Grant Proposal Abstract Title: Rhode Island?s Plan for Infrastructure Development and Continuous Improvement and Innovation through Conformance with the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) Funding Opportunity Announcement Number (FOA): RFA-FD-18-001 The RI Department of Health (RIDOH), Center for Food Protection (CFP), proposes to maintain and sustain a risk-based manufactured food regulatory program in RI to conform to national standards. In addition, RIDOH will work to facilitate long-term improvements and innovations through the maintenance of a Rapid Response Team (RRT). This program will reduce foodborne illness and injury by identifying potential prevention practices, and will ultimately protect the public and industry by minimizing the time between agency notification of a human food contamination event and implementation of effective control measures. A MFRPS Coordinator will be responsible for managing the grant under the direction of the Principal Investigator to ensure conformance with the ten (10) elements of the national program standards. Similarly, a Rapid Response Team (RRT) Coordinator will be responsible for managing the grant and ensuring all objectives are met. All projects and work products will be shared with FDA and other states to support the national integration effort. RI will remain actively involved in national initiatives related to enhancement of MFRPS and will provide continued assistance to newer state programs who may benefit from RI?s experience. In addition to internal auditing, RI will work with the FDA Office of Partnerships and FDA/ORA Office of Operations Audit Staff to identify areas for improvement. The end result of the five (5) year grant award will be: (1) a manufactured food program in RI that is able to sustain conformance with MFRPS and contribute to a nationally integrated food safety system; and (2) a Rapid Response Team that effectively respond to foodborne illness outbreaks and other food emergencies, and establishes national best practices and tools to improve other states responses to food emergencies.
Title: Rhode Island?s Plan for Infrastructure Development and Continuous Improvement and Innovation through Conformance with the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) Funding Opportunity Announcement Number (FOA): RFA-FD-18-001 This grant will support the Rhode Island Department of Health?s (RIDOH) efforts to maintain a high quality manufactured food inspection program that is based on national Standards, which ultimately will prevent foodborne illnesses from manufactured foods produced in RI. RIDOH has achieved full conformance with the MFRPS (2016) and will continue to strive for full implementation under this grant. RIDOH will contribute to an integrated food safety system through mentoring and sharing best practices at a local and national level.
