If this cooperative agreement is awarded, the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC)
will strive to maintain its status of full implementation of all ten Manufactured Food Regulatory Program
Standards (MFRPS) and, in collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA), will
develop and maintain a Rapid Response Team (RRT). These overarching, broad objectives are essential for the
realization of DHEC’s visions: utilizing standardized approaches for food industry regulation, protecting public
health, and securing the safety of South Carolina’s food supply.
DHEC has achieved full implementation of all ten MFRPS and the prior deficiency hindering conformance
with Standard 6 has been corrected. During this cooperative agreement, DHEC will be completing maintenance
tasks for each standard. These routine tasks will include, but are not limited to, self-assessments, protocol
revisions, continuing education, monitoring inspections and audits, identifying chronic violations and violators,
and attending outreach activity events. All identified gaps in conformance will be swiftly addressed.
DHEC and SCDA will collaborate with the Food and Drug Administration Atlanta District Office, South
Carolina Meat-Poultry Inspection Department, and SC Emergency Management Division to build a multi-
agency, multi-disciplinary team to respond to human and animal food (HAF) incidents. DHEC and SCDA RRT
Coordinators will work together to convene a workgroup of key personnel from both agencies and complete an
initial capability assessment using a Capability Assessment Tool (CAT). Shortcomings identified in the CAT will
be addressed and a strategic plan will be developed for both agencies.
SC RRT Coordinators will use relevant concepts from the RRT Best Practices Manual to build RRT capacity
and framework for developing response capability. Monthly in-person meetings between the DHEC and SCDA
RRT Coordinators and quarterly meetings with key agency personnel will ensure that collaboration and
communication between the agencies occurs throughout the year, as opposed to only in response to HAF
incidents and outbreaks. Beginning in Year 2 of the cooperative agreement, SC RRT will conduct at least one
annual exercise to assess the capability of the RRT partners in response to a HAF incident using Incident
Command System (ICS) principles, including timely notification to the FDA and other state partners and
implementation of effective control measures. An after action report (AAR) will be used to identify policies and
procedures that require improvement. Key personnel from each agency will enhance their knowledge and skills
by completing FDA ORAU courses, developing proficiency in environmental sampling and traceback
procedures, and attending relevant meetings and workshops. During the maintenance phase, funding for key
personnel will be transitioned from full-grant to partial-grant through supplementation of state funds and/or
alternate funding source(s); this funding transition promotes sustainability of the SC RRT for DHEC and SCDA.
