Sunday, November 24, 2024
11/24/2024
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is seeking funding from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under RFA-FD-20-012 to develop strategies to achieve and maintain conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS). The amount of funding requested is $70,000. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), Office of Partnerships (OP) is announcing the availability of cooperative agreements to be awarded under Limited Competition. This opportunity is only available to State, local, territorial, or tribal retail food regulatory programs with primary regulatory responsibility for retail food establishments that are currently enrolled in the VNRFRPS and have completed a current self- assessment against the Retail Program Standards as required by Standard 9. The VDACS Office of Dairy & Foods, Food Safety Program meets all requirements to be eligible for this funding. The program serves as one of the state’s primary retail food regulatory programs and is currently enrolled in the VNRFRPS. The program’s last self-assessment against the Retail Program Standards as required by Standard 9 was completed on August 23, 2016. The Program has had verification audits showing the following Standards are met: Standard 2 – Trained Regulatory Staff, 3 – Inspection Program Based on HACCP Principles, Standard 5 –Foodborne Illness and Food Defense Preparedness and Response and Standard 7 – Industry and Community Relations. Funding provided by the RFA will be utilized to continue the program’s conformance with the VNRFRPS by implementing procedures that promote active managerial control of the risk factors most commonly associated with foodborne illness in food establishments. Specifically, the funding will be used to pay for time for the Regional Manager, Food Technical Specialist, and one Food Safety Specialist to meet the deliverables of the grant; for travel costs for all Food Safety Program staff to attend a retail food training; for travel costs associated with training of new hires; for printing copies of the updated regulations; and for printing and mailing a newsletter outlining the changes in the regulations. This would continue the Program’s progress with meeting Standard 1 – Regulatory Foundation, Standard 4 – Uniform Inspection Program, and Standard 6 - Compliance and Enforcement. It would also allow the Program to continue to maintain conformance with Standard 2 – Trained Regulatory Staff, Standard 3 – Inspection Program Based on HACCP Principles, and Standard 7 – Industry and Community Relations.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
