Opportunity Information: Apply for FSIS 02152022
The Salmonella Risk Assessment - FSIS opportunity is a USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) cooperative agreement focused on strengthening the scientific foundation behind new Salmonella control policies for poultry. FSIS, through its Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) and the Risk Assessment and Analytics Staff (RAAS), is building more comprehensive, production-to-consumption risk assessment models that can estimate how different control strategies in the poultry supply chain would translate into fewer human Salmonella illnesses. The work is meant to directly support FSIS risk management and regulatory decision-making by turning data and science into practical estimates of public health impact.
At the center of the project is FSIS development of two separate quantitative risk assessment models: one for chicken and one for turkey. These models are designed to simulate the pathway from on-farm conditions through processing and ultimately to consumer exposure, and then connect those exposures to predicted illnesses. The models are intended to evaluate multiple policy-relevant levers, including changes in Salmonella prevalence (how often it is present), Salmonella levels (how much is present, using enumeration concepts rather than simple presence/absence), and the presence of specific Salmonella subtypes that are considered higher public health concern. FSIS also wants the models to be able to compare the impact of pre-harvest controls (on the farm), post-harvest controls (during slaughter and processing), and combined approaches, as well as potential criteria or performance standards that cap prevalence/levels/subtypes or require specified reductions in indicator organisms used to reflect process control.
A major emphasis of the cooperative agreement is bringing in information FSIS does not routinely have in a comprehensive way: current, real-world industry data from chicken and turkey production and processing. FSIS is looking for collaborators who can work with poultry companies to gather, manage, and analyze data that may be proprietary or treated as confidential business information. The goal is to characterize what the industry is actually doing today, how widely different interventions are used, and what measurable effects those interventions have on Salmonella prevalence, levels, and subtypes at different points in the system. The announcement highlights that especially valuable inputs include subtype and level data, because FSIS is considering risk management options that may target specific subtypes or require improvements in Salmonella load rather than only reducing positive rates.
The kinds of industry data FSIS is seeking span both pre-harvest and post-harvest areas. On the farm side, examples include the proportion of operations using controls such as vaccination, biosecurity improvements, changes to feed or water treatments, probiotics or prebiotics, adjustments to bird density, bedding and waste management practices, and other targeted Salmonella strategies, along with information on pre-harvest testing approaches and results. On the processing side, examples include how effective various interventions are (and whether effectiveness differs by subtype), operational practices such as staging or scheduling higher-risk flocks, and the use of chemical interventions, high-pressure processing, irradiation, ozone, or other treatments referenced in FSIS guidance. FSIS is also interested in testing programs and lab results (pathogens and indicator organisms), sampling frequency, serotyping, concentration/level measurements, whole genome sequencing usage, plant volumes, line speeds, incoming product specifications (including Aerobic Plate Count and Salmonella metrics), the type and quality of laboratory support (including accredited labs and AOAC methods), process control indicators and how plants respond to results, HACCP validation and verification information, lotting practices, and bird characteristics that might influence colonization risk.
Another key technical gap FSIS wants help addressing is dose-response modeling. In simple terms, dose-response describes how the amount of Salmonella someone is exposed to affects the chance they get sick. FSIS notes it has previously relied on a World Health Organization dose-response relationship that pools all Salmonella together, without distinguishing differences among subtypes. Because FSIS wants to evaluate control strategies that may focus on particular subtypes, the agency is seeking collaborators who can develop one or more dose-response methodologies that account for subtype-to-subtype differences in virulence. Applicants are expected to propose credible approaches for connecting subtype-specific doses to illness risk, supported by relevant experience in dose-response development.
The cooperative agreement also lays out strict expectations around confidentiality and publication review. Any papers, publications, or other products must be provided to USDA in draft form before being released outside authorized users, both to protect confidential information and to ensure the outputs stay consistent with the agreed scope. The collaborator may summarize or excerpt findings, including in materials that USDA may publish, but is explicitly prohibited from identifying any retailer or manufacturer, releasing retailer- or manufacturer-identifiable details (such as brands or product names), or disclosing market share information at the retailer, brand, or item level. FSIS acknowledges that data may be proprietary and explains that, under USDA Freedom of Information Act rules, FSIS will make disclosure determinations and will consult submitters when confidentiality status is not clear, aiming to protect confidential business information to the extent permitted by law.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary cooperative agreement (not a standard procurement contract) under CFDA 10.479, with one expected award and an award ceiling of $295,000. The performance period listed is June 2022 through March 2023. The opportunity encourages multidisciplinary teams and explicitly encourages applications from minority serving institutions, reflecting the breadth of expertise needed across epidemiology, microbiology, poultry production, risk modeling, statistics, and data governance.
Overall, the grant is aimed at filling two practical needs for FSIS as it modernizes Salmonella policy for poultry: (1) obtaining and synthesizing high-quality, representative industry data on Salmonella levels, prevalence, subtypes, and control practices across chicken and turkey production and processing, and (2) advancing the science of subtype-aware dose-response so the resulting chicken and turkey risk assessment models can more realistically estimate how proposed interventions or standards would reduce human illnesses.Apply for FSIS 02152022
- The Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Salmonella Risk Assessment - FSIS" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.479.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 02, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 15, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $295,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the Salmonella Risk Assessment - FSIS opportunity?
This opportunity is a USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) cooperative agreement focused on strengthening the scientific foundation for new Salmonella control policies for poultry. The work is intended to directly support FSIS risk management and regulatory decision-making by producing practical estimates of how different control strategies could reduce human Salmonella illnesses.
2. Which part of FSIS is leading this work?
FSIS is leading the work through its Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) and the Risk Assessment and Analytics Staff (RAAS).
3. What is the main purpose of the cooperative agreement?
The cooperative agreement is aimed at helping FSIS build more comprehensive, production-to-consumption quantitative risk assessment models for poultry. These models are designed to translate data and science into estimates of public health impact, including predicted reductions in human Salmonella illnesses under different control strategies.
4. What models is FSIS developing under this effort?
FSIS is developing two separate quantitative risk assessment models: one for chicken and one for turkey. Each model is intended to simulate the pathway from on-farm conditions through processing and ultimately to consumer exposure, and then link those exposures to predicted illnesses.
5. What kinds of policy questions are the chicken and turkey models intended to answer?
The models are intended to evaluate policy-relevant levers such as changes in Salmonella prevalence (how often Salmonella is present), Salmonella levels (how much Salmonella is present, emphasizing enumeration concepts rather than only presence/absence), and the presence of specific Salmonella subtypes that present higher public health concern.
6. Does FSIS want the models to evaluate on-farm interventions, processing interventions, or both?
Both. FSIS wants the models to compare the impact of pre-harvest controls (on the farm), post-harvest controls (during slaughter and processing), and combined approaches.
7. What types of standards or criteria might the models help FSIS evaluate?
The models are intended to support evaluation of potential criteria or performance standards that cap prevalence, levels, and/or subtypes, or require specified reductions in indicator organisms used to reflect process control.
8. Why is FSIS seeking help from external collaborators?
A major emphasis is to incorporate information FSIS does not routinely have in a comprehensive way: current, real-world industry data from chicken and turkey production and processing. FSIS is looking for collaborators who can work with poultry companies to gather, manage, and analyze data that may be proprietary or considered confidential business information.
9. What is FSIS trying to learn from industry data?
FSIS is trying to characterize what the poultry industry is doing today, how widely different interventions are used, and what measurable effects those interventions have on Salmonella prevalence, levels, and subtypes at different points in the production-to-consumption system.
10. What kinds of industry data does FSIS consider especially valuable?
The announcement highlights subtype and level (enumeration) data as especially valuable, because FSIS is considering risk management options that may target specific subtypes or require improvements in Salmonella load rather than only reducing positive rates.
11. What are examples of pre-harvest (on-farm) data FSIS is seeking?
Examples include the proportion of operations using vaccination, biosecurity improvements, feed or water treatments, probiotics or prebiotics, bird density adjustments, bedding and waste management practices, and other targeted Salmonella strategies. FSIS is also interested in pre-harvest testing approaches and results.
12. What are examples of post-harvest (processing) data FSIS is seeking?
Examples include the effectiveness of various interventions (including whether effectiveness differs by subtype), practices such as staging or scheduling higher-risk flocks, and use of chemical interventions, high-pressure processing, irradiation, ozone, or other treatments referenced in FSIS guidance.
13. Is FSIS interested in plant testing programs and laboratory data?
Yes. FSIS is interested in testing programs and lab results for pathogens and indicator organisms, sampling frequency, serotyping, concentration/level measurements, and whole genome sequencing usage.
14. What operational and facility-related information is FSIS interested in?
Examples include plant volumes, line speeds, incoming product specifications (including Aerobic Plate Count and Salmonella metrics), and lotting practices.
15. Does the opportunity address laboratory methods and quality considerations?
Yes. FSIS is interested in the type and quality of laboratory support, including accredited labs and AOAC methods.
16. Does FSIS want information on how plants use results for process control?
Yes. The opportunity references interest in process control indicators and how plants respond to results.
17. Does the opportunity include HACCP-related data or documentation?
Yes. FSIS is interested in HACCP validation and verification information.
18. Are bird characteristics relevant to this work?
Yes. FSIS notes interest in bird characteristics that might influence colonization risk.
19. What is the dose-response modeling gap FSIS wants to address?
FSIS identifies a need to improve dose-response modeling, which describes how the amount of Salmonella exposure affects the chance of illness. FSIS notes it has previously relied on a World Health Organization dose-response relationship that pools all Salmonella together and does not distinguish differences among subtypes.
20. Why does FSIS want subtype-specific dose-response methodologies?
Because FSIS wants to evaluate control strategies that may focus on particular subtypes, the agency is seeking collaborators who can develop dose-response methodologies that account for subtype-to-subtype differences in virulence and connect subtype-specific doses to illness risk.
21. What is expected of applicants related to dose-response work?
Applicants are expected to propose credible approaches for connecting subtype-specific doses to illness risk, supported by relevant experience in dose-response development.
22. How does confidentiality affect the work under this cooperative agreement?
Confidentiality is a major expectation because the project may involve proprietary industry data and confidential business information. The opportunity includes strict expectations around confidentiality protections and publication review.
23. Are publications or external products allowed, and what review is required?
Any papers, publications, or other products must be provided to USDA in draft form before being released outside authorized users. This is intended to protect confidential information and ensure outputs remain consistent with the agreed scope.
24. Can a collaborator identify specific companies, brands, or retailers in publications?
No. The collaborator is explicitly prohibited from identifying any retailer or manufacturer, releasing retailer- or manufacturer-identifiable details (such as brands or product names), or disclosing market share information at the retailer, brand, or item level.
25. Can findings be summarized or excerpted at all?
Yes. The collaborator may summarize or excerpt findings, including in materials that USDA may publish, as long as the restrictions on identifiable details and confidential business information are followed.
26. How does the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) factor into confidentiality?
FSIS notes that, under USDA FOIA rules, FSIS will make disclosure determinations and will consult submitters when confidentiality status is not clear. FSIS indicates it will aim to protect confidential business information to the extent permitted by law.
27. What type of funding mechanism is this opportunity?
This is a discretionary cooperative agreement (not a standard procurement contract) under CFDA 10.479.
28. How many awards does FSIS expect to make?
One award is expected.
29. What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $295,000.
30. What is the performance period for the cooperative agreement?
The listed performance period is June 2022 through March 2023.
31. What kinds of expertise or team composition does FSIS encourage?
The opportunity encourages multidisciplinary teams, reflecting needs across epidemiology, microbiology, poultry production, risk modeling, statistics, and data governance.
32. Are minority serving institutions encouraged to apply?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly encourages applications from minority serving institutions.
33. What are the two main practical needs FSIS is trying to fill with this award?
FSIS is aiming to (1) obtain and synthesize high-quality, representative industry data on Salmonella levels, prevalence, subtypes, and control practices across chicken and turkey production and processing, and (2) advance subtype-aware dose-response science so the chicken and turkey models can better estimate how proposed interventions or standards would reduce human illnesses.
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