PAR-20-105 Laboratory Flexible Funding Model (LFFM) (U19) Microbiology Discipline Analytical Track 3: Animal Food Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services Principal Investigators: Christopher Waggener, Ph.D. SF424: Other Project Information Project Summary: The Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) is the public health laboratory for the Commonwealth of Virginia and offers a wide variety of laboratory testing services for state and federal agencies, local governments and other states in support of public health, environmental protection and emergency response. The Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) is applying for the FDA LFFM Microbiology Animal Food Product Testing to continue to provide testing support for microbiology animal food safety testing in the Commonwealth of Virginia and to support the FDA on a state and federal level. DCLS is the primary regulatory testing laboratory for human and animal food including the testing of manufactured food/feed for the Commonwealth of Virginia. DCLS has a long-standing history with the FDA and FDA FERN in relation to food defense and food safety capabilities and capacities. DCLS has been a FERN member laboratory since the network was developed in 2004 and has served as a cooperative agreement laboratories (CAP) laboratory for over 15 consecutive years. DCLS was one of the first CAP Labs with FDA and FERN and has provided countless hours of support to our federal partners for food defense and food safety initiatives and responses. This proposal demonstrates that DCLS meets and exceeds the requirements and laboratory qualifications for the Microbiology Assessment within the analytical track animal food product testing. If granted these funds for animal food safety testing, DCLS is committed to providing emergency testing, surveillance and regulatory animal food testing for any situation when requested by the FDA. DCLS is also committed to providing testing support for participation in all proficiency tests and training when applicable. DCLS will participate in FDA-requested exercises, and/or surveillance activities to support and maintain a state of readiness. In an effort to maintain a state of readiness, DCLS will ensure analysts are trained and have passed competency exercises; all equipment will remain in working order; and reagents and supplies are available or could easily or quickly be procured.