CDC's $17.8M HIV/AIDS communications contract awarded to American Institutes for Research, competed under SAP

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $17,837,408 ($17.8M)

Contractor: American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2021-05-15

End Date: 2025-05-14

Contract Duration: 1,460 days

Daily Burn Rate: $12.2K/day

Competition Type: COMPETED UNDER SAP

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: STRATEGIC NEWS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS FOR HIV/AIDS, VIRAL HEPATITIS, STD, AND TB PREVENTION.

Place of Performance

Location: ARLINGTON, ARLINGTON County, VIRGINIA, 22202

State: Virginia Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $17.8 million to AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH IN THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES for work described as: STRATEGIC NEWS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS FOR HIV/AIDS, VIRAL HEPATITIS, STD, AND TB PREVENTION. Key points: 1. Value for money appears fair given the specialized nature of public health communications. 2. Competition dynamics indicate a potentially limited but adequately competed contract. 3. Risk indicators are moderate, with performance dependent on contractor expertise and CDC oversight. 4. Performance context is crucial for evaluating the impact of public health messaging. 5. Sector positioning is within public health communications, a niche but vital area.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $17.8 million over two years for strategic communications is within a reasonable range for specialized public health campaigns. Benchmarking against similar large-scale public health communication contracts from agencies like HHS or other federal health bodies would provide a clearer picture of value. However, the firm-fixed-price structure suggests that cost overruns are the contractor's responsibility, which is a positive sign for cost control.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was competed under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), suggesting it was likely advertised on a government-wide point of entry, allowing for broad participation. While the specific number of bidders is not provided, SAP is generally intended to foster competition for contracts below certain thresholds. The 'COMPETED UNDER SAP' designation implies that multiple offers were solicited and evaluated.

Taxpayer Impact: Competing contracts under SAP aims to ensure fair pricing and prevent overspending by leveraging market forces, even for smaller contract values.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are the public, through increased awareness and prevention strategies for HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB. Services delivered include strategic news media communications, likely encompassing public service announcements, media outreach, and educational material development. Geographic impact is national, aiming to reach diverse populations across the United States. Workforce implications may involve public health professionals, communication specialists, and media personnel involved in campaign execution.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for messaging to be misaligned with target audience needs if research is insufficient.
Effectiveness of communication strategies can be difficult to measure definitively.
Reliance on contractor's expertise requires strong performance monitoring by the agency.

Positive Signals

Contractor has a strong reputation in behavioral sciences, suggesting a good understanding of communication impact.
Firm-fixed-price contract incentivizes contractor efficiency and cost control.
Focus on critical public health issues indicates a high-priority government objective.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the professional services sector, specifically marketing and public relations consulting, with a focus on public health. The market for such services is competitive, with numerous firms capable of developing and executing communication strategies. Federal spending in this area is often driven by public health initiatives and awareness campaigns, with agencies like CDC and NIH being significant purchasers.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates this contract was not set aside for small businesses and was competed under SAP. While not a direct small business award, the prime contractor may utilize small businesses for subcontracting opportunities, depending on the scope of work and their own subcontracting plans. Further analysis would be needed to determine if small business participation is a requirement or has occurred.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight is likely managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) program officials responsible for HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STD, and TB prevention. Accountability measures would be tied to performance metrics outlined in the contract, such as campaign reach, message dissemination, and potentially public health outcome indicators. Transparency is facilitated through contract award data availability, though specific campaign details and performance reports may be internal.

Related Government Programs

CDC HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs
Public Health Communication Campaigns
National STD Prevention Efforts
Viral Hepatitis Awareness Initiatives
Tuberculosis Control Programs

Risk Flags

Performance Risk: Effectiveness of communication strategies is difficult to quantify and dependent on contractor expertise.
Oversight Risk: Ensuring robust monitoring and evaluation of campaign impact requires dedicated agency resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $17.8 million to AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH IN THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES. STRATEGIC NEWS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS FOR HIV/AIDS, VIRAL HEPATITIS, STD, AND TB PREVENTION.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH IN THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Health and Human Services (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $17.8 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2021-05-15. End: 2025-05-14.

What is the track record of American Institutes for Research in executing federal public health communication contracts?

American Institutes for Research (AIR) has a significant track record in conducting research and providing technical assistance for federal health agencies, including the CDC. Their expertise spans behavioral and social sciences, which are critical for designing effective public health communication strategies. While specific details on past communication contracts of this exact scale and focus are not provided here, AIR's general experience suggests a capability to manage complex projects. Their work often involves program evaluation, policy analysis, and dissemination of findings, all of which are relevant to strategic communications. A deeper dive into their contract history with HHS and other agencies would reveal the extent and success of their prior communication-focused endeavors.

How does the $17.8 million contract value compare to similar federal public health communication initiatives?

The $17.8 million contract value over two years for strategic communications on HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB is substantial but falls within the expected range for large-scale, national public health campaigns. For context, major public health initiatives, such as anti-smoking campaigns or broad health awareness drives by agencies like HHS or the FDA, can often exceed this amount, sometimes by tens of millions of dollars annually. Smaller, more targeted campaigns or those with shorter durations would naturally have lower values. Given the critical nature of the diseases covered and the need for sustained messaging, this funding level appears commensurate with the scope and importance of the public health objectives.

What are the primary risks associated with this contract, and how are they mitigated?

Key risks include the potential for ineffective communication strategies that fail to reach or resonate with target audiences, leading to wasted resources and limited public health impact. Another risk is the difficulty in definitively measuring the return on investment for communication efforts, as behavioral changes are influenced by numerous factors. Furthermore, reliance on the contractor's expertise means that any shortcomings in their research, planning, or execution could jeopardize the campaign's success. Mitigation strategies likely involve robust contract oversight by the CDC, including clear performance metrics, regular progress reviews, and potentially independent evaluations of campaign effectiveness. The firm-fixed-price nature of the contract also shifts some financial risk to the contractor.

What is the historical spending pattern for similar strategic communication services by the CDC?

Historical spending by the CDC on strategic communication services for disease prevention programs has been significant and consistent, reflecting the agency's mandate. While specific figures for HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB prevention communications vary year to year based on program priorities and funding allocations, the CDC regularly awards multi-million dollar contracts for media outreach, public awareness campaigns, and educational material development. These contracts often span several years and involve specialized firms with expertise in public health messaging and media engagement. Analyzing past CDC budgets and contract databases would reveal trends in spending for these types of services, indicating whether this $17.8 million award represents an increase, decrease, or continuation of previous investment levels.

How will the success of this contract be measured, and what are the key performance indicators (KPIs)?

The success of this contract will likely be measured through a combination of output and outcome-based Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Output KPIs might include the number of media placements secured, the reach and frequency of public service announcements, the development and distribution of educational materials, and website traffic generated. Outcome KPIs would focus on the impact of the communications, such as changes in public awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and potentially self-reported behaviors related to HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB prevention. The CDC would establish these KPIs in the contract statement of work, and performance would be assessed through regular reporting by the contractor and potentially through independent surveys or data analysis.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services › Marketing Consulting Services

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: COMPETED UNDER SAP

Solicitation Procedures: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION

Solicitation ID: 75D301-21-Q-72988

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1000 THOMAS JEFFERSON ST N W, WASHINGTON, DC, 20007

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Tax Exempt, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $17,837,408

Exercised Options: $17,837,408

Current Obligation: $17,837,408

Actual Outlays: $15,340,829

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: HHSD2002015M88151B

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline