collaborative method enhancement work with FDA aimed at expanding analytical capability. A major emphasis is on sustaining an ongoing, dependable capability rather than standing up a one-time project, meaning applicants are expected to show they can produce consistent, high-quality analytical results and remain ready to support response operations over time.
Operationally, awardees may be tasked during a large-scale radiological incident to analyze domestic and imported food samples collected and provided by FDA or other federal agencies working through FDA. The notice highlights a wide range of potential matrices that could require testing, including fresh and packaged fruits and vegetables, juices (both concentrate and diluted), grains and grain products, seafood and other fish products, milk and other dairy products, infant formula and baby foods, bottled water, condiments, and alcoholic beverages. Because emergency response depends heavily on turnaround time, the program signals a preference for completing sample analyses within two weeks of receipt and reporting results back to FERN in the network-specified format and reporting medium. Even shorter timelines may be required for proficiency testing or special assignments, reinforcing that this is a readiness and response-oriented program rather than purely research-driven funding.
Technically, the opportunity centers on two main project areas tied directly to radiological food testing capacity. The first is gamma spectrometry for screening and identifying gamma-emitting radionuclides in foods. The second is beta spectrometry for screening and identifying beta-emitting radionuclides in foods. Applicants are expected to build or strengthen these analytical workflows in a way that improves national preparedness, with demonstrated quality systems and performance verification through proficiency testing being part of how that reliability is established.
A key eligibility condition is that applications must come from State, local, or tribal government FERN laboratories that have food regulatory authority, including the authority to conduct onsite inspections. The announcement also specifies that only registered FERN Radiological laboratories already receiving funding under this cooperative agreement program may apply for these competing continuation awards, which makes this a continuation-focused competition rather than an open entry point for new labs. Even though the projects are built at the State, local, or tribal level, they must have national implications or be broadly applicable in ways that enhance federal food safety and security programs, reflecting the intent that FERN functions as an integrated national system.
Legally and programmatically, the funding is supported under Section 312 of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, and it is listed in CFDA as 93.448. The rationale for the program is tied to post-9/11 food defense priorities and the reality that ORA, while serving as FDAs primary inspection and analysis component with a large national footprint, has finite laboratory throughput in a major emergency. The notice also points out that many State partner labs have limited redundancy and may lack specialized equipment or expertise for radiological screening, which this cooperative agreement is meant to address by building distributed capacity that can be activated quickly.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary cooperative agreement with substantial federal involvement implied by the mechanism and by the coordination requirements with FDA and FERN. The total estimated funding is $1,250,000, with an expected 5 awards and an award ceiling of $250,000. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity (RFA-FD-10-004) was posted April 22, 2010, with a closing date of June 11, 2010. The awarding agency is the Food and Drug Administration, and the contact listed for access issues is Martin Bernard, Contract Specialist, at 301-443-5869 and MARTIN.BERNARD@FDA.HHS.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Food Safety and Security Monitoring Project (U18), FERN Radiological Health Laboratories opportunity?
It is an FDA cooperative agreement opportunity intended to strengthen the nation's ability to test food for radioactive contamination during emergencies. The focus is on building redundancy and surge capacity across the Food Emergency Response Laboratory Network (FERN) so that qualified non-federal radiological laboratories can help analyze food samples when federal laboratory capacity is not enough.
Which FDA office runs this cooperative agreement?
The opportunity is run through the FDA Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), Division of Federal State Relations (DFSR).
What is the primary purpose of this program?
The core purpose is to improve national preparedness for radiological food emergencies, including potential radiological terrorism incidents, by ensuring there are enough capable laboratories (with trained staff, appropriate equipment, validated methods, and facilities) to rapidly screen and confirm radionuclides in food and food products.
How does this program relate to FERN?
The program supports laboratories within the Food Emergency Response Laboratory Network (FERN) so they can operate as reliable extensions of national response capability. The intent is distributed capacity that can be activated quickly and coordinated through FDA/FERN during an incident.
Is this funding aimed at research, or operational readiness?
Based on the notice, it is strongly oriented toward readiness and response operations. It emphasizes sustaining an ongoing, dependable analytical capability rather than standing up a one-time, research-driven project.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applications must come from State, local, or tribal government FERN laboratories that have food regulatory authority, including authority to conduct onsite inspections.
Is this an open competition for new laboratories to join?
No. The announcement specifies that only registered FERN Radiological laboratories already receiving funding under this cooperative agreement program may apply for these competing continuation awards.
What does "competing continuation" mean in this context?
It means this competition is for laboratories that are already funded under this specific cooperative agreement program and are seeking continued funding through a new competitive application, rather than new applicants entering the program for the first time.
What kinds of laboratory capabilities does the project focus on?
The opportunity centers on two main analytical areas: (1) gamma spectrometry for screening and identifying gamma-emitting radionuclides in foods, and (2) beta spectrometry for screening and identifying beta-emitting radionuclides in foods.
What types of food products might awardees be expected to test during an emergency?
The notice lists many possible matrices, including fresh and packaged fruits and vegetables, juices (concentrate and diluted), grains and grain products, seafood and other fish products, milk and other dairy products, infant formula and baby foods, bottled water, condiments, and alcoholic beverages.
What activities can grant funds be used for?
Funding can be used for laboratory equipment and supplies, personnel support, training in current food testing methodologies, facility upgrades, participation in proficiency testing, analysis of surveillance samples, and collaborative method enhancement work with FDA aimed at expanding analytical capability.
Is there an expectation for quality systems and verification?
Yes. The notice emphasizes consistent, high-quality analytical results and indicates that quality systems and performance verification through proficiency testing are part of how reliability is demonstrated.
What role might awardees play during a large-scale radiological incident?
Awardees may be tasked to analyze domestic and imported food samples collected and provided by FDA or other federal agencies working through FDA, supporting the national response when federal labs alone cannot handle the volume.
What turnaround time is preferred for sample analysis?
The program signals a preference for completing sample analyses within two weeks of receipt and reporting results back to FERN in the network-specified format and reporting medium.
Could shorter timelines be required?
Yes. The notice indicates that even shorter timelines may be required for proficiency testing or special assignments, underscoring the program's readiness and response emphasis.
How are results expected to be reported?
Results are expected to be reported back to FERN using the network-specified format and reporting medium.
Do projects need to have national implications even though they are implemented by State, local, or tribal laboratories?
Yes. The announcement notes that while the work is performed at the State, local, or tribal level, projects must have national implications or be broadly applicable in ways that enhance federal food safety and security programs.
What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
It is a discretionary cooperative agreement, which implies substantial federal involvement and coordination requirements with FDA and FERN.
What is the total estimated funding and expected number of awards?
The total estimated funding is $1,250,000, with an expected 5 awards.
What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?
The award ceiling is $250,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The notice states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the opportunity identification number listed?
The opportunity is identified as RFA-FD-10-004.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted on April 22, 2010, and the closing date was June 11, 2010.
What legal authority supports this program?
The funding is supported under Section 312 of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The notice lists the program in CFDA as 93.448.
Why is FDA investing in state, local, and tribal radiological laboratory capacity?
The rationale described is that FDA (through ORA) has finite laboratory throughput during a major emergency, and many State partner labs may lack redundancy, specialized equipment, or expertise for radiological screening. This cooperative agreement is meant to build distributed capacity that can be activated quickly.
Who is the listed contact for access issues?
The notice lists Martin Bernard, Contract Specialist. Phone: 301-443-5869. Email: MARTIN.BERNARD@FDA.HHS.GOV.
Which agency makes the awards?
The awarding agency is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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