
[Federal Register: August 4, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 148)]
[Notices]               
[Page 38655-38656]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04au09-59]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. FDA-2009-N-0353]

 
Cooperative Agreement Between the Food and Drug Administration 
and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing its 
intention to receive and consider a single source application for the 
award of a cooperative agreement in fiscal year 2009 (FY09) to the 
Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL). The goal of the DISL is marine science 
education, basic and applied marine science research, coastal zone 
management policy and educating the general public.

DATES: Important dates are as follows:
    1. The application due date is August 24, 2009.
    2. The anticipated start date is in September 2009.
    3. The opening date is August 3, 2009.
    4. The expiration date is August 25, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS CONTACT:
    Center Contact: LaQuia Geathers, Center for Food Safety and Applied 
Nutrition (CFSAN) (HFS-669), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 5100 
Paint Branch, Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, 301-436-2821, e-mail: 
LaQuia.Geather@fda.hhs.gov.
    Scientific/Programmatic Contact: Julia Pryor, Division of Seafood 
Science and Technology, FDA, CFSAN, Office of Food Safety, Gulf Coast 
Seafood Laboratory, 1 Iberville Dr., Dauphin Island, AL 36528, 251-694-
4479; FAX: 251-694-4477, e-mail: Julia.Pryor@fda.hhs.gov.
    Grants Management Contact: Camille Peake, Division of Acquisition 
Support and Grants, FDA (HFA 500), 5630 Fishers Lane (rm. 2139), 
Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-7175, FAX: 301-827-7101, e-mail: 
Camille.Peake@fda.hhs.gov.
    For more information on this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) 
and to obtain detailed requirements, please refer to the full FOA 
located at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html. Click on National Food 
Safety Program; click www.Food Safety.gov; click search and site index; 
search on ``CFSAN Grants.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Funding Opportunity Description

[RFA-FD-09-017]
[Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.103]

A. Background

    This FOA issued by the Office of Food Safety is soliciting a sole 
source grant application from the DISL. FDA is authorized to enforce 
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) as amended (21 U.S. 
C. 301 et seq.). In fulfilling its responsibilities under the act, FDA 
among other things, directs its activities toward promoting and 
protecting the public health by ensuring the safety and security of 
foods (Appendix A). To accomplish its mission, FDA must stay abreast of 
the latest developments in research and also communicate with 
stakeholders about complex scientific and public health issues. 
Increased development of research, education and outreach partnerships 
with the Marine Environmental Science Consortium-Dauphin Island Sea Lab 
(DISL) will greatly contribute to FDA's mission.
    The DISL is one of Alabama's most valuable assets and adds 
immeasurably to the quality of life in the State and beyond. The DISL 
network of 21 institutions enrolls students worldwide in degree 
programs delivered in classrooms, laboratories, education centers and 
online. The DISL nationally ranked programs, leading-edge research 
collaborations, and innovative business partnerships provide an 
environment to support diverse multidisciplinary exchanges with FDA. 
The scientific, public health and policy expertise within FDA provide 
opportunities for collaborations that support the DISL mission and 
strategic themes to provide access to high-quality education, research 
discovery, and knowledge-based services responsive to both the promises 
and demands of the state and the nation in the new century.

B. Research Objectives

    The FDA Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory (GCSL) and the Marine 
Environmental Science Consortium of the DISL (the Parties) have a 
shared interest in scientific progress in the diverse disciplines that 
directly and indirectly affect seafood safety and human and animal 
health. The Parties also endorse scientific training for faculty, 
students and staff to foster a well-grounded foundation in 
interdisciplinary fields in which academia and government share mutual 
interest.
    The cooperative agreement will establish terms of collaboration 
between FDA and DISL to support these shared interests that can be 
pursued through programs of collaborative research, public outreach, 
cooperative international initiatives, disciplinary training, and 
exchange of scientists and staff, including a program of graduate 
student internships.
    The types of activities expected to develop from this agreement 
include:
     Exchanges between university faculty and staff and FDA 
scientists and staff;
     Educational opportunities for qualified students 
(graduate), staff members and faculty members in the Parties' 
laboratories, classroom and offices;
     Joint meetings for education and research;
     Research collaborations;
     Cooperative international activities including outreach; 
and
     Sharing of unique facilities and equipment for increased 
cost efficiencies for scientific endeavors;
     Promulgation and communication of identified collaborative 
efforts through appropriate means;
     Adjunct, affiliates and research facility appointments for 
appropriate FDA professional staff, provided that appointment of such 
candidates will advance specific programmatic objectives of the parties 
as appropriate, and provided that such appointments comply with 
university policies on appointment of facility/affiliates;
     In an effort to enhance collaborative interactions and 
communication between both institutions, FDA and DISL will collaborate 
in the development of regular workshops where faculty from all the 
institutions within the DISL and FDA scientists and staff share 
information about on going research, education and outreach efforts of 
mutual interest.

C. Eligibility Information

    Competition is limited to the DISL. There are no other sources that 
can provide the required proximity to the FDA/GCSL and independent 
marine fieldwork capability required. The DISL is a diverse 
institutional consortium of undergraduate and graduate education and 
research. University programs

[[Page 38656]]

faculty at the DISL are actively involved in both basic and applied 
research in coastal waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico. The DISL 
operates marine research vessels (boats) crewed by faculty and students 
for field studies and sample collections. DISL possesses extensive 
laboratory and wet-laboratory resources relevant to the mission of the 
FDA/GCSL. The DISL is located within 1 mile of the FDA/GCSL which will 
engage the proposed program of collaboration and internships. This 
unique circumstance of capability, capacity and proximity is 
irreplaceable without extended and costly concessions.

II. Award Information/Funds Available

A. Award Amount

    The estimated amount of support in FY09 will be up to $250,000 
total costs (direct plus indirect costs).

B. Length of Support

    The award will provide 12 months of support contingent upon 
satisfactory performance in the achievement of project and program 
reporting.

III. Paper Application, Registration, and Submission Information

    To submit a paper application in response to this FOA, applicants 
should first review the full announcement located at http://
www.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html. Persons interested in applying for a grant 
may obtain an application from the PHS 398 application instructions 
available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm. The following 
steps are required for paper submission:
     Step 1: Obtain a Dun and Bradstreet Number (DUNS)
    Applicants are now required to have a DUNS number to apply for a 
grant or cooperative agreement from the Federal Government. The DUNS 
number is a 9-digit identification number that uniquely identifies 
business entities. To obtain a DUNS number, call DUN and Bradstreet at 
1-866-705-5711. Be certain that you identify yourself as a Federal 
grant applicant when you contact Dun and Bradstreet. For foreign 
entities the Web site https://eupdate.DNB.com.
     Step 2: Register With Central Contractor Registration 
(CCR)
    Applicants must register with the CCR database. You must have a 
DUNS number to begin your registration. This database is a government-
wide warehouse of commercial and financial information for all 
organizations conducting business with the Federal Government. The 
preferred method for completing a registration is through the Web site 
at https://www.ccr.gov. This Web site provides a CCR handbook with 
detailed information on data you will need prior to beginning the 
online pre-registration, as well as steps to walk you through the 
registration process.
     Step 3: Register With Electronic Research Administration 
(eRA) Commons
    Steps 1 and 2, in detail, can be found at http://www07.grants.gov/
applicants/organization_registration.jsp. Step 3, in detail, can be 
found at https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/registration/
registrationInstructions.jsp. After you have followed these steps, 
submit paper applications to: Camille Peake, Division of Acquisition 
Support and Grants, Food and Drug Administration (HFA 500), 5630 
Fishers Lane, rm. 2139, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-7175, FAX: 301-
827-7101, e-mail: Camille.Peake@fda.hhs.gov.

    Dated: July 28, 2009.
Jeffrey Shuren,
Associate Commissioner for Policy and Planning.
[FR Doc. E9-18533 Filed 8-3-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160-01-S
