Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FSIS FERN 11252008
Apply for USDA FSIS FERN 11252008
- The Food Safety Inspection Service in the agriculture food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FSIS FERN Training Support Cooperative Agreement" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.479 Food Safety Cooperative Agreements.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 25, 2008 and posted on Nov 25, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 9, 2009. (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 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- non governmental organizations (NGOs) and non profit organizations.
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Opportunity Summary:
The FSIS FERN Training Support Cooperative Agreement is a discretionary USDA Food Safety Inspection Service funding opportunity designed to strengthen the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) by expanding and supporting its training program. FERN is a nationwide network of roughly 150 federal, state, and local regulatory laboratories that contribute to food defense and outbreak response by testing for microbiological, chemical, and radiological threat agents. Because laboratories across the network have different testing capabilities and levels of capacity, FERN has relied on targeted cooperative agreements to help labs adopt standardized methods, improve diagnostics, and increase readiness for emergencies involving intentional contamination or large-scale foodborne events.
This particular cooperative agreement focuses specifically on training support rather than directly funding routine laboratory testing or facility expansion. It is intended to augment the existing FERN training program that is conducted by FDA and USDA by increasing the number and reach of training opportunities, including additional sessions delivered with industry vendors through regional and national meetings. In practical terms, the award is meant to help a single cooperator organize and enable more hands-on or equipment-specific training so that partner laboratory personnel can build technical expertise in threat-agent methods used across the network.
Allowable support under this agreement includes purchasing equipment and supplies needed to coordinate and deliver the training workshops and reimbursing certain personnel expenses associated with running the program. The announcement also draws clear boundaries on what the funding will not cover. It does not pay for construction or facility-related costs. It also does not pay for travel or lodging for the participant FERN laboratory attendees who come to the training workshops; those attendee travel costs are expected to be covered by a different funding source. However, the cooperative agreement can cover travel and lodging for the cooperator's immediate staff when that travel is necessary to coordinate and execute the workshops.
The opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means FSIS expects substantial involvement in the project’s implementation, coordination, or oversight compared with a standard grant. Only one award was expected. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The assistance listing (CFDA) tied to the opportunity is 10.479, Food Safety Cooperative Agreements, and the activity category is Agriculture, Food and Nutrition.
Eligibility is limited to non-governmental organizations and non-profit organizations (listed under "Others" with clarification provided in the eligibility information). The funding opportunity number is USDA FSIS FERN 11252008. It was posted on November 25, 2008, with an application closing date of January 9, 2009, and an archive date of February 8, 2009. For questions or difficulty accessing the full announcement, the listed contact was Michael Myers, Staff Officer, at 706-546-3664 (email was referenced but not provided in the text shown).
FAQs: FSIS FERN Training Support Cooperative Agreement (USDA FSIS FERN 11252008)
What is this funding opportunity?
The FSIS FERN Training Support Cooperative Agreement is a discretionary USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) funding opportunity intended to strengthen the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) by expanding and supporting its training program.
What is FERN?
The Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) is a nationwide network of roughly 150 federal, state, and local regulatory laboratories that support food defense and outbreak response by testing for microbiological, chemical, and radiological threat agents.
Why is this cooperative agreement needed?
Laboratories across the FERN network have different testing capabilities and different levels of capacity. FERN has used targeted cooperative agreements to help laboratories adopt standardized methods, improve diagnostics, and increase readiness for emergencies such as intentional contamination or large-scale foodborne events. This particular agreement targets training support to expand the reach and number of training opportunities.
What is the main purpose of this award?
The award is focused on training support. It is meant to augment the existing FERN training program conducted by FDA and USDA by increasing the number and reach of training opportunities, including additional sessions delivered with industry vendors through regional and national meetings.
Does this funding pay for routine laboratory testing or expanding lab facilities?
No. The cooperative agreement is specifically focused on training support and is not intended to directly fund routine laboratory testing or facility expansion.
Who is expected to carry out the project?
The announcement indicates the award is meant to support a single cooperator who can organize and enable more hands-on or equipment-specific training so that partner laboratory personnel can build technical expertise in threat-agent methods used across the network.
What types of training does the award aim to support?
The award aims to increase training opportunities, including hands-on and equipment-specific training sessions, and additional training delivered with industry vendors through regional and national meetings.
What costs are allowable under this cooperative agreement?
Allowable support includes purchasing equipment and supplies needed to coordinate and deliver training workshops, and reimbursing certain personnel expenses associated with running the training program.
What costs are not covered by this award?
The funding does not cover construction or facility-related costs. It also does not cover travel or lodging for participant FERN laboratory attendees who travel to training workshops.
Are attendee travel and lodging costs allowable?
No. Travel and lodging for participant FERN laboratory attendees are not paid by this cooperative agreement and are expected to be covered by a different funding source.
Can the cooperator use funds for its own staff travel?
Yes. The cooperative agreement can cover travel and lodging for the cooperator's immediate staff when that travel is necessary to coordinate and execute the workshops.
What kind of award mechanism is this?
This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means FSIS expects substantial involvement in the project implementation, coordination, or oversight compared with a standard grant.
How many awards were expected?
Only one award was expected under this opportunity.
Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA) is 10.479, Food Safety Cooperative Agreements.
What activity category does this opportunity fall under?
The activity category is Agriculture, Food and Nutrition.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to non-governmental organizations and non-profit organizations (listed under "Others" with clarification provided in the eligibility information).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA FSIS FERN 11252008.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on November 25, 2008. The application closing date was January 9, 2009.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date was February 8, 2009.
Who can be contacted for questions or trouble accessing the full announcement?
The listed contact was Michael Myers, Staff Officer, at 706-546-3664. The announcement referenced an email address, but the email was not provided in the text shown.
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