Conformance With The Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards

FDA Conformance with MFRPS Cooperative Agreement (U18) PAR-13-164Proposal AbstractThe Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) seeks funding from the U.S. Food andDrug Administration (FDA) under PAR-13-164. The funding level requested is for $300,000 for afive year period. The title of our proposal is:Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards by The Washington State Department of Agriculture.If awarded, WSDA will assign a project Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standard(MFRPS) Coordinator and other project staff to continue with the agency's efforts in protectingpublic health and improving our capability and capacity to achieve significant to full conformancewith all ten Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards.WSDA originally enrolled in the MFRPS through the FDA State Food Contract elective option andthen as part of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) Cooperative Agreement. While efforts to learnwhat the MFRPS standards are and what is needed to implement the standards has been on-going, WSDA is well aware that it will continued time and effort working on specific areas of theMFRPS to significantly meet the standards criteria.This funding opportunity will allow WSDA to have dedicated project staff who will continue todevelop the WSDA policies, procedures and implementation efforts necessary to further meet theMFRPS. The project staff will also be able to work with existing WSDA Food Safety and ConsumerServices staff who are involved in the management, inspection work, training, auditing andassessments and laboratory work that is already in place.In addition, through this award WSDA will further the protection of public health by having a strongfood regulatory system that assists with integrating and strengthening the nation's food safetysystem.