Opportunity Information: Apply for FSIS FERN 04072023
The FSIS FERN Cooperative Agreement - FERN Portal opportunity is a USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) cooperative agreement focused on keeping the Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) Communication, Collaboration and Management (CCM) Portal running securely and reliably, while also supporting ongoing updates and enhancements. FERN is a nationwide network of federal, state, and local regulatory laboratories that support food defense and emergency response testing, and FSIS is emphasizing that the portal is mission-critical because it is the only system FERN has for collecting and using national laboratory capability, capacity, and readiness information. In practical terms, the portal helps the network quickly understand what testing resources exist across the country and coordinate laboratory response during exercises and real-world foodborne emergency events.
A central feature of this grant is that the portal operates on a specific underlying infrastructure called CoreSHIELD, which is owned by Datastream Connexions. The award is structured so that the recipient organization is not being funded to build a brand-new system from scratch, but to ensure continuity of the existing CoreSHIELD-based portal and to manage the relationship and funding flow to the technology owner/provider. Because of that continuity requirement, FSIS specifies that the applicant must already have an established relationship with Datastream Connexions to avoid disruption to database operations and ongoing portal functionality. The award recipient effectively serves as the administrative lead and pass-through entity: it receives federal funds, subcontracts those funds to Datastream Connexions for the technical work, and remains accountable to FSIS for oversight, reporting, compliance, and project management.
The scope of work revolves around maintaining and improving a secure online Information Sharing Exchange (ISE) solution that supports a broad set of operational modules used by FERN members. These modules include training event registration and attendee history tracking; secure video and webinar services for multi-agency participation; proficiency testing registration and participant tracking; maintenance and enhancement of a public-facing webpage; the FERN Storeroom for secure online ordering and inventory management; a centralized database for lab capability and capacity information across current FERN member labs; activation management and results data entry for both exercises and actual emergency activations; a searchable documents repository that houses FERN methods, operational SOPs, and other network documents; an events calendar that auto-populates from scheduled network activities; document management tools that support real-time collaboration, approval workflows, and digital signatures; secure sharing of large and sensitive files with audit trails and risk mitigation features; and 24/7 helpdesk support plus user account administration. FSIS notes that each of these functions must produce outputs and reports in the specific formats required by FERN, underscoring that the system is not just a website but an operational platform with standardized reporting expectations.
From an administration standpoint, the award recipient is expected to describe in the application exactly how it will manage the cooperative agreement and ensure the provider delivers. That includes establishing clear processes and staffing for monitoring project completion, tracking milestones, identifying roadblocks, and maintaining visibility into technical progress. The recipient must also manage funding and expenses in compliance with federal rules, specifically the Administrative Requirements and Cost Principles in 2 CFR 200. In addition to routine financial oversight, the recipient must submit quarterly progress reports using an FSIS-provided template and submit quarterly financial reporting using the SF-425. The funding drawdown process is tied to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System (PMS), which the recipient will use to access funds and then distribute them to the provider.
Ongoing coordination is built into the award through required monthly calls involving the award recipient, the FSIS Project Officer, and the provider. These calls are meant to keep work on track, address needed changes, discuss budget and planning issues, and manage the roadmap of future portal projects. If the recipient needs to adjust budgets or project scopes, FSIS expects formal written prior-approval requests when required, reinforcing that the recipient carries day-to-day management responsibility but must operate within FSIS oversight.
Budget requirements are detailed and emphasize transparency in how dollars flow between the recipient and Datastream Connexions. Applicants must provide a budget narrative showing the distribution of funds, including personnel costs for the recipient, indirect costs, and other allowable costs, and they must also provide separate, project-specific budgets and justifications tied directly to particular maintenance or development tasks for the portal. The opportunity is eligible for non-competitive renewal for up to five years total, so the application is expected to include a five-year cost projection and justification that accounts for anticipated increases over time. FSIS also places a firm cap on indirect costs, limiting them to 10 percent of the total award, which matters for universities or associations that typically rely on higher negotiated indirect cost rates.
Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and national associations or organizations that represent and support state food regulatory programs. FSIS anticipates making a single award, with an award ceiling of $260,000 under this opportunity. The posted opportunity information lists the funding instrument as a cooperative agreement (meaning FSIS expects substantial involvement through coordination and oversight), the CFDA number as 10.479, and identifies the original application closing date as May 15, 2023. Overall, the funding is designed to keep a specialized, security-sensitive, and operationally essential national laboratory coordination portal functioning without interruption, while ensuring there is a responsible administrative entity in place to manage the provider, budgets, compliance, reporting, and regular coordination with FSIS.Apply for FSIS FERN 04072023
- The Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FSIS FERN Cooperative Agreement -FERN Portal" 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 Apr 06, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 15, 2023. (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 $260,000.00 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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