Maintenance and Enhancement of ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation and Whole Genome Sequencing for State Food Testing Laboratories

Maintenance and Enhancement of ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation and Whole Genome Sequencing for State Food Testing Laboratories (U18)Proposal SummaryThe Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Food Safety and ConsumerServices (FS-CS) Laboratory (formerly known as Microbiology Laboratory) seeksfunding from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under RFA-FD-19-018.Funding level requested is $145,000 for one year. The title of our proposal is:Maintaining & Enhancement of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Accreditation (Competition A)The WSDA FS-CS Microbiology Laboratory goals for this one year project are:1. Maintain and improve ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation (achieved in 2011).2. Enhance ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation by adding test method to scope which will support the WSDA?s work to implement the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS).3. Continue to strengthen the collaboration between our laboratory and our State Manufactured Food Regulatory Program partners.4. Maintain our FERN Cooperative Agreement and FERN membership which in turn shall include participation in FERN Proficiency Tests, conference calls, FERN face- to-face meetings and other activities as requested by FERN.5. Annually, increase the number of State samples collected and analyzed for surveillance in order to meet minimum sample requirements required by FDA.6. Enter all data generated from all testing performed by our laboratory into FDA e- LEXNET data collection system.7. Develop a performance measurement system that will track performance and progress toward achieving the goals 1-6.The WSDA FS-CS Microbiology Laboratory meets all eligibility requirements for thisfunding opportunity:1. The Laboratory is the primary regulatory food testing laboratory in Washington State and has adequate resources to achieve the project objectives2. The Laboratory is one of the awardees of the current FDA?s "ISO/IEC 17025:2005 Accreditation for Food Testing Laboratories" cooperative agreement.3. The Laboratory has obtained ISO 17025:2005 accreditation from 2011 and seeks to maintain and improve the accreditation, also successfully participates in ISO- accredited proficiency testing programs (e.g. API-LGC; AAFCO).4. The Laboratory is a member of the FERN and is a FERN MCAP laboratory. 5. The Laboratory has send all testing results electronically to e-LEXNET.In addition, the WSDA Food Safety and Consumer Services is:? Currently under contract with FDA to conduct food safety inspections? Enrolled in the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program StandardsFRA-FD-19-018: ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation for State Food Testing Laboratories