NHLBI Awards $16.7M Task Order to Baylor College of Medicine for Precision Medicine Omics Resource

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $16,682,492 ($16.7M)

Contractor: Baylor College of Medicine

Awarding Agency: Department of Health and Human Services

Start Date: 2024-09-23

End Date: 2026-09-22

Contract Duration: 729 days

Daily Burn Rate: $22.9K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Healthcare

Official Description: NHLBI TRANS-OMICS FOR PRECISION MEDICINE (TOPMED) FOR THE CENTRALIZED OMICS RESOURCE (CORE) - TASK AREAS 2, 3, AND 4 - 2024 TASK ORDER

Place of Performance

Location: HOUSTON, HARRIS County, TEXAS, 77030

State: Texas Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of Health and Human Services obligated $16.7 million to BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE for work described as: NHLBI TRANS-OMICS FOR PRECISION MEDICINE (TOPMED) FOR THE CENTRALIZED OMICS RESOURCE (CORE) - TASK AREAS 2, 3, AND 4 - 2024 TASK ORDER Key points: 1. The contract focuses on centralized omics data processing and analysis for precision medicine research. 2. Baylor College of Medicine is the awardee, with the task order valued at $16.7 million. 3. The primary risk lies in the complexity of omics data integration and the potential for delays in research timelines. 4. This spending falls within the broader Health and Human Services sector, specifically supporting biomedical research initiatives.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract is a firm-fixed-price delivery order, indicating a clear scope and budget. Benchmarking against similar omics data processing contracts is difficult due to the specialized nature of the TOPMed program.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process. This method generally promotes price discovery and ensures fair market value.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are being used to advance precision medicine research, which has the potential for long-term public health benefits.

Public Impact

Accelerates research into complex diseases by providing critical omics data analysis capabilities. Supports the National Institutes of Health's mission to improve human health through scientific discovery. Enhances the understanding of genetic and environmental factors influencing disease development and progression.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for scope creep if research objectives evolve significantly.
Reliance on specialized personnel and advanced bioinformatics infrastructure.

Positive Signals

Clear task areas and fixed-price contract structure.
Award to a reputable institution with relevant expertise.

Sector Analysis

This contract supports the biomedical research sector, specifically focusing on omics data analysis for precision medicine. Spending benchmarks for such specialized services are highly variable, but the award amount appears reasonable for a multi-year, complex task order.

Small Business Impact

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, and there is no indication of small business participation in this specific task order. Future subcontracts could potentially involve small businesses for specialized services.

Oversight & Accountability

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) oversees this contract. Oversight will likely focus on adherence to task area requirements, data quality, and timely delivery of analytical results.

Related Government Programs

Testing Laboratories and Services
Department of Health and Human Services Contracting
National Institutes of Health Programs

Risk Flags

Data integration complexity
Reliance on specialized expertise
Potential for research timeline slippage
Scalability of computational resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of Health and Human Services awarded $16.7 million to BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE. NHLBI TRANS-OMICS FOR PRECISION MEDICINE (TOPMED) FOR THE CENTRALIZED OMICS RESOURCE (CORE) - TASK AREAS 2, 3, AND 4 - 2024 TASK ORDER

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE.

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 $16.7 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-09-23. End: 2026-09-22.

What is the primary objective of the TOPMed program and how does this task order contribute to its overall goals?

The TOPMed program aims to generate large-scale genetic and omics data from diverse populations to understand the biological underpinnings of various diseases. This task order, focusing on the Centralized Omics Resource (CORE), is crucial for processing, analyzing, and harmonizing this complex data, making it accessible and usable for researchers to identify disease-related genetic variations and develop targeted therapies.

What are the key risks associated with managing and analyzing large-scale omics data, and how are they mitigated in this contract?

Key risks include data quality control, integration of diverse omics datasets (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics), computational infrastructure demands, and potential delays in analysis. The contract mitigates these by specifying clear task areas, requiring adherence to established protocols, and awarding to Baylor College of Medicine, an institution with demonstrated expertise in bioinformatics and omics data management.

How does this investment in precision medicine infrastructure ultimately benefit taxpayers and public health?

This investment supports the development of more effective and personalized treatments for diseases by leveraging large-scale genetic and omics data. By improving our understanding of disease mechanisms, it can lead to earlier diagnosis, targeted interventions, and potentially reduce long-term healthcare costs associated with chronic and complex illnesses, thereby providing significant public health and economic benefits.

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: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE

Solicitation ID: 75N92024R0272

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 1 BAYLOR PLZ, HOUSTON, TX, 77030

Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Tax Exempt, Educational Institution, Higher Education, Nonprofit Organization, Not Designated a Small Business, Higher Education (Private), Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $21,506,197

Exercised Options: $16,682,492

Current Obligation: $16,682,492

Actual Outlays: $4,779,364

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 75N92023D00012

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline