Conformance With The Manufactured Foods Regulatory Program Standards (mfrps)

Texas Department of State Health ServicesConformance with the Manufactured Foods Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS)Opportunity PAR-12-164Page 1 of 1Project Summary/Abstract The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) meets all the criteria for eligibility of fundingunder this grant. The DSHS Regulatory Services Division serves as the state's regulatory manufactured foodsprogram and holds a current U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food inspection contract. In 2009,DSHS was awarded funding under Grant # 1U18FDA003835-01-Food Protection Rapid Response Team andProgram Infrastructure Prototype Project (RRT). During the 4 year RRT grant period (September 2009 - August 2013) DSHS has been working towardfull compliance with the Manufactured Foods Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS). The program hasmade extensive progress toward compliance with the ten standards since the grant was awarded in the fall of2009. At the first assessment, DSHS partially met nine standards, and fully met standard 9. In July 2011,DSHS completed an FDA Program Assessment Verification Audit. As of May 2013, the DSHS fully meets 4 ofthe 10 standards (Standards 3, 7, 8, and 9). Of the remaining 6 standards, 4 of them only need minorimprovements to complete (Standards 1, 2, 4, and 5). Standard 6, one of the most challenging for DSHS willbe the focus of our work during the next grant period. The DSHS Laboratory is seeking AL2A accreditationand upon completion in 2017, DSHS will meet Standard 10. Over the next 5 year grant period DSHS proposes to continue work on the standards that are not yet infull compliance as well as make enhancements to those in compliance. The focus will primarily be onStandards 5 and 6. In addition to the milestones outlined in the PAR-13-164, DSHS will be working toward fullcompliance with Standard 6 through enhancements to a mobile inspection project which most importantly willallow DSHS to track chronic violations, but will also improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the overallprogram. While DSHS fully intends to have completed the first phase of the mobile inspection project and be insubstantial compliance with Standard 6 by August 31, 2014, DSHS expects enhancements will be needed tothe program following the pilot and first release. One enhancement being proposed is a bridge between theDSHS laboratory data systems and the regulatory data system to track sample submission and results moreefficiently and effectively. DSHS will also be working on enhancements to Standard 5 to include specializedtraining for local health department epidemiologists in case interviews and developing a protocol for workingwith local health departments during food borne illness investigations. The goal is to utilize work done by otherstates in local health department outreach to develop and improve relations with our local partners. Finally,DSHS will work on improving communications with industry partners.