This is an email sent by A-PBA through its incumbent treasurer, Ms. Chook Mee Lan dated September 29, 2017.

CRDF Global will be extending the Personnel Reliability Program Grant Competition deadline in order to permit interested applicants additional time to submit their proposals.

These PRP grants aim to improve biosafety, biosecurity, and biorisk management programs of biological laboratories and facilities within the Philippines. These Personnel Reliability Program (PRP) grants will contribute to the security of biological facilities that work with or contain high consequence pathogens and valuable biological materials, and aim to prevent the accidental or intentional misuse of pathogens or valuable biological material.  The PRP grants are one-time awards up to $20,000.00 in value for up to three months of activity. Selected proposals will have remote access to subject matter experts to aid in implementing their project.

If you have any questions, concerns or issues regarding this funding opportunity or the application process, please contact the SEA TEAM at seabep@crdfglobal.org.

Facilities that are strongly encouraged to apply are those that contain and/ or work with the following pathogens:

Bacillus cereus Biovar anthracis
Bacillus anthracis
Botulinum neurotoxins
Botulinum neurotoxin producing species of Clostridium
Burkholderia mallei
Burkholderia pseudomallei
Ebola virus
Francisella tularensis
Variola major virus (Smallpox virus)
Variola minor virus (Alastrim)
Yersinia pestis

If you have any questions, concerns or issues regarding this funding opportunity or the application process, please contact the SEA TEAM at seabep@crdfglobal.org.

Components of Personnel Reliability Programs that are fund-able through this grant competition:

• Development of a Personnel Reliability Program for facilities that contain pathogens listed above that currently do not have PRP or need to enhance existing programs
• Development of Personnel Reliability Program SOPS, manuals and procedures
• Equipment selection and purchase to support personnel reliability programs (i.e. access readers, CCTV, door locking equipment, etc)
• Development of staff roles and responsibilities that comply with Personnel Reliability Programs
• Training for facility personnel on the components of PRP and its application within the facility
• Development of a peer and manager observation and reporting of behaviors and/ or events affecting work performance
• Development of occupational health programs
• Development of self-reporting systems for personnel and staff on matters that may impact their work performance

The proposals may be submitted through the competition website from now until September 30, 2017.

Deadline for submissions: 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) September 30, 2017

Applicants will be notified of the status of their proposals by October 15, 2017.

If you have any questions, concerns or issues regarding this funding opportunity or the application process, please contact the SEA TEAM at seabep@crdfglobal.org.

To access the grant competition website and application materials, follow the link provided here.

Funding for this opportunity will be provided by the U.S. Department of State’s Biosecurity Engagement Program (BEP). If you have any questions, concerns or issues regarding this funding opportunity or the application process, please contact the SEA TEAM at seabep@crdfglobal.org.

Please forward this information to any colleagues and/or institutions in the Philippines that may be interested in applying for this funding opportunity.

We look forward to receiving your proposals.

Best regards,
SEA TEAM

CRDF Global
1776 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22209

Today, September 2 marks the 2nd Founding Anniversary of the BioRisk Association of the Philippines, Inc.! 

Beyond its infancy, BRAP has been engaged in disseminating significant information regarding biosafety and biosecurity, conducting seminars and workshops intended for laboratory workforce, developing innovative modules that are relevant and understandable, and getting involved in international and local events that are timely and helpful in the field of biosafety and biosecurity.

More importantly, the last 2 years have had representatives of all people associated with biosafety and biosecurity: laboratory workers, medical personnel, human resource and the government. To recapitulate, we have chronologically listed and present somehow graphically all the functions BRAP has had thus far, and what to look forward to in the coming years. (Ariel Angelo B. Aquino)