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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), Office of Partnerships (OP) is pleased to announce the posting of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Food Protection Task Force Conference (R13) Grant. This grant program is intended to encourage the development of a Task Force within each State and to provide funding for Task Force meetings. Conference grant funding is available to State, local, and tribal agencies that have an existing Food Safety and Food Defense Task Force, as well as to State agencies that are in the process of developing a new Food Protection Task Force. State Food Protection Task Force meetings should foster communication and cooperation among State, local, and tribal public health and food safety agencies and other interested parties.

Approximately 15 awards up to $10,000 per award will be made in FY 2013, but application budgets should reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. The awardee may receive up to five years of funding based on performance and availability of funds.

Grants are available in States and territories that have an existing Food Protection Task Force, as well as those that are in the process of developing a new Food Protection Task Force. Due to the nature of this program and the fact that it is designed to foster communications among State, local, tribal, and territorial food protection, public health, agriculture, and regulatory agencies, this FOA is not being extended to other entities. The Task Force must include representatives from government agencies such as health or agriculture departments with the authority to develop and implement food protection measures within their State.

Individuals selected by State/local/territory/tribal governments may serve as Principal Investigator and may work with their Institution to apply for support under this FOA. Only one grant under this FOA will be awarded per State. States are urged to collaborate between agencies to submit a single application.

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date): May 1, 2013
Letter of Intent Due Date: Not applicable
Application Due Date: July 1, 2013

For additional information please review the full announcement at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-13-200.html

FDA/ORA/Office of Partnerships
Ph: 301.796.5390
Fax: 301.827.3558
Email: OP-ORA@fda.hhs.gov

Agriculture Secretary Visits San Diego Summer Meals Site; Calls on Communities to Help Ensure Children Have Access to Healthy Food Year Round

FTC

FTC

As the immediate past recipient of the Harvey W. Wiley Award, it is with great pleasure that I serve as Chair of the 2013 AFDO Harvey W. Wiley Award Selection Committee.

The Harvey W. Wiley Award is presented annually to a regulatory or honorary AFDO member for exceptional service in the performance of duties and responsibilities in the administration and enforcement of food, drug, product safety and other consumer protection laws, and who demonstrates promotion of the objectives of the Association of Food and Drug Officials.

At this time, I am kindly requesting your assistance in seeking nominations of outstanding regulatory and honorary AFDO members for this prestigious award, which will be presented at the AFDO Conference during the Wiley Awards Banquet on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky.  Along with the nomination, I am requesting a brief resume of the nominee, his/her accomplishments, and his/her contributions to AFDO and his/her Affiliate.

Please send your nomination(s) directly to me via email or mail by February 15, 2013

    E-mail:     jerry.wojtala@ifpti.org
    Mail:        IFPTI

                   49 West Michigan Avenue Ste. 300

                   Battle Creek, Michigan 49017                   

Thank you for taking time to participate by submitting your nomination to honor one of our well-deserving members.

Sincerely,
Jerry Wojtala

WHAT:  Food Related Emergency Exercise Bundle (FREE-B) Request for Proposals (RFP)

WHO:    Jason Bashura, FDA / CFSAN / Food Defense and Emergency Coordination Staff

WHEN:   RFP Closing date is March 15, 2013

HOW:  The FDA today is announcing that, through a contract with the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), we are issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to provide interested State, Local, Tribal or Territorial-based entities with strategic guidance and limited financial support (up to $4,000) to conduct one of the FREE-B exercises.  

To access the link to the RFP, please go to www.fda.gov/FoodDefense, and click on the link to the RFP located in the “Resources For You” box on the left hand side of the page, titled “RFP: FREE-B – NEW.”

Released in July, 2011 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the FREE-B is a set of five tabletop exercise scenarios, available online, based on both intentional and unintentional food contamination events. FREE-B is designed with the intention of assisting stakeholders in assessing existing food emergency response plans, protocols, and procedures, or to assist in the revision or development of a food emergency response plan. 

Once the request for proposals period has closed a review panel will perform a thorough analysis of the submissions received and make a recommendation to the FDA for granting funding requests. This recommendation will be determined based on the criteria identified in the RFP and the scenario requested. The Food Defense Oversight Team will review and approve the final list of awardees. All of the entities submitting a response to the RFP will be notified of a decision by March 31, 2013.

If you need additional information or have questions, please feel free to contact the Food Defense  team @ FoodDefense@fda.hhs.gov  - we look forward to receiving the proposals and appreciate your ongoing support of FDA and its mission. 

Sincerely,

Jason P. Bashura, MPH, RS

Senior Food Defense Analyst

FDA / CFSAN / Food Defense and Emergency Coordination Staff

5100 Paint Branch Parkway

College Park, MD 20740

FoodDefense@fda.hhs.gov

Documenting Sample Source When Collecting Samples for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia Coli (STEC) Verification Testing

Who: The International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) under a cooperative agreement with the FDA is offering an instructor development workshop for state regulatory trainers.

What: This workshop primarily serves to give insight into adult learning theory and to improve the instructional skills and styles of experienced instructors. The workshop focuses on best teaching and training practices and enhances understanding of instructional competencies set by the International Board for Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (IBSTPI). Emphasis is placed on the active, learner-centered style of delivery and student experience. The workshop includes problem-based training and concentrates on providing performance, technical and higher-level skills instruction. Workshop participants should be prepared to deliver two short presentations in small group settings: One 10-minute and one 15-minute presentation chosen from IFPTI’s standardized course curriculum.

Why: FDA/DHRD has provided IFPTI with funding to train state trainers.  The goal of this training is to promote quality instruction and build instructor capacity for the integrated food safety system. This is a prerequisite to teach other courses in the national food protection curriculum. 

Cost: Registration fee is waived for government officials.  All travel-related expenses will be reimbursed for workshop participants according to IFPTI’s travel policies.  

Duration:  2 1/2 day Workshop

When:  Select either January 9-11 or March 13-15, 2013.

Where: IFPTI training facilities - Battle Creek, Michigan. 

Reply:  Please submit your trainer candidates’ names, email addresses, phone number, and preferred workshop date to instructor.development@IFPTI.org by November 30, 2012. Acceptance of participants will be made by IFPTI’s selection committee. If selected, your trainers will be notified with an invitation to attend the workshop and additional information with be provided.

Target Audience: State regulatory food/feed protection trainers or local agency trainers, who are used statewide by the state agency.

Course Objectives: At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

·         Identify and discuss what enhances or detracts from the adult learning process.

·         Discuss the meaning and application of several instructional terms and concepts.

·         Summarize the characteristics of ineffective and effective instructors.

·         Employ instructor assessment criteria when assessing workshop presentations.

·         Discuss specific presentation skills and techniques in detail.

·         Apply questioning techniques effectively.

·         Reflect upon and improve instructional methods and styles based on feedback and assessments from the exercise.

·         Identify and discuss different instructional methods.

·         Anticipate and/or respond effectively to challenging classroom situations associated with the instructor, the participant, and the learning environment.

·         Recognize and respond appropriately to challenges to the professional image of themselves and their organization.

·         Reflect upon and improve instructional method and style based on feedback and assessment from this exercise.

Prerequisites: IFPTI recommends that participants have prior instructional and training experience and a general knowledge of instructional methodology.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,  Jerry

NTP