Establishing the Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) Regulatory and Laboratory Training System (RLTS) National Coordination Center (NCC) and Learning Management System (LMS)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is offering a cooperative agreement under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-FD-25-005. This funding opportunity, titled “Establishing the Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) Regulatory and Laboratory Training System (RLTS) National Coordination Center (NCC) and Learning Management System (LMS),” is part of the FDA's Human Foods Program (HFP). This opportunity does not follow standard NIH procedures, review criteria, or page limitations, and instead requires applicants to follow specific FDA guidance. The initiative supports the continued development of a standardized national food safety training system that serves the Human and Animal Food (HAF) regulatory and laboratory workforce across the United States. The cooperative agreement is only available to the current recipient of RFA-FD-20-024 under award number U18FD007047. The overarching aim of this funding opportunity is to support the implementation and management of the RLTS National Coordination Center and a national Learning Management System. The awardee is expected to carry out five primary goals: standardizing training content through evaluation and mapping to National Curriculum Standards (NCS); designing training systems that are flexible and relevant to workforce needs; delivering NCC-approved training across diverse modalities; managing and maintaining the RLTS and LMS infrastructure; and collaborating with stakeholders to ensure consistency and quality in the training delivered. These goals align with the RLTS Strategic Plan (2024–2028), and all proposed work must integrate references to foundational RLTS documents provided by the FDA. Spending under the award must be used in accordance with detailed stipulations, including up to $250,000 earmarked for ensuring free access for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) partners to the LMS. The awardee is also responsible for establishing a sustainable governance model, managing personnel and fiscal operations efficiently, and developing a self-sustainability plan for the LMS and NCC within the first year of the award. Specific performance metrics and detailed reporting requirements must be adhered to, with regular reporting to the RLTS Steering Committee, including monthly updates and up to four annual face-to-face meetings. Metrics include training resource evaluations, participant tracking, system usage, and appeals to NCC decisions. Eligibility for this cooperative agreement is extremely limited. Only the current recipient of FDA grant RFA-FD-20-024 (U18FD007047) is permitted to apply. Applications from foreign entities or U.S. organizations with foreign components are not eligible. The application must be submitted through Grants.gov using one of three submission systems: NIH ASSIST, an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution, or the Grants.gov Workspace. Applicants must follow all guidelines in both the “How to Apply – Application Guide” and the specific instructions in the NOFO. A comprehensive registration process is required, including registrations with SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov. Applications will be reviewed by an FDA-convened Objective Review Committee based on criteria such as significance, project leadership, aims and delivery, methodology, and fiscal responsibility. The proposed project must demonstrate a robust plan to launch and maintain the NCC and LMS within specified timelines, engage qualified personnel with appropriate expertise, and coordinate closely with SLTT partners and FDA stakeholders. Additionally, conflict of interest mitigation and appeals processes must be clearly outlined and institutionalized. The total amount of funding available under this NOFO is $1,750,000 per year for a three-year project period, with the anticipated number of awards limited to one. Applications open on July 23, 2025, and are due no later than August 1, 2025, by 11:59 PM local time. There are no extensions, and late applications will not be accepted. For technical support with applications, contact the eRA Service Desk or Grants.gov. For programmatic questions, applicants may contact Graham N. Giesen at graham.giesen@fda.hhs.gov. For financial inquiries, contact Danielle Head at danielle.head@fda.hhs.gov. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, emphasizing close collaboration between the awardee and the FDA in project execution and oversight.

FDA emphasizes conformance to NOFO instructions over NIH guidance. Early submission is strongly recommended.