Maintenance and Continuation of the State of Maryland Rapid Response Team

Flexible Funding Model-Development and Maintenance of Human and Animal Food Rapid Response Teams Funding Opportunity: RFA-FD-23-019 Project Period: July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2026 Budget Period: July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024 CFDA Number: 93.103 Maintenance and Continuation of the State of Maryland Rapid Response Team ABSTRACT The Maryland Department of Health (MDH), Prevention and Health Promotion Administration’s Office of Food Protection (the Department) has made significant contributions towards the goal of a nationally integrated food safety system (IFSS) through implementation of the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) and creation and maintenance of the State of Maryland Rapid Response Team (SMarRRT). This current proposal builds on the successes and achievements of SMarRRT, by further integrating SMarRRT concepts, operations, and partnerships into the Department, to achieve the following key goals: 1. Continue to work toward mutual reliance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop and implement an integrated food safety system in Maryland including emergency preparedness and response to current and emerging food safety issues; 2. Continue the integration of SMarRRT with MFRPS through the incorporation of additional food regulatory personnel to SMarRRT activities and practices; 3. Establish SMarRRT as a learning organization and a center of excellence on technical aspects of the food industry committed to continued improvement and the operationalization of an integrated food safety system; 4. Develop an information management infrastructure that is compatible with the National Food Safety Data Exchange (NFSDX) and complements and enables the Department and SMarRRT operational capacity through the effective management and presentation of laboratory, geographic, regulatory, and compliance data; and 5. Continue to develop subject matter expertise in response related procedures such as product and environmental sample collection, traceback investigation and data analysis, environmental investigations and Risk Assessments.