Promoting Science and Rules Based Standards for Processed Food Ingredients in India and China | USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 20 0039

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 20 0039

The grant opportunity titled "Promoting Science and Rules Based Standards for Processed Food Ingredients in India and China" is a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) trade capacity-building initiative aimed at reducing technical barriers that can limit U.S. exports of processed foods. At its core, the program reflects FAS's broader mission of expanding global markets for American agriculture by working with foreign governments to encourage regulatory systems that are science-based, predictable, and aligned with international trade obligations. The opportunity is built around the idea that when large, fast-growing markets like India and China rely on internationally recognized standards and risk-based decision-making for food additives and ingredient regulations, it supports fair competition for U.S. companies while also improving consumer access to safe, high-quality food products.

USDA/FAS is seeking to partner with a U.S. university (either public/state-controlled or private) to design and deliver two short, back-to-back in-country workshops: one in India (New Delhi or Mumbai) and one in China (location to be determined). Each workshop is expected to run about two days, and the scheduling is intentionally designed so that the U.S. technical delegation can complete both events in a single trip. The workshops are meant to serve as structured, practical forums where U.S. subject matter experts and regulators can engage directly with senior officials and stakeholders in India and China, strengthening policy dialogue and encouraging more harmonized approaches to food additive governance.

The program has three main objectives. First, it aims to improve the policy and regulatory environment for processed food ingredients in India and China, with an emphasis on creating or maintaining a trade-enabling framework rather than one driven by misinformation or inconsistent rules. Second, it seeks to ensure that future regulations in these countries are grounded in sound science and good regulatory practice, which includes risk assessment concepts and evidence-based decision-making. Third, it is designed to reinforce alignment with key international commitments and reference points, including the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement, the Codex General Standard for Food Additives, and safety evaluations conducted by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). In practical terms, this is about encouraging rules that are transparent, justified by science, and compatible with widely accepted international norms.

A key feature of the grant is the collaborative role expected of the recipient organization. The selected university will work with USDA/FAS both virtually and in person to shape the agenda, help select qualified technical experts, and define measurable indicators of success. The workshops will be led primarily by U.S. technical experts and will include participation by high-level host-country government officials. The U.S. delegation is expected to include a mix of current and former U.S. government officials, subject matter experts from academia, and potentially representatives from U.S. industry. The content focus is strongly regulatory and scientific, with the intent of improving shared understanding of how ingredient standards are developed, evaluated, and implemented within a rules-based system.

The proposed workshop topics are centered on how the United States and international bodies approach food ingredient regulation, especially for additives and chemicals used in processed foods. Suggested subject areas include how science- and rules-based standards for processed foods are created; foundational toxicology concepts and how to address common safety myths; how dosage and exposure influence safety determinations; the safety, regulation, and use of chemicals as processed food ingredients; and how Codex standards and JECFA evaluations are used as international reference points. A major theme throughout is harmonization: helping officials and stakeholders understand the trade and public health benefits of aligning national regulations with Codex and other recognized frameworks, while also improving technical capacity within domestic food safety systems.

The participant mix is designed to bring regulators and industry into the same room to support practical dialogue. The China workshop is expected to include roughly 10 to 20 local government officials, 20 to 30 local and international industry representatives, and 10 to 15 U.S. officials and representatives. The India workshop is expected to include around 20 to 30 local government officials, 20 to 30 industry representatives, and 10 to 15 U.S. participants. The program may also include a plenary session with industry officials to strengthen private-public interaction and to surface real-world implementation challenges tied to ingredient approvals, labeling, compliance, and market access.

From a budgeting and administration perspective, the award ceiling is listed as $105,000 with one expected award under CFDA 10.960 (Technical Agricultural Assistance). The funding instrument type is listed as "Other" under a discretionary opportunity. An important cost note is that travel expenses for U.S. government technical experts (except FAS personnel) should be included in the project budget, meaning the recipient must plan for and manage those travel-related costs as part of implementation. The opportunity originally posted in July 2020 with an original closing date of August 20, 2020, indicating it was structured as a time-bound competitive award.

Success is expected to be measured in concrete, verifiable ways rather than general impressions. Two performance measures are specifically highlighted: improved understanding of science- and rules-based standards among target-country participants, assessed through pre- and post-workshop testing, and the number of follow-on interactions between participants and U.S. technical advisors that occur as a result of the program. Taken together, these metrics signal that USDA/FAS is not only looking for well-run events, but also for evidence that the workshops meaningfully shift knowledge and create ongoing channels for regulatory engagement that can support stable trade conditions for U.S. processed food exports.

• The Department of Agriculture, Technical Agricultural Assistance 10.960 in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Promoting Science and Rules Based Standards for Processed Food Ingredients in India and China" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.960.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 09, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 20, 2020 Post Date 07/08/2020 Close date 08/20/2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $105,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 20 0039

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