Cooperative Agreement Program to Strengthen Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance in Retail Food Specimens
🏛 Food and Drug Administration (HHS-FDA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations seeking to strengthen antibiotic resistance surveillance in retail food specimens through the NARMS (National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System) cooperative agreement program. Eligible applicants typically include state/local health departments, public health laboratories, universities with research capacity, and public health institutions with demonstrated microbiology and food safety expertise. The program supports surveillance activities focused on monitoring antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in retail food products, particularly beef, pork, and poultry. Geographic scope includes all U.S. states and territories. Applicants must have appropriate biosafety facilities, trained personnel in microbiological analysis, and capacity to conduct standardized testing protocols aligned with NARMS guidelines.
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Program description
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), builds upon the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) which was initiated in 1996 as one of the key activities in a national action plan to combat antibiotic resistance threats. The purpose of this FOA is to protect and promote public health by enhancing, strengthening and sustaining antibiotic resistance monitoring in retail food specimens within the NARMS program. The NARMS cooperative agreements is intended to improve the detection of antibiotic resistance among bacteria in food commodities, as well as expand to new sites to expand the scope of sampling. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the NARMS Objectives.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative describing surveillance objectives, methods, and contribution to NARMS
- Detailed budget and budget justification
- Organizational capabilities statement and institutional documentation (IRS 501(c)(3) status if applicable)
- Letters of commitment from retail food partners and laboratory facilities
- Curriculum vitae or resumes of key personnel
- Evidence of biosafety certifications and laboratory accreditations
- Data management and quality assurance plan
- Letters of support from state/local public health officials
Program contact
- 👤 Terrin Brown Grantor
- 📧 terrin.brown@fda.hhs.gov
- 📞 2404027610
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.103 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$121,795,918
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$76,105,626
-
$50,217,964
-
$47,940,304
-
$36,000,000
-
$35,573,997
-
$35,391,995
-
$30,732,300
-
$23,332,999
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$21,347,288
Top States by Funding
- AZ 3 awards $131.4M
- MD 7 awards $108.7M
- CA 9 awards $106.5M
- VA 5 awards $96.6M
- PA 10 awards $77.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.103). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2016 | $170,482,435 | |
| 2017 est. | $208,900,832 | |
| 2018 | $173,077,408 | |
| 2019 | $198,507,896 | |
| 2020 | $212,448,590 | |
| 2021 | $218,918,739 | |
| 2022 est. | $255,910,458 | |
| 2023 est. | $246,894,600 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for NARMS cooperative agreements?
Eligible applicants typically include state and local health departments, public health laboratories, universities, and research institutions with microbiology capacity and food safety expertise. Federal agencies and for-profit entities are generally not eligible to receive direct funding.
What activities are supported by this grant?
Funding supports surveillance and monitoring of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in retail food specimens, laboratory testing, data collection and analysis, staff training, and participation in the NARMS network to track resistance trends.
What is the typical funding range for NARMS cooperative agreements?
Funding amounts vary, but cooperative agreements typically range from $200,000 to $500,000 annually, though this varies by proposal scope and available appropriations.
How competitive is this grant?
NARMS is a moderate to highly competitive program. Applications are evaluated on scientific merit, institutional capacity, past surveillance performance, data quality, and alignment with FDA public health priorities around foodborne disease prevention.
When are applications typically due?
Deadline dates vary year to year. Applicants should monitor Grants.gov and FDA announcements for the specific funding opportunity announcement (FOA) which specifies the application deadline for that funding cycle.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate your organization's existing microbiology capacity, biosafety certifications, and track record in food safety surveillance. Include letters of support from your laboratory director and public health officials.
- Clearly explain how your surveillance data will be integrated into the larger NARMS system and how you'll contribute to national antimicrobial resistance monitoring efforts and FDA decision-making.
- Detail your quality assurance and quality control procedures for bacterial isolation, identification, and susceptibility testing. Adherence to standardized NARMS protocols is essential.
- Include letters of commitment from retail food establishments (grocery chains, food processors) confirming their willingness to participate by providing samples for testing.
- Budget conservatively and realistically for personnel, equipment maintenance, supplies, and training. Include costs for participation in NARMS network meetings and data submission infrastructure.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often lack sufficient detail about laboratory capacity and biosafety infrastructure, raising reviewer concerns about ability to conduct surveillance reliably. Another common weakness is failure to demonstrate strong partnerships with retail food industry partners or unclear commitment from these partners to supply specimens. Many applicants underestimate the time and resources required for quality data management and submission to the national NARMS database, resulting in inadequate budget justification.
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- CLOSED Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaboration — Food and Drug Administration
- CLOSED Rapid Response Team (RRT) Cooperative Agreement — Food and Drug Administration
- ROLLING Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaboration CAP — Food and Drug Administration