Cooperative Agreement to Support Shellfish Safety Assistance Project

This cooperative agreement, titled Cooperative Agreement to Support Shellfish Safety Assistance Project and identified by solicitation number RFA-FD-26-013, aims to enhance the safety of molluscan shellfish by fostering collaboration among state, federal, and foreign agencies, industry, and consumers. The initiative seeks to strengthen state programs through training, technical assistance, and research support, with a focus on advancing scientifically defensible food safety controls to reduce illnesses caused by pathogens such as Vibrio spp, Campylobacter, and Salmonella. The Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference is the designated recipient, and the project is structured to align with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program Model Ordinance and HACCP-based principles, ensuring regulatory coherence and effectiveness across the shellfish supply chain. The award supports national and international efforts to improve information exchange, risk assessment, and regulatory implementation to safeguard public health. The funding opportunity offers an initial year of support up to $500,000, with potential for up to four additional years of funding contingent upon performance and congressional appropriations, resulting in a maximum estimated value of $2.5 million over five years. Proposals are evaluated based on innovation (30 points), approach (25 points), and environment (25 points), totaling 80 points, using a trade-off process that prioritizes scientific and technical merit over cost. Applicants must submit a Data Management and Sharing Plan, comply with eRA Commons and SAM.gov registration requirements including a Unique Entity Identifier and CAGE/NCAGE code, and ensure key personnel hold active eRA Commons accounts. The Food and Drug Administration will maintain substantial programmatic involvement, including co-authorship rights and participation in data analysis. All applicants must adhere to strict submission guidelines via Grants.gov by August 21, 2026, with a 30-page limit on the Research Strategy and no supplemental materials beyond blank surveys permitted in the appendix. Reporting obligations include RPPR submissions, Federal Subaward Reporting System compliance, cybersecurity incident notification within 48 hours, and adherence to financial reporting standards under 2 CFR Part 200.