NIH awards Broad Institute $36.4M for Centralized Omics Resource (CORE) Year 5 through full and open competition

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $36,386,600 ($36.4M)

Contractor: THE Broad Institute, Inc

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2020-09-25

End Date: 2026-09-27

Contract Duration: 2,193 days

Daily Burn Rate: $16.6K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Number of Offers Received: 6

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: R&D

Official Description: CENTRALIZED OMICS RESOURCE (CORE) YEAR 5

Place of Performance

Location: BETHESDA, MONTGOMERY County, MARYLAND, 20892

State: Maryland Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $36.4 million to THE BROAD INSTITUTE, INC for work described as: CENTRALIZED OMICS RESOURCE (CORE) YEAR 5 Key points: 1. The contract supports a critical resource for genomic and molecular data analysis. 2. Broad Institute's established role suggests deep expertise in omics research. 3. The firm-fixed-price contract type provides cost certainty for the government. 4. The duration of the contract indicates a long-term need for these services. 5. The contract was awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a robust bidding process.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $36.4 million over approximately six years for omics resource services appears reasonable given the specialized nature of the work and the contractor's established role. Benchmarking against similar large-scale bioinformatics and genomics support contracts would provide further insight, but the scale suggests a significant undertaking. The firm-fixed-price contract type helps manage cost risks for the government.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

This contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple qualified bidders had the opportunity to compete. The presence of six bidders suggests a healthy level of interest and competition for this specialized service. This competitive environment is expected to drive fair pricing and ensure the government receives the best value.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from a competitive process that aims to secure high-quality omics resource services at a fair market price, preventing potential overspending associated with less competitive solicitations.

Public Impact

Researchers nationwide benefit from access to the Centralized Omics Resource (CORE) for advanced genomic and molecular data analysis. The contract facilitates cutting-edge biomedical research, potentially leading to new discoveries in disease understanding and treatment. The services provided support a wide range of NIH-funded projects across various scientific disciplines. The contract's impact is national, supporting the broader U.S. biomedical research ecosystem.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in if CORE becomes indispensable and future competitions are structured narrowly.
Reliance on a single contractor for a critical resource could pose risks if performance degrades or unforeseen issues arise.

Positive Signals

The contract is awarded through full and open competition, indicating a competitive market.
The firm-fixed-price contract type provides cost predictability.
The Broad Institute has a strong track record in genomics and bioinformatics, suggesting a lower performance risk.
The contract duration allows for sustained support of vital research infrastructure.

Sector Analysis

The contract falls within the scientific research and development services sector, specifically focusing on bioinformatics and omics data analysis. This is a rapidly growing area driven by advancements in genomic sequencing and molecular biology. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other large-scale NIH grants or contracts supporting core research facilities and data analysis centers, which often involve multi-million dollar awards over several years.

Small Business Impact

While this contract is with a large research institute, it's important to assess if there are opportunities for small businesses to participate as subcontractors. The nature of specialized omics services might limit direct subcontracting to small businesses, but their role in providing supporting technologies or data services should be considered. Further analysis would be needed to determine the extent of small business involvement.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight is likely managed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) program officials and contracting officers. Accountability measures would include performance metrics outlined in the contract, regular progress reports from the contractor, and potential site visits. Transparency is generally maintained through contract award databases, though specific performance details may be proprietary.

Related Government Programs

NIH Research Grants
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Resources
Genomic Data Sharing Policies
Biomedical Data Science Initiatives

Risk Flags

Contractor Performance Risk
Technological Obsolescence
Data Security and Privacy
Long-term Dependency on Single Resource

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $36.4 million to THE BROAD INSTITUTE, INC. CENTRALIZED OMICS RESOURCE (CORE) YEAR 5

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is THE BROAD INSTITUTE, INC.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of Health and Human Services (National Institutes of Health).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $36.4 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2020-09-25. End: 2026-09-27.

What is the Broad Institute's specific track record with NIH and similar omics resource contracts?

The Broad Institute has a significant history of receiving funding from the NIH and other federal agencies for large-scale genomics and bioinformatics projects. They are a leading institution in the field, known for developing and applying cutting-edge technologies in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Their involvement in major consortia like the Human Genome Project and ENCODE, along with numerous NIH grants, demonstrates a strong track record. This specific contract, CORE Year 5, builds upon previous years of support, indicating sustained performance and a recognized capability to manage complex omics data resources for the research community. Their established infrastructure and expertise are key factors in their repeated success in securing such awards.

How does the $36.4 million contract value compare to similar omics resource support contracts?

The $36.4 million value for a six-year contract (approximately $6 million per year) for a centralized omics resource is within the expected range for large-scale, specialized bioinformatics and genomics support services. NIH and other agencies frequently award contracts and grants of similar magnitude to support core facilities and data analysis centers. For instance, other NIH initiatives focused on large-scale data generation and analysis, or national research infrastructure, often see annual funding in the millions. The specific services provided by CORE, such as data processing, analysis pipelines, and data management for diverse omics data types, justify this investment. A precise comparison would require benchmarking against contracts with identical scopes, but the overall value aligns with the significant resources required for such a national-level research support function.

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

Key risks include potential performance issues from the contractor, technological obsolescence in the rapidly evolving field of omics, and data security breaches. Performance risks are mitigated through the firm-fixed-price contract type, which incentivizes efficient delivery, and by the contractor's established expertise. Technological obsolescence is managed by the contract's focus on adaptable resource provision and the expectation that the contractor will incorporate advancements. Data security is a critical concern, addressed through stringent NIH data security requirements, compliance protocols, and likely regular audits. The competitive nature of the award also serves as a baseline mitigation, as the contractor is motivated to perform well to secure future funding or renewals.

How effective is the CORE resource in supporting NIH's broader research goals?

The Centralized Omics Resource (CORE) is designed to be highly effective in supporting NIH's broader research goals by providing essential infrastructure and expertise for analyzing complex genomic and molecular data. This enables researchers funded by NIH to conduct advanced studies that might otherwise be beyond their individual capabilities or resources. By centralizing these capabilities, CORE promotes standardization, reproducibility, and accessibility of omics data, which are crucial for scientific progress. Its services directly contribute to NIH's mission of accelerating scientific discovery and improving human health by facilitating research into the biological underpinnings of diseases and the development of new diagnostics and therapeutics.

What are the historical spending patterns for omics resource support at NIH?

NIH has consistently invested significant resources in supporting omics research infrastructure and data analysis capabilities over many years. Spending patterns reflect the increasing importance of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics in biomedical research. This includes funding for large-scale sequencing centers, data repositories, bioinformatics core facilities, and specialized analysis services. The CORE contract represents a continuation and evolution of this commitment, building upon previous investments in similar resource centers. Historical data would show a trend of increasing complexity and volume of omics data, necessitating sustained and often growing investment in the computational and analytical resources required to process and interpret it effectively.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services › Testing Laboratories and Services

Product/Service Code: SPECIAL STUDIES/ANALYSIS, NOT R&D › SPECIAL STUDIES - NOT R and D

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 75N92020R0034

Offers Received: 6

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 7 CAMBRIDGE CTR, CAMBRIDGE, MA, 02142

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: $36,386,600

Exercised Options: $36,386,600

Current Obligation: $36,386,600

Actual Outlays: $30,577,078

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: HHSN268201600034I

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline