# Continuation of Cooperative Agreement between U.S. Food and Drug Administration and S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) for RRT Maintenance.

> **NIH FDA U2F** · SC STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE · 2024 · $225,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract - SCRRT Maintenance Track
 FOA Number: RFA-FD-23-019; Application ID: 1417421
 Research and Related Other Project Information Form, Field #7
If this cooperative agreement is awarded, the South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control (DHEC) and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture
(SCDA) will work in collaboration to maintain the South Carolina Rapid Response Team
(SCRRT). Alongside the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), South Carolina Meat-
Poultry Inspection Department, and South Carolina Emergency Management Division,
the SCRRT responds to human and animal food (HAF) incidents. Fulfilling the
overarching, broad objectives of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is
essential for the realization of DHEC’s visions: utilizing standardized approaches for
food industry regulation, protecting public health, and securing the safety of South
Carolina’s food supply. SCRRT Coordinators will use relevant concepts from the RRT
Best Practices Manual to continue to build RRT capacity and framework for developing
response capability. Monthly in-person meetings between the DHEC and SCDA RRT
Coordinators and quarterly meetings with key agency personnel ensure that
collaboration and communication between the agencies occurs throughout the year, as
opposed to only in response to HAF incidents and outbreaks. Annually, SCRRT will
conduct at least one annual exercise to assess the capability of the RRT partners in
response to a HAF incident using Incident Command System (ICS) principles, including
timely notification to the FDA and other state partners and implementation of effective
control measures. An after-action report (AAR) will be used to identify policies and
procedures that require improvement. Key personnel from each agency will enhance
their knowledge and skills by completing FDA ORAU courses, developing proficiency in
environmental sampling and traceback procedures, and attending relevant meetings
and workshops. During the maintenance phase, funding for key personnel will be
transitioned from full-grant to partial-grant through supplementation of state funds
and/or alternate funding source(s); this funding transition promotes sustainability of the
SCRRT for DHEC and SCDA.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11248960
- **Project number:** 7U2FFD008044-03
- **Recipient organization:** SC STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
- **Principal Investigator:** Elizabeth Dorton
- **Activity code:** U2F (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $225,000
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11248960

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11248960, Continuation of Cooperative Agreement between U.S. Food and Drug Administration and S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) for RRT Maintenance. (7U2FFD008044-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11248960. Licensed CC0.

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