Continuation of Cooperative Agreement between U.S. Food and Drug Administration and S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) for RRT Maintenance.

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Project Summary/Abstract - SCRRT Maintenance Track FOA Number: RFA-FD-23-019; Application ID: 1417421 Research and Related Other Project Information Form, Field #7 If this cooperative agreement is awarded, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) will work in collaboration to maintain the South Carolina Rapid Response Team (SCRRT). Alongside the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), South Carolina Meat- Poultry Inspection Department, and South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the SCRRT responds to human and animal food (HAF) incidents. Fulfilling the overarching, broad objectives of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is essential for the realization of DHEC’s visions: utilizing standardized approaches for food industry regulation, protecting public health, and securing the safety of South Carolina’s food supply. SCRRT Coordinators will use relevant concepts from the RRT Best Practices Manual to continue to build RRT capacity and framework for developing response capability. Monthly in-person meetings between the DHEC and SCDA RRT Coordinators and quarterly meetings with key agency personnel ensure that collaboration and communication between the agencies occurs throughout the year, as opposed to only in response to HAF incidents and outbreaks. Annually, SCRRT will conduct at least one annual exercise to assess the capability of the RRT partners in response to a HAF incident using Incident Command System (ICS) principles, including timely notification to the FDA and other state partners and implementation of effective control measures. An after-action report (AAR) will be used to identify policies and procedures that require improvement. Key personnel from each agency will enhance their knowledge and skills by completing FDA ORAU courses, developing proficiency in environmental sampling and traceback procedures, and attending relevant meetings and workshops. During the maintenance phase, funding for key personnel will be transitioned from full-grant to partial-grant through supplementation of state funds and/or alternate funding source(s); this funding transition promotes sustainability of the SCRRT for DHEC and SCDA.