HACCP Audit Trainers for Meat Product Inspectors

About Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) & TraSa Project

IESC is a US-based nonprofit that creates and expands economic opportunities, helping to lift those we support out of poverty. IESC is the prime implementor of the USDA-funded Trade Safe (TraSa) Project in the Dominican Republic (DR). TraSa aims to build the capacity of Dominican government institutions to develop a modernized Sanitary/Phytosanitary (SPS) and food safety-related policy and regulatory framework to respond to the needs of the Dominican Republic’s trade agreements and international best practices, as well as Dominican consumers. TraSa is helping government institutions to implement science- and risk-based SPS and food safety measures, standards, and regulations to facilitate trade in food and agricultural products.

Background

The Dominican Republic’s national meat inspection system is administered by the General Directorate of Medicines, Food and Sanitary Products (DIGEMAPS). In 2011, Regulation 329-11 was issued, which rules the sanitary inspection of meat and meat products in the Dominican Republic. This is being replaced by a new regulation that includes all meat products of swine, poultry, goat, ovine and bovine origin, and other products of animal origin for human consumption (eggs, sausage, and fish).

The DR regulation requires that those facilities willing to export need to have in place a solid and functional HACCP system. Additionally, companies that are not exporting or planning to do so in the future, also have chosen to implement HACCP as a food safety management system to reduce the risk of food-borne diseases.

Justification

The DR industry is implementing HACCP, and it is essential that the official inspection team (veterinarians and inspectors) are equipped with the necessary expertise and resources to effectively oversee it. It is important that the knowledge of the official inspection aligns closely with the industry’s practices.

Through a meat/food safety diploma training program developed with the support of TraSa Project, DIGEMAPS, and ISA University (local university), the official meat inspection team from DIGEMAPS has acquired training on the principles and fundamentals of HACCP. The team is prepared for and require advanced training now.

Objectives

The consultant will train the official meat inspectors' team (governmental employees) to:

advance their knowledge and skills on HACCP,

strengthen their capacity to conduct HACCP-based inspections at the facilities (slaughterhouses and meat facilities).

Tasks

Attend a virtual meeting with the IESC team and DIGEMAPS to discuss and agree on a training plan, including dates, materials, and clarifying any potential questions or concerns.

Prepare a training agenda outlining the required number of days (with a maximum of 4 or 5 days for each training), the list of topics to be covered during the training, and the schedule.

Prepare customized training modules that provide inspectors with the knowledge and skills to conduct HACCP-based inspections. This will include materials such as PowerPoint presentations and physical resources (exercises, information resources, books or papers of reference, etc.).

Incorporate practical or case study exercises to the training modules, both individual and group work, to enhance participants' involvement, promote critical thinking, and generate resourceful discussions.

Deliver two in-person training sessions in Santo Domingo, using an accredited HACCP training program for two separate groups of approximately 25 inspectors each.

Provide practical examples of pork, beef, poultry, and eggs. The consultant needs to be aware that beef and pork facilities are undergoing official inspection, while poultry and egg facilities have not yet been inspected; however, they will be once the new meat regulation is enacted.

Issue certificates of completion for attendees. The certificate will need the Official Seal of the International HACCP Alliance.

Prepare a training report that details of the conducted training and provides recommendations for future training or other activities that the consultant may consider appropriate (see deliverable 3).

Deliverables

All deliverables should be provided in an editable format. Deliverable dates are estimated.

Deliverable 1. Training agenda (in Spanish)

Due approximately 1 week after the consultancy agreement is awarded.

This deliverable must include, but not be limited to, the number of days required for the training (with a maximum of 4 or 5 days each training), the list of topics to be covered during the training, and how the topics will be distributed across the days.

This deliverable must be sent by email to the IESC technical team, who will share it with DIGEMAPS. The team will provide written feedback within 3 working days after receiving it.

Deliverable 2. Training materials (in Spanish)

Draft will be due no later than 2 weeks before travelling to deliver the training. Final deliverable will be due 1 week before travelling.

All the material will need to be prepared in Spanish.

This material must include, but not be limited to, the presentation in PowerPoint format (it can be one or several PowerPoints depending on the size of the files) and training materials that will be printed and handed to the participants to have during the training and take with them as a reference document. This material also must include practical exercises, group cases, or any other resources that will allow participants to have a practical and interactive experience that encourage group discussions.

This deliverable must be sent by email to the IESC technical team. This team will provide written feedback within 3 working days after receiving it.

Deliverable 3. Training report (in Spanish)

Preliminary report due 1 week after completing the trainings. Final report due 2 weeks after completing the trainings.

This deliverable should contain, but not be limited to, the dates, number of attendees, topics covered during the training, recommendations for additional training identified by the consultant, observations in terms of participants' involvement, critical thinking, and resourceful discussions, and recommendations of additional support that can be provided to DIGEMAPS to strengthen inspection capacities within the team.

This deliverable must be sent by email to the IESC technical team. The team will provide written feedback within 3 working days after receiving it.

Qualifications

Graduate or postgraduate degree in Food Safety, Food Technology, or a related discipline.

HACCP expert with proven experience delivering HACCP training in different countries and diverse contexts.

Proven experience working with the meat industry.

Affiliation with the International HACCP Alliance, authorized to issue HACCP certifications with the Official Seal of the International HACCP Alliance.

Previous knowledge of the DR meat inspection system and regulation and/or the meat system (slaughterhouses or meat processors) is preferable.

Fluent Spanish speaker preferred.