Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FSIS 03102015
Apply for USDA FSIS 03102015
- The Food Safety Inspection Service in the agriculture food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FSIS FERN Cooperative Agreements" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 10, 2015 and posted on Mar 10, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 20, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- State, local and tribal FERN member labs
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Opportunity Summary:
The FSIS FERN Cooperative Agreements opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA FSIS 03102015) is a discretionary USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service program designed to strengthen the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN). FERN is a nationwide network of regulatory laboratories across federal, state, local, and tribal governments, and those labs do not all have the same level of readiness or capacity to test for threat agents in food. Through this grant, FSIS aims to bolster laboratory preparedness and consistency so that participating labs can respond faster and more effectively to food defense incidents and outbreak investigations, especially when unusual or high-consequence contaminants are suspected.
FSIS planned to make up to 20 cooperative agreement awards to eligible state, local, and tribal laboratories that are already FERN members. The purpose is to expand and sustain the ability to detect and analyze microbiological, chemical, and radiological threat agents using validated FERN methods and other appropriate analytical approaches. In practical terms, the program is about building real operational capability: ensuring labs can run specific threat-agent methods, maintain readiness, and surge during emergencies. This supports national food defense assignments as well as incident response when contamination is intentional or when a severe outbreak requires specialized testing.
The agreements were structured on a one-year funding cycle, but FSIS indicated an intent to renew successful participants non-competitively for up to a total of five years, assuming the agency continues to fund the program and the laboratory continues to perform well. That multi-year expectation is important because threat-agent testing readiness is not a one-time purchase; it requires continued training, quality assurance, method proficiency, consumable supplies, maintenance, and staffing support to keep capability current and dependable.
Funding could be used for several core categories tied directly to readiness and testing operations. Allowable support included threat-agent method training, the supplies and materials required to run the selected methods, potential purchase of equipment needed to perform those methods, and reimbursement of personnel expenses tied to the program work. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement stated, which lowers the barrier for public labs that may have limited discretionary budgets but still need to maintain emergency response capacity.
Selection for these cooperative agreements was described as highly competitive. FSIS planned to base both award decisions and funding levels on the content and strength of each laboratorys proposal, the labs past performance in the program when applicable, and additional operational considerations such as geographic coverage, current testing capability, surge capacity, and laboratory accreditation status. In other words, FSIS was not only looking for labs that can do the work technically, but also for a portfolio of labs that strengthens national coverage and reliability across regions.
A notable feature of this specific cycle was a tiered approach to funding. FSIS signaled a shift from prior years by increasing funding for laboratories that meet the highest qualifications (Level 1 or primary labs), while providing lower levels of support to additional laboratories categorized as Level 2 or surge labs. The goal appears to be maintaining a strong set of top-tier laboratories that can serve as primary responders and anchors for capability, while also keeping a broader group of surge laboratories equipped and trained enough to expand testing volume during major events. Applicants were instructed to tailor their applications to the funding level that matched their laboratories qualifications under this Level 1 versus Level 2 structure.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted March 10, 2015, with an application deadline of April 20, 2015, and an archive date of May 20, 2015. The activity area was listed under Agriculture, Food and Nutrition, and the funding instrument type was a cooperative agreement, meaning FSIS expected substantial involvement or partnership in the work rather than a hands-off grant relationship. For access issues related to the full announcement, the listed program contact was Marcus Head, Staff Officer, reachable by phone at 706-546-2336.
FSIS FERN Cooperative Agreements (USDA FSIS 03102015) - FAQs
1) What is the FSIS FERN Cooperative Agreements opportunity?
It is a discretionary funding opportunity from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) intended to strengthen the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) by improving laboratory preparedness and consistency for food defense incidents and outbreak investigations.
2) What is FERN?
FERN is a nationwide network of regulatory laboratories across federal, state, local, and tribal governments. The network exists to support food emergency response and specialized testing needs, including situations involving unusual or high-consequence contaminants.
3) Why is FSIS offering this funding?
FERN laboratories do not all have the same readiness or capacity to test for threat agents in food. FSIS designed this program to bolster preparedness and consistency across participating labs so they can respond faster and more effectively during food defense incidents and outbreak investigations.
4) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants were state, local, and tribal laboratories that are already members of FERN.
5) How many awards did FSIS plan to make?
FSIS planned to make up to 20 cooperative agreement awards.
6) What is the main purpose of the cooperative agreements?
The purpose is to expand and sustain the ability of participating FERN member laboratories to detect and analyze microbiological, chemical, and radiological threat agents using validated FERN methods and other appropriate analytical approaches.
7) What types of incidents does this program support?
The program supports national food defense assignments and incident response activities, including intentional contamination situations and severe outbreaks where specialized testing is needed, particularly when unusual or high-consequence contaminants are suspected.
8) What can grant funds be used for?
Allowable uses described include threat-agent method training, supplies and materials needed to run selected methods, potential purchase of equipment needed to perform those methods, and reimbursement of personnel expenses tied to program work.
9) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement was stated in the provided opportunity description.
10) What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type was a cooperative agreement.
11) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
It means FSIS expected substantial involvement or partnership in the work rather than a hands-off grant relationship.
12) How long is the funding period?
The agreements were structured on a one-year funding cycle.
13) Can the cooperative agreement be renewed?
FSIS indicated an intent to renew successful participants non-competitively for up to a total of five years, assuming the agency continues to fund the program and the laboratory continues to perform well.
14) Why does FSIS emphasize multi-year participation?
The opportunity notes that threat-agent testing readiness is not a one-time purchase. It requires continued training, quality assurance, method proficiency, consumable supplies, maintenance, and staffing support to keep capability current and dependable.
15) How competitive is the selection process?
Selection was described as highly competitive.
16) What factors were expected to influence award decisions and funding levels?
FSIS planned to base award decisions and funding levels on the content and strength of each laboratory's proposal, past performance in the program when applicable, and operational considerations such as geographic coverage, current testing capability, surge capacity, and laboratory accreditation status.
17) Does FSIS consider national coverage and regional balance?
Yes. The opportunity description indicates FSIS considered operational factors like geographic coverage to strengthen national coverage and reliability across regions.
18) What is the tiered (Level 1 vs Level 2) funding approach mentioned for this cycle?
FSIS signaled a shift from prior years by increasing funding for laboratories that meet the highest qualifications (Level 1 or primary labs), while providing lower levels of support to laboratories categorized as Level 2 or surge labs.
19) What is the goal of funding Level 1 and Level 2 labs differently?
The goal described is to maintain a strong set of top-tier laboratories that can serve as primary responders and anchors for capability, while also keeping a broader group of surge laboratories equipped and trained enough to expand testing volume during major events.
20) How were applicants expected to address the Level 1 vs Level 2 structure?
Applicants were instructed to tailor their applications to the funding level that matched their laboratory's qualifications under the Level 1 versus Level 2 structure.
21) What is the funding opportunity number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA FSIS 03102015.
22) When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on March 10, 2015.
23) What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was April 20, 2015.
24) When was the archive date?
The archive date was May 20, 2015.
25) What activity area was associated with this opportunity?
The activity area was listed under Agriculture, Food and Nutrition.
26) Who was the program contact for access issues related to the full announcement?
The listed program contact was Marcus Head, Staff Officer.
27) What contact information was provided for the program contact?
Marcus Head could be reached by phone at 706-546-2336.
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