NIH awards $4.1M to Wake Forest University for Women's Health Initiative research

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $4,127,870 ($4.1M)

Contractor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2020-10-15

End Date: 2025-09-28

Contract Duration: 1,809 days

Daily Burn Rate: $2.3K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: COST NO FEE

Sector: R&D

Official Description: WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE (WHI) REGIONAL CENTER (RC)

Place of Performance

Location: WINSTON SALEM, FORSYTH County, NORTH CAROLINA, 27157

State: North Carolina Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $4.1 million to WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES for work described as: WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE (WHI) REGIONAL CENTER (RC) Key points: 1. Contract supports critical research in women's health, aligning with NIH's mission. 2. Full and open competition suggests a robust selection process. 3. Long contract duration (over 5 years) indicates a sustained research effort. 4. Research focus is on physical, engineering, and life sciences, excluding specialized biotech. 5. Awardee has a strong track record in health sciences research. 6. Geographic location in North Carolina may offer regional economic benefits.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $4.1M over approximately five years for a regional research center appears reasonable given the scope of the Women's Health Initiative. Benchmarking against similar large-scale, multi-year research grants from NIH for specialized health initiatives suggests this level of funding is within expected parameters. The 'COST NO FEE' contract type indicates that the government reimburses allowable costs, which is standard for research grants and implies a focus on covering research expenses rather than profit.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that all responsible sources were permitted to submit proposals. This suggests a competitive process where multiple research institutions likely vied for the award. The level of competition is not explicitly detailed, but the 'full and open' designation implies a broad outreach and evaluation, which generally benefits price discovery and ensures the most qualified applicant is selected.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers benefit from a competitive process that aims to secure the best value for public funds by selecting the most capable research institution at a fair cost.

Public Impact

Beneficiaries include women whose health outcomes may be improved through the research findings. Services delivered are critical research activities for the Women's Health Initiative. Geographic impact is primarily in North Carolina, where the research center is located. Workforce implications include employment for researchers, technicians, and administrative staff at Wake Forest University.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for research delays if unforeseen scientific challenges arise.
Reliance on sustained funding for long-term research objectives.

Positive Signals

Awardee's established expertise in health sciences research.
Clear alignment with the strategic goals of the National Institutes of Health.
Structured research framework provided by the Women's Health Initiative.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Research and Development sector, specifically focusing on physical, engineering, and life sciences. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a major funder of biomedical and health-related research, with significant annual spending in this category. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other large, multi-year research grants awarded by NIH or other federal agencies for similar health initiatives, which often run into millions of dollars over several years.

Small Business Impact

There is no indication of a small business set-aside for this contract, nor is there information suggesting subcontracting opportunities specifically targeted at small businesses. Given the nature of the award to a large university research institution, the primary focus is on scientific merit and research capability rather than small business participation. The contract does not appear to directly impact the small business ecosystem.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight for this contract would primarily reside with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The agency is responsible for monitoring the progress of the research, ensuring compliance with grant terms, and managing financial expenditures. Transparency is facilitated through public reporting of research findings and adherence to federal grant management regulations. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Women's Health Initiative (WHI)
National Institutes of Health Research Grants
Biomedical Research Funding
Health Sciences Research Centers

Risk Flags

Long-term funding dependency
Potential for research scope creep

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $4.1 million to WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES. WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE (WHI) REGIONAL CENTER (RC)

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES.

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 $4.1 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2020-10-15. End: 2025-09-28.

What is the historical spending pattern of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Regional Center (RC) program?

The provided data focuses on a single delivery order for the WHI Regional Center (RC) awarded to Wake Forest University Health Sciences. To understand the historical spending pattern of the WHI RC program, one would need to examine aggregated data across multiple awards and fiscal years. This would involve identifying all contracts and grants associated with the WHI RC initiative, their respective values, durations, and the institutions receiving them. A comprehensive analysis would reveal trends in funding levels, the number of regional centers supported, and the distribution of funds across different research activities or geographic locations over time. Without access to this broader dataset, it is impossible to definitively describe the historical spending pattern of the entire WHI RC program based solely on this single award.

How does the cost per researcher compare to similar NIH-funded research centers?

Determining a precise cost per researcher requires knowing the exact number of full-time equivalent (FTE) researchers funded by this $4.1 million award over its 1809-day duration. The contract type is 'COST NO FEE,' meaning the government reimburses allowable costs incurred by Wake Forest University. To benchmark this, we would need to identify comparable NIH research grants or contracts awarded to other institutions for similar large-scale health initiatives, such as other components of the Women's Health Initiative or other major cohort studies. We would then need to ascertain the FTE researcher count for those comparable awards and calculate their respective cost per researcher. Without this detailed comparative data on researcher numbers and specific cost breakdowns for similar projects, a direct comparison of cost per researcher for this specific contract is not feasible.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this Women's Health Initiative research contract?

The specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Regional Center (RC) contract are not detailed in the provided data. However, for NIH-funded research grants of this nature, typical KPIs often revolve around research progress and outcomes. These can include the successful recruitment and retention of study participants, adherence to research protocols, timely completion of data collection and analysis, publication of findings in peer-reviewed journals, presentation of results at scientific conferences, and the generation of data that contributes to understanding women's health. The 'COST NO FEE' contract type implies that performance is measured against the approved research plan and budget, with funding contingent on meeting research milestones and objectives.

What is the track record of Wake Forest University Health Sciences in managing large federal research grants?

Wake Forest University Health Sciences has a significant track record in managing large federal research grants, particularly from agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As a major academic medical center, it routinely engages in complex, multi-year research projects funded by federal sources. The university's infrastructure, including dedicated research administration offices, compliance departments, and experienced principal investigators, is designed to handle the financial and administrative demands of such grants. The fact that they were awarded this substantial contract under full and open competition further suggests a demonstrated capability and a competitive advantage in securing and executing federally funded research initiatives. Historical data on their grant portfolio would provide more specific details on the scale and success rates of their past federal awards.

How does the geographic concentration of this award in North Carolina impact broader national research efforts?

The concentration of this Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Regional Center (RC) award in North Carolina means that a significant portion of the research activities and associated funding will be localized within that state. While Wake Forest University Health Sciences is a reputable institution, having a single regional center in one state may limit the geographic diversity of participant recruitment and the potential for broader community engagement across different regions of the country. National research efforts often benefit from a distributed network of research centers to capture a wider range of demographic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors that can influence health outcomes. However, a concentrated approach can also allow for deeper, more focused research within a specific population or setting, potentially yielding robust insights relevant to that region and beyond.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Scientific Research and Development Services › Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)

Product/Service Code: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › N – Health R&D Services

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Pricing Type: COST NO FEE (S)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: MEDICAL CENTER BLVD, WINSTON SALEM, NC, 27157

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Tax Exempt, Educational Institution, Higher Education, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business, Higher Education (Private)

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $4,192,637

Exercised Options: $4,127,870

Current Obligation: $4,127,870

Actual Outlays: $2,317,639

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: YES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 75N92021D00005

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline