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  5. Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS) Cooperative Agreement Program
  1. Grants and Cooperative Agreements

Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS) Cooperative Agreement Program

What is the Retail Program Standards CAP?

The intended outcome of this CAP is to advance the National Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) by assisting retail food regulatory programs in achieving conformance with the Retail Program Standards.

The Retail Program Standards define what constitutes a highly effective and responsive program for the regulation of foodservice and retail food establishments. These cooperative agreements are intended to assist regulatory retail food programs in developing, implementing, and improving the infrastructure necessary to support conformance with the Retail Program Standards.   

What are the goals of this CAP?

The goals of this CAP are to:

  • Identify program areas where an agency can have the greatest impact on retail food safety.
  • Promote wider application of effective intervention strategies designed to reduce foodborne illness risk factors.
  • Promote wider application of active managerial control strategies by industry.
  • Assist in identifying program areas in need of priority attention.
  • Develop and implement innovations in program implementation and administration.
  • Improve industry and consumer confidence in food protection programs by enhancing uniformity within and between regulatory agencies.

Who is eligible to apply for funding?

Eligible entities include state, local, territorial, and tribal agencies with primary regulatory responsibility for retail food or foodservice establishments, or government agencies with substantial involvement and control over such agencies. In addition, the retail food regulatory agency must be enrolled in the VNRFRPS and must have completed a current self-assessment against the Retail Program Standards as required by Standard 9. 

Who are the current enrollees in this cooperative agreement?

United States map displaying 34 FDA funded VNRFRPS CAP states: AK, AZ, CO, CT, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, MA, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WV

United States map displaying 34 FDA funded VNRFRPS CAP states: AK, AZ, CO, CT, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, MA, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WV

  • There are 11 state agencies and 23 local/tribal jurisdictions.
  • Two states, Georgia and Minnesota, have two state agency departments with this cooperative agreement.

Who may I contact for more information?

Specific questions on this program can be directed to the appropriate Office of Partnerships' contact within the Division of Partnership Investments and Agreements. Please visit the Office of Partnerships Contacts webpage to obtain a downloaded version of the staffing roster. 

General questions can be directed to the Office of Partnerships' general mailbox: [email protected].

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