This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) aims to bolster the national animal food safety system by enabling state animal food regulatory programs to fully implement and maintain the Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS) within 5 years. It also supports collaborative projects to enhance partnerships between states, the FDA, and other regulatory bodies, fostering mutual reliance through standardized processes and data sharing.

Funding Opportunity Goals

The primary goal is to strengthen the integration of state and federal animal food regulatory systems. This will be achieved by supporting consistent and effective implementation of the Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS). The initiative seeks to empower state partners through a new mutual reliance framework, providing resources for reciprocal reliance on regulatory work and data, improving regulatory oversight, increasing inspection capacity, and promoting best practices across jurisdictions.

This program aims to improve regulatory oversight, increase inspection capacity, and promote recognition and best practices for data shared across jurisdictions. By achieving these goals, the program will contribute to a more robust and integrated food safety system.

Key objectives include achieving and maintaining full implementation of the AFRPS by state animal food regulatory programs. This is recognized as a critical element to creating a national, fully integrated food safety system.

Key Dates and Deadlines

The application process has multiple deadlines. The initial application due date is July 25, 2025. Subsequent application deadlines are March 1, 2026, and March 1, 2027. All applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM local time of the applicant organization on the respective due dates.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications well in advance of the deadline. This allows ample time to correct any errors identified during the submission process. No late applications will be accepted under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Scientific merit reviews will take place in August 2025, April 2026, and April 2027, corresponding to the application due dates. The earliest start dates for funded projects are August 2025, July 2026, and July 2027, respectively.

Eligibility and Funding Tracks

Eligibility is limited to State governments with animal food safety programs. Applicants must maintain an FDA inspectional contract in good standing. A valid 20.88 agreement with the FDA is also required prior to application.

There are two main funding tracks: AFRPS Development and AFRPS Maintenance. The AFRPS Development track is for states new to the AFRPS cooperative agreement program or those with less than 5 years of funding. The AFRPS Maintenance track is for programs that have received 5 years of AFRPS cooperative agreement funding. Within the AFRPS Maintenance Track (only), eligible applicants applying for the Mutual Reliance funding track should detail how the objectives of that track will be achieved, and specify activities planned to accomplish each objective.

The AFRPS Development track offers up to $300,000 per year. The AFRPS Maintenance track has tiered funding levels: Level 1 ($150,000), Level 2 ($225,000), and Level 3 ($300,000). Determination of applicant’s funding level will be based on the following criteria: Firm Inventory – Number of total Animal Food Manufacturing Facilities, FDA Animal Food Safety Contract Work – Number of Annual Inspections, FDA Animal Food Safety Contract Work – Amount of Workload By Inspection Type, Total Adjusted Weighted Average Contract Inspection Cost (Excluding Non-inspectional Activities and Including Travel to Site Costs)

Mutual Reliance Funding Track (Optional)

Eligible programs in the AFRPS Maintenance Phase can apply for the optional Mutual Reliance funding track. This track requires performing comprehensive inspections under FDA contract and having a 20.88 Agreement. Funding levels vary based on the number of inspections performed per year.

Funding levels for the Mutual Reliance track range from $50,000 for 5-9 inspections/year to $300,000 for 100+ inspections/year. This track aims to enhance data exchange and acceptability between the FDA and state regulatory partners.

The Mutual Reliance track focuses on maintaining and continuously improving inspection and enforcement programs. This includes data exchange and acceptability by the FDA and other state regulatory partners. It also involves facilitating the Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) through risk-based work planning and data exchange with the FDA.

Application Requirements and Submission

Applicants must use the Multi-Project (M) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide. Conformance to all requirements is strictly enforced. Applications not complying with instructions may be delayed or rejected.

Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using ASSIST or an institutional system-to-system solution. Paper applications will not be accepted. Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date.

A letter of intent is not required but is encouraged to help FDA estimate review workload. It should include the project title, PD/PI information, participating institutions, and the funding opportunity number. The letter of intent should be emailed to: Danielle Head, Office of Acquisitions and Grants, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Acquisitions and Grants Services, email: [email protected]

Program Objectives and Activities

The AFRPS Development Track focuses on developing a strategic improvement plan that results in full implementation of the AFRPS. This includes conducting a comprehensive baseline self-assessment and participating in scheduled assessments by FDA Audit Staff.

The AFRPS Maintenance Track aims to maintain full implementation of the current AFRPS. This involves participating in collaborative regulatory activities and scheduled assessments by FDA Audit Staff. For programs with 3 or more inspectors, developing and implementing an auditing program that moves the program into Phase 2 of the SMG-8076 audit program is also required.

The Mutual Reliance Track involves maintaining and continuously improving inspection and enforcement programs. This includes sharing animal food facility information with the FDA and performing comprehensive non-contract animal food inspections. It also requires promptly investigating any animal food related event likely to cause Serious Adverse Health Consequences or Death to Humans or Animals (SAHCODHA).